Deliverer of Birthright
by romeoraiden
Summary: My First Story. Two Nations. One desperate enough to bring a terrible war, the other more concern for themselves, and at the center, a sheltered Princess is forced to make difficult choices for the good of all. In her quest to do what's right many will stand with her and many more will oppose, throwing her in a state of despair. And from the chaos a Fallen Hero will rise again.
1. Chapter 1: Wayward Child

**Author's Note: Hello to all you fellow fans of magic, angels, demons dragons and everything that's cliché but never truly boring. I'm very new to all this but I assure you all that my writing and way of telling a story is not that bad. I haven't played Fire Emblem in a while, much less the mobile spin-off but I did enjoy my first game in the franchise, which miraculously saved said franchise as a whole despite its flaws; Fire Emblem Awakening. Granted it's the only game of the series that I ever played since I stopped using a DS all together but I am a sucker for nostalgia and once it crossed my mind last year I stuck with it, and now I am here among you all. Granted reading fanfictions has been a… let's call it a hobby to kill time for about six years now and I don't get bored of the same stories so easily so once I started reading what fellow fans have been writing about our beloved franchise, some filled me with enjoyment to read, others… disgusted me to the core since it dishonored our beloved characters but this is Fanfiction and everyone is entitled to how they want to perceive fictional worlds so I figured I should get into this myself.**

**Now before we begin I like to point out that I will start with Fates because while Awakening is better, the fourteenth installment caught my attention the most so I want to start off this way, also while I did enjoy the gameplay, characters and story, I myself like other fans, like say Blazingknight, have complaints about the noticeable flaws that I feel that we as fans need to correct especially since I feel that some of these characters didn't live up to their potential, the prime example being the villains, with that in mind I am going to make a lot of changes to the story to suit my interest, starting with different backstories for some, not because I hated the canon's take on it but because this is my first Fanfiction and I feel like I need the freedom to control the world I am writing how I see fit in a way that I believe may improve it, like the concept of magic, I like the system that Fire Emblem has but I feel that it may hold my imagination back, I assure you that there will be no OP characters among the heroes, though there will be certain instances where that may not be the case. Feel free to disagree with my changes and tell me if you think I should change something and I will consider, CONSIDER! Complying with your request.**

**Disclaimer: I know this is unbearably cliché but again because this is my first time I will spell it out: I do not own Fire Emblem Fates, or any associated characters, weapons (minus for fanmade weapons), concepts, etc. that are found in this creation of mine.**

**Without further delay, I give you; Fire Emblem: Deliverer of Birthright**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Wayward Child**

"NO, WAIT!" Cried out a Holy King in desperation, trying to punch through a transparent wall of magical energy blocking his path, calling out to the one who built it, who walks further away from him and towards his death. "This is not your burden to bear alone! We can all choose to live!"

His entire body shaking, choking in his own tears as they stream down his face. And it is not just him in anguish, behind him are his comrades as they stand frozen with shock, just after triumphing over their monstrous foes, only to gaze at another kind of despair, one by one beginning to react in their own display of horror, whether that was looking away, throwing their hands to their faces, or falling to their knees in disbelief. His older and younger sisters who stand beside him both stumble over to their brother with terrified looks on their faces, clutching his back.

Beside him is also his daughter, holding an anguished young girl who is feeling worse than anyone.

"Please, think of what remains of your family. She needs you."

"WE NEED YOU!"

"DADDY, COME BACK!" Cried out his daughter. "You said you'd never hurt me! You promised!"

His daughter's words actually manage to get him to stop on his tracks and reluctantly turns but only to meet their gazes one last time as he looks at them with a completely defeated expression. It is the look of a man who is already dead. No, it is the look of a man who no longer fears anything and has come to accept the inevitability set before him and is about to put an end to a great depression.

"I know how badly you don't want me to do this but sealing him away isn't victory, it's shoving our problem onto someone else. Far too many people, innocent or otherwise have suffered by the mere thought of this horror's existence, I can't allow anymore to suffer just because my life hangs in the balance. Not even for you." He professed.

"Daddy…"

"I'm so sorry little girl. But this is my Endgame, and I must fulfill it. Look after everyone for me. They are your family now. Always have been. And I know they'll take care of you as well." With those final words, he turns his back on them once again for the final time, his mind becoming so numb that he can no longer even hear the loud voices behind him, focusing only on what's in front of him, what he was supposed to be, the abomination against life that lies before him staring down at him with its sickening six red eyes, only able to do just that, stare with nothing else due to its weaken state. And also before him, struggling to remain on his feet and incapable of defending himself is the human form of this horrid monster, the Avatar. His own shadow.

"So… this is the end of the road… the end for me. And I was so close to perfecting my story too." The Avatar cursed his own luck as he was so sure that his plans were flawless. "This is all wrong. I had it all planned out, so many ideas coursing through my head, limitless possibilities that could've perfected my Endgame. When did I become so indecisive?"

"You are smart, smarter than anyone in this world but it was only a matter of time before you fell to your own ego, our luck was going to run out eventually." He assured the Avatar.

"Yeah… I should've known it was going to end this way. No matter what I do, bastards like you are always there, hunting me, thwarting my dreams. If only I had… No, never mind." The Avatar surrenders to his fate. "Still… it wasn't all bad for me at least, my life was actually most satisfying as I lived it in full, took every path I could take, did what I had to do, and saw it through with little exception. Planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway as best I could. We both did."

"And more. Much more than this, I did it my way. Just the way you like it. My friend." The Fallen Hero finished for him as he raises both Fangs of the King empowered by the pinkish flames of Ignis.

With no more words to say, the Grandmaster of Ylisse, High Deliverer, the Broken Soul, takes his own life and with him the Wings of Despair, the Breath of Ruin, the Fell Dragon. Helplessly, the Dragon God of Death can only watch the same as the rest of the heroes as one of their greatest friends but also their most hated adversary fades to nothing as the evil dragon becomes consume by Ignis and burns away until only its bones remains and it falls from the sky to the ground with the heroes rescued by a divine light.

**"Thank you Chrom. For always believing in me. For Everything."**

* * *

Though despair was strong, tomorrows keep coming and a chance for hope ever present, including for one great continent who has been the subject of such oppression and suffering, now embraces an old light to rise from the ashes, and this chance is found in its newest Empress. Though she is young, she owes it to her father to make things right by stepping up and do what is best for Valm. And there she lies, sitting in her thrown, a unique attire that resembles her father's but with changes to make her stand out from him, now mix with that of a Dark Flier. Her beautiful face, once filled with endless joy is now devoid of such emotion, there is only melancholy, and standing before her throne is the Exalt of Ylisse and his once misguided daughter from a ruinous future who have given her father so much happiness and purpose but were also a catalyst of his greatest pain.

"You don't have to do this, you know, Morgan. This burden is too heavy." Chrom insisted, not wanting to see her lose herself to some self-imposed duty.

"Yes, I do, and I'll do it alone." Morgan replied in a tone so callous that it's impossible to believe that this is the same sassy aspiring apprentice tactician, following in the footsteps of her great father in pursuit of glory and adventure.

"No you're not. Valm is not the only one in need of help." Lucina stated.

"Not from you. Never again." Morgan replied coldly to the Future Princess, harboring only resentment and contempt where there was once compassion and admiration.

"Hate me forever if it can ease your pain but don't shut us all out. We're all we got." Lucina pleaded, the emptiness of her voice apparent caused by grief and remorse.

"Right now all I want is to be alone." Morgan turn away from them, no longer seeing them as her friends.

"We'll return to give more aid eventually. Till then, take care, little master." Chrom remarked, giving his farewells as he and Lucina exit the throne room, and once they were gone they expected her to finally shed some tears of the sorrow eating at her but no more tears came out, enough have been shed.

"What are you going to do?" Chrom asked his wayward daughter as the two remain before the closed doors to the throne room.

"I'm not leaving, I can't bear to see her like this and alone, I have to set things right. Somehow." Lucina declared, determination now in her face but still beset with sorrow.

"Everything up to this point will be one of hardship, even if our efforts to restore all the lands wounded by the Great War is done miraculously as soon as we want it so, it'll be a slow progress with her. Including me." Chrom said turning away from her.

"I won't give up. I'll die trying to bring that little girl's smile back, for now I am just a sorry excuse for a shepherd. Nothing more, nothing less." Lucina deemed.

"What about the rest of you?"

"They will also remain with Morgan for as long as they have to for her, but I imagine she'll eventually succeed in encouraging them all to follow their own hearts and leave her to her darkness. Luckily for me, I don't have one anymore."

Chrom is NOT HAPPY to hear his daughter say that but he did not retaliate, neither of them have the energy to argue about anything, all he can offer her is a fatherly hug, of which she is in desperate need of.

"Just promise me you'll stay alive long enough for me to give you more birthdays, I already owe you eleven of them in one go." Chrom pleaded.

"This is not the end, Naga promised, and those of her bloodline never go back on our word." Lucina avowed.

"That's my girl." Chrom finally smiles as the two split and the Exalt departs for Ylisse, where the rest of their family awaits, though first he needs to meet up with his royal retainer and sister who accompanied him on the journey here, and they will have another long journey to get back to their own home country whiles all the Children of an erased Future remain in Valm with the Thirteenth of a better Timeline and Daughter of Hope.

Chrom loses himself to his thoughts as he can only think of his fallen best friend.

"I know you can hear me Robin, wherever you are. Know that I'm never giving up either, even if so many of us have gone our separate ways, we are still together under our banner, I'll keep our family together until you return to share our future as we forge more of it. You will always have a place with the Shepherds. Remember that."

"**Always**."

* * *

Far to the North in a Kingdom of Darkness, hidden behind a fearsome mountain range, lay the Northern Fortress. It served no tactical purpose in the current age of this kingdom, all enemies to the north long since having been absorbed. It held a scant few people, with only seven consistently staying there. The majority of them lived in service to the young woman who had lived in the Northern Fortress all her life: Lady Corrin, Princess of Nohr and daughter of King Garon of Nohr. On the day her life changed forever, Corrin was dreaming. She slept fitfully, her latest dream more feverish than any she has ever had. The images seemed to slip from her memory as soon as she moved on from them, but subconsciously she still felt the dream was important and scorns herself for letting it slip away.

"Wakey-Wakey Corrin."

The call pierced into the sleep of the young Princess, and she slowly began to open her eyes. Still groggy from her fitful sleep, Corrin merely groaned and rolled the bed sheets tighter around herself, and quickly reluctant to awaken and remain asleep.

"Aw, how adorable to see her asleep like an Angel of Nightlight, are you sure we can't let her sleep until dawn? It is almost heartbreaking to wake her up."

The voice of her second caretaker sounds more motherly and mature than usual, almost as if Flora had become a completely different person. Though than again, Corrin doesn't recall Felicia ever sounding so small and childish. Nor as she ever heard her say wakey-wakey.

"Yes we're sure, father has been in a good mood recently, as such we owe it to him to arrive early as he would prefer."

"Well said, as such it's time for you to awaken Corrin, your promise day has arrived."

Okay, now she knows there is something wrong, Jakob and Gunter are definitely different, sounding almost like…

Corrin fully awakens and finds that the people standing beside and surrounding her while she is in her bed are not her two maids, butler and tutor but her siblings, the oldest being a man in his mid-twenties with a strong, stern composure, blonde hair and brown eyes, and clad in heavy black armor with golden ordinates, befitting of a Crown Prince; Xander. Her oldest sister, Camilla, undoubtedly the most beautiful woman in Nohr, wavy dark purple long hair with her left eyes frequently covered, said eyes are dark pink and her body feature is one that has always brought other noble women immense envy. Corrin herself on one occasion and her armor is also befitting of a Princess but at the same time the opposite, black high heals and black armor that cover most of her body except most of her chest and… her underwear is expose. It's upsetting to look at, and she wears a strange accessory on her head, which resemble cat ears. Her younger brother, Leo, young in his late teens, a year or two younger than Corrin, they never really discuss the age difference between all five royal siblings, only assuring that she is the middle child. His hair color and eyes are the same as Xander, though his hair is more ruffled with a headband. His armor is also almost identical to Xander but he also wears a purple cloak, with his magical tome always in hand. And finally there is the heart of the family and youngest member, our sweet Elise, she looks like she is thirteen or fourteen but she is actually older than her size would suggest. While her hair is the trademark blonde of the Nohrian royalty but her eyes are the same as Camilla, she wears her hair in two large pigtails that goes all the way down to her thighs, the dress she is frequently wearing is dark, the color of Nohr but with a white leather dress with heart symbols and has high boots.

"Wakey-Wakey." Elise spoke up again, her usual cheery voice. Unfortunately, the young Princess did not receive a proper hello from her big sister but a yelp as Corrin becomes startled by their presence, signaling the four siblings to give her some space as she gets up, now fully awaken from the shock.

"Well, that's no way to say hello." Leo said amused by her reaction.

"Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise. What are you all doing here? It's still dark outside." Corrin muttered as she turns to her window, noticing the lack of sunlight, though light is an odd thing in Nohr.

"Oh, well dawn won't be here for another three hours but time is of the essence, darling." Camilla said with her usual motherly tone.

"What are you talking about?" Corrin asked.

"Great news big sister. The time has finally come for you to leave this smelly fortress and come home with us." Elise announced the big news, leaving Corrin speechless. She's been living in this fortress so long, only ever allowed to leave once, but that was her siblings taking a big risk just to satisfy her and by Gods did she love that day, especially for who they found.

"Really? This is so sudden! I haven't even beaten Xander in our sparring matches once." Corrin said, though overjoy, also concern.

"Yes, that is one disappointment that needs to be address but your warrior prowess is still exceptionally superb when compare to our commanders, mostly thanks to Gunter's training. Plus, father has been in a good mood recently, and I think you can contribute to it by visiting him." Xander explained with a gentle smile.

"You make it sound like he's never in a good mood." Corrin said concern.

"You misunderstand, Little Princess. Our long awaited war against the fool Hoshidans finally draws near and father has been stressing over the predicament. It was only recent that he began to relax."

"Yes, and as his children we have to be there for him, all of us. And we harbor little doubt that watching how far you've come will keep him as such." Camilla continued.

"Aren't you excited. Now we can finally be together always." Elise cheered.

"I am, Elise. This is great, now can you please leave so I can get dress." The Middle Princess requested.

"Aw, I don't have to leave, I be more than happy to clean and change you myself." Camilla offered.

"That's exactly why you need to leave. Go, go, go! Promise I won't be long." Corrin said in a rush as she forces all four of them out as gently as she can and shuts the door behind them.

"Why do you always have to be such a creep when around her Camilla, it's like you enjoy watching her runaway like a baby." Leo lectured, just as bothered by her oldest sister's antics.

"I can't help myself, she's just so cute when she's flustered." Camilla giggled.

"I don't know, she always looks so upset afterwards, no one likes to be treated like a baby, you know." Elise got in next.

"You especially would know that considering that you refuse to act your proper age." Leo begins to lecture her as well.

"I don't need to take any form of insult from someone who can never get his collar right when he decides to dress himself." Elise pouted.

"What?!" The Dark Mage immediately ducked down behind a nearby wall, face red from embarrassment. "Why doesn't anybody ever tell me the things until later?"

Xander laughed lightly. "It would appear somebody got dressed while still half asleep. Ha, don't worry. That sort of thing is what makes you so lovable."

"Absolutely" Camilla agreed. "Even more adorable by your cute headband."

"CUTE?" Leo gasped in shock before turning to his siblings with the most intimidating frown he can muster. "This headband is the most intimidating headpiece in existence!"

"Intimidating?" The remaining three repeat at once, with mix expressions of confusion and pity. In truth the Children of Garon each have their own quirks, maybe not Xander since he can be way too serious for his own good, but Leo is the quirkiest next to Elise.

"Is Leo being macho again, I always love to see that." Corrin said as she finally comes out, wearing her signature silver plated armor and black lining, and a blue cape with a brooch attached to it. Her father had this specially design for her. Matches perfectly well with her long wavy silver hair, red eyes and pointy ears. Yeah? Okay. So maybe Corrin is the one with the biggest quirk.

"Good then. Gunter will also be coming along with us and if you wish we can bring Felicia and Jakob as well, though I imagine Flora would prefer to stay, she's not fond of Krakenburg." Xander said.

"Almost perfect." Corrin smiled.

"But sadly your latest servant will not be joining us, I had him fulfill a certain errand for me as soon as we arrived here and he seemed eager to find something to do so he made no objections except regretting not giving you his byes personally and wishing you luck in Windmire." Xander explained. Corrin is not happy to hear that.

"What?! Xander, he's MINE! You can't just send my servants off on whatever you want, it's not fair." Corrin protested.

"Love and peace sister, you'll see him again very soon." Xander assured her, his arms up for protection.

"Honestly Corrin, your obsession with the new guy is really unsettling." Leo sighed.

"I am not obsess! I be upset if you sent Lilith, Felicia, Flora, Jakob or Gunter off without letting me know as well." Corrin argued.

"We know how much you love your servants, sweetie, you really need to stop making such a big deal with us, you know we've never allow anything bad to happen to them, considering how badly it would hurt you." Camilla assured her, succeeding in calming Corrin down.

"Alright, alright, I'll take your word for it. So should we depart already or can I have breakfast first." Corrin asked.

"You may feast on the way, I rather return to Father as early as preferable, hence why we've come to visit before dawn and why we were the ones who came and wake you because we knew you'd overreact by the unexpected surprise." Xander explained.

"I did not overreact." Corrin became in denial.

"Yes you did." Elise giggled.

"Let's just go already." Corrin whined.

"Not so fast young lady, you forgot your shoes." Camilla said, noticing that Corrin is bare footed, as usual.

"I'm not putting any shoes on!" Corrin said in defiance.

"Corrin, stop being a cavewoman, and have some class, you're about to set foot in the heart of our kingdom, and father won't stand for cave people. He was very clear the last time he visited that he disapproves of your bare footed fetish." Leo scolded.

"You complain about not understanding why I hate shoes; the real issue is that I don't understand why everyone likes them. They are so tight, hot and uncomfortable, and make such AWFUL sounds when they hit the ground. Not even for father can I endure putting those abhorrent things on." Corrin protested childishly.

"One day Corrin, one day, we'll get you to put shoes on, and you'll thank us a hundredfold." Leo vowed.

"Until then, Jakob will be working extra hard to make sure there's not a single pebble on the ground for you to step on and hurt your remarkably soft feet. I do so myself every time I visit." Camilla added.

"I do not appreciate you two doing that." Corrin hissed.

"As much as I enjoy these… odd discussions with all of you, we should really get going." Xander insisted. "Jakob, Felicia, Flora, if you three would be so kind."

Xander addresses three of Corrin's servants who kept a fair distance from the Royal Siblings, two well dressed maids, close to Corrin's age, one with orange hair, and another with icy blue hair, Felicia and Flora, they don't really look like it but the two are actually twins with Flora the oldest and more competent of the two, while Felicia is the clumsy one, so much in fact that Corrin doesn't understand why she wants to stay a maid so badly when her skills are best suited as a warrior. And then there's the Princess's ever confident butler Jakob, dashing and stoic with hair as white as hers and the most reliable of her servants, but she does wish that he wasn't as overbearing as Camilla, the two treat her like a baby.

"But of course your Highness, leave all the preparation to us." Jakob remarked solemnly.

"We'll be done before you know it." Felicia happily declared as the three begin to work but the moment they took their first step, Felicia trips on nothing and hits her face hard on the floor. "Owie…"

"Felicia." Flora muttered in embarrassment

"There is literally nothing on the floor that could've caused you to fall, you baboon." Jakob lectured harshly.

"See, this is a good example of why I don't wear shoes, I never once tripped in my life." Corrin professed.

"Don't use that dummy as an example, she has issues." Leo protested. "Seriously Felicia, why do you torment yourself in the service industry, we all know that you would serve Corrin much better as a battle commander, your skills are exceptionally gifted."

"But I don't like fighting!" Felicia cried.

"And there lies the problem sweetheart, you got no backbone. But you'll get there, you just need a little push." Camilla insisted.

"Let's just hope the circumstances are happy ones when the time finally comes." Xander added.

It only took a few minutes to gather Corrin's scant few physical belongings. Most of what they had gathered for her were memories, and she could carry them with her no matter where she went. Stepping down the stairs into the ground floor entrance of the tower, Corrin felt as if a huge weight was off her shoulders. Finally, she was free of the tower. Letting out a contented sigh of relief, she didn't notice the petite young woman approaching him from the side until she spoke.

"I hear you can finally leave the fortress now."

Corrin jumped and turned to face her. "Lilith! Don't sneak up on me like that. Yes, isn't it great? I can finally leave this place behind."

Lilith nodded. "I can see that you're happy, Lady Corrin. Gunter has asked me to go with you to the capital, to take care of the horses."

"Glad to hear it! You're one of the few people I'd miss leaving this place behind. There's nobody else I'd rather have along with me."

Xander stepped up to Lilith, who immediately stood to attention.

"Lilith, are the horses ready?"

"Yes milord. Everything is ready, and the horses seem excited for the trip. Corrin always did like to befriend them."

Camilla giggled from across the lobby. "Our Corrin does love animals. Such a kind hearted soul, always taking care of little injured creatures, like that one little raven you once kept for a year."

Corrin's face lit up with embarrassment. Despite being well past the age of maturity, Camilla just won't stop treating her like her little baby sister. She still has Elise for that, dammit.

"I was only being a good Samaritan like Xander always instructed me to be." Corrin shrugged.

"And I'm sure you'll be one to the fullest once you reach Krakenburg." Lilith praised.

"I doubt I'll ever be like Xander, you being a proper example." Corrin shrugged again.

"Please, Don't use me as an excuse to put someone in a pedestal."

Elise giggled. "You two always have the silliest conversation."

"You're one to talk, Elise, at least Lilith is more mature."

"What? I can be mature if I want to. I can be the most mature princess ever." Elise objected with her usual adorable pout that is always hard to take her serious.

"We know you can, Milady." Lilith giggled.

"Come now, everyone, we must be on our way. I hate being away from Laslow since I can hardly trust Peri to keep him away from our maids." Xander insisted.

Corrin nodded but is slightly disappointed that the fun conversation ended. "Yes, let's go."

The party stepped out into the cold and windy courtyard, where a group of horses were already packed with the gear needed for a trip to the capital. Already waiting for them fully mounted is Gunter, an elderly knight fully clad in black armor, who's very presence expresses decades of combat experience since he was once Nohr's Supreme Commander before retiring and settling down here in the fortress as Corrin's combat tutor since he wasn't completely willing to give up the life or service.

"Good to see you're finally ready. I've checked over everything, it seems to be in order." Gunter said solemnly

Xander pulled himself up onto his own horse. "Indeed. Anything else you wish to set in order before we leave?"

"Not in particular Milord."

"I really wish you'll come with us Flora, I hate the thought of you being left here alone, places this big can be quite scary when not crowded." Felicia said to her sister as she climbs on her horse.

"Quit worrying Felicia, I'll be fine and I won't be staying for much longer. I'm just going to get some things cleaned up, afterwards I'll head to Windmire on my own pace. You just focus on Lady Corrin's needs." Flora instructed.

"Okay." Felicia replied, still reluctant.

"Farewell for now, milady. I'll make sure to make it in time to wake you up with my ice style soon." Flora bid her farewells to Corrin.

Corrin wanted to get right off her horse and hug one of her closest friends, but Xander was already leading the group out onto the road. Her future was before her, and it would not wait until she was ready to leave the past behind. "Thank you. And I'll be waiting in the castle! Just because I don't like the way you Ice Sisters wake me up doesn't mean I won't miss it in an odd sort of way."

Turning away from Flora, she focused on giving her horse down the mountain path.

'Dang… I miss her already.' She bemused.

Noticing her sad face, Jakob pulled his horse into stride next to Corrin.

"Feeling alright, Lady Corrin?"

"… Better now. Thank you."

Corrin rode after her family, and away from her old life and towards her fate.

"Still, this feels incomplete, because "he's" not here to see my big moment… OH SNAP!"

Her cries startled everyone to stop in their tracks and turn to look at the startled Princess.

"Corrin! What's wrong?!" Camilla asked in a panic, she would always overreact herself.

"I forgot my sword!" Corrin shouted as she rushes back to the fortress.

"For Qliphoth's sake, Corrin it's just one damn sword, there are thousands more back home!" Leo protested.

"Not like this one!" Corrin yelled in argument as she is dead set on getting THAT sword.

"There's always a setback with that woman." Leo made an exasperated sigh. "Four hours tops is how long it's going to take us to get back and how long Father will be waiting and now Corrin will delay us for an extra ten minutes."

"Oh no, she left her new golden sword in the armory yesterday when after training so she'll be here sooner." Felicia explained.

"She has five minutes, otherwise she will truly be in trouble." Xander said sternly. And Miraculously, it only took Corrin two minutes and a half to get back, and now in her right hand a completely gleaming golden longsword, blisteringly sharp, a handle stylized in the shape of a dragon's claw, and a three fingered claw pommel. Finally there are four slots in the blade closer to the crossguard, almost like they are there to indicate something.

"Okay, now we can go." Corrin said smiling.

"That was remarkably fast." Jakob remarked.

"That's what Flora said. Also I managed to give her a goodbye hug this time, that's a plus and a win." Corrin smiled as the group resume their travel.

"I don't know why, but it's always so exciting to see you with Yeti, big sister." Elise said, staring in awe at the sword.

"It's called the Yato, Elise." Corrin corrected.

"And I keep telling you that you're full of it." Leo interrupted.

"Why do you always have to make such a big deal of the name?" Corrin protested.

"It's simple, sister, the Yato is supposed to be the name of the most powerful weapon in the world. A sword capable of bringing world peace or world destruction, a Godkiller even, wielded only by a warrior of godly willpower who can accept all the world's burden and hate, all in the service of the greater good and forge a greater future. You can barely handle being lectured by Xander when you lose a sparring match without crying." Leo stated.

"I'll have you know that I only trembled when Xander lectured me last week." Corrin hissed like a child.

"Don't let it get to you, Milady, however it is difficult to accept that blade to really be the Sword of Salvation." Gunter said.

"How come?"

"According to legend, in Notre Sagesse, the island located in the southern sea between Nohr and Hoshido, there lies a legendary man known as the Rainbow Sage, said to be immortal and capable of granting great power to those who seek him out, he forged the Yato, along with many other Holy Weapons known as Sacred Treasures and entrusted them to heroes of old to save the world from the ancient war started by the Ancestral Dragons who the kingdoms worship as Gods. The first wielder of Yato led the charge in stoping the Old War that saved our Continent; Horus from eminent destruction, or so the legends are to be believed but such things should always be taken with a grain of salt." Gunter explained the ancient legend. "For centuries the Royal Families of Nohr and Hoshido have sought the Rainbow Sage with the hopes of obtaining his Sacred Treasures, the Yato specifically but all have failed, even King Garon and the late King Sumeragi proved unworthy of passing the trials of the Sevenfold Sanctuary. But the constant failures ended when Prince Xander came before the sanctuary and passed the trial. And a year Later Prince Ryoma of Hoshido also took the trial and succeeded as well."

"Wait, really." Corrin gasped.

"Aye, it was five years ago, I was young and hell bent on proving myself to father after a latest disappointing stunt I pulled during my training. Accompanying me on my reckless attempts to prove my worth were my first retainers Alexander and Sarah, it is thanks to them that I succeeded where our entire family failed, and as a reward the Rainbow Sage presented me with one of the five strongest Sacred Treasures he has ever made to be my own; Siegfried." Xander clamed as he lifted his personal weapon for his siblings to see but the great sword remained in its sheathe. "But it came at a great personal cost as Alexander and Sarah were lost to me. Though the Rainbow Sage is a kind man, his fortress is the home of a devil. The Prize to pay for power, I supposed."

"Oh Xander, I'm so sorry." Corrin said with sadness in her voice for what her older brother had endured.

"It's in the past Little Princess. At any rate, three years later, Leo desired his own Sacred Treasure, unlike Camilla and so against my better judgement, father demanded I take Leo to meet the Sage, the pride he felt when he saw my success consumed him that he wanted both his sons to further our family's seat of power in the world and against all odds, Leo too passed the trials and received the strongest tome in the world; Brynhildr." Xander finished.

"And what a sacred treasure it is." Leo boasted as he places his hands at the top of his spellbook and shows off a fraction of its dark magic. "Which brings us to this debate, you never even been to Notre Sagesse, you haven't earned ultimate power, that pretty sword you have is little more than a birthday gift from your boytoy."

"Piss off, Leo!" Corrin hissed, having enough of Leo's bullying, only to then receive a jar full of gold coins from a frowning Elise.

"Swear jar." She demanded.

"Sorry Elise." Corrin apologized as she puts two gold coins in the jar. Every time someone says a bad word before the little princess, they are expected to put coins in a jar she always keeps with her as an apology. She's not greedy, Garon just expects people to 'pay' off for whatever offense is made in front of his children.

"Is it really so hard to believe that Milady would be worthy of such a gift." Jakob stepped up in defense of his mistress.

"Not at all, I too believe that Lady Corrin is destine for something greater, however it is difficult to believe that any Sacred Treasure would be found anywhere that is not with their maker, and an enchantment is supposed to be placed in the weapons that prevents anyone who wasn't chosen by the Sage to wield them, without his blessing they are just antiques to anyone else who tries." Gunter explained. "That sword never displayed any special powers and our new compatriot never mentioned where he got it after his ten months of travel to find himself."

"So only Xander and Leo can wield Siegfried and Brynhildr respectively." Corrin concluded.

"Along with any children we may one day have who will carry our sides of the Dusk Bloodline but do not despair, your time to shine will come, and it begins in Krakenburg." Xander assures his sister.

"Hope you're right."

It took four hours as Leo calculated for the Royal Siblings to finally arrive on their destination, Corrin looked down from the hill they were on to the vast city below him. The first thing she saw were the walls. They encircled the city and segmented it within, a series of concentric rings cut through by straight walls from the center. Thousands of lights lit up the city in the dark night, casting an eerie glow.

"Gaze upon our Capital, sister, the pinnacles of Nohrian architecture. It functions as a city, but at a moment's notice could be used as a fortress, Windmire. The people who designed it were the greatest minds Nohr had to offer."

Corrin's attention was quickly drawn to the most obvious feature of Windmire: The large crater that sunk deep into the Earth, just off the center of the city.

"Then there's the crowning achievement. Castle Krakenburg. It took huge effort to build such a large castle in the crater, but Nohr did it. That's where father rules from. It's the seat of power for all of Nohr."

Corrin took in the fine-tuned architecture, the bizarre location. She could see the point of building it in such an insane location: It was a stubborn refusal to be halted by anything, not even the landscape. Castle Krakenburg was the Spirit of Nohr in physical form, and she couldn't help but be impressed. "I saw paintings of it, but… It's so large! How does it stay up on those supports? Why a crater of all places?"

Leo laughed. "I wonder that myself sometimes. Every time I look at it the structure seems impossible, but the more I study it the more I appreciate the founders that built it. Perfectly balanced, structurally sound. The Hoshidans may like to think they are the leaders in architectural beauty, but this far surpasses anything they ever built."

Camilla caught up to the two. "Yes, mostly because it serves a purpose as well. Come, little sister. I'm sure father is waiting to see you again. Let's not linger on these narrow roads any longer. You might get hurt, and I can't have that."

Leo nodded and spurred his horse forward. "Indeed. Trust me, Corrin, if you think it looks good from a distance, just wait until you see it up close…"

The journey through Windmire was much quicker than Corrin was expecting. Swift, straight roads led them to the city center in a matter of minutes, and all the people on the streets immediately parted in front of them. Some even bowed. Once they reached the lip of the crater, they had to dismount their horses, which Lilith took away to a nearby stable. Then came the steps, hundreds upon hundreds, which led them deeper down into the crater. Torches lit the way, and walkways linked across the crater from one side to another. Finally, they descended until they were level with the great castle Krakenburg. Corrin had to agree with Leo: Up close, it was much more impressive. And intimidating. Her father is a man who prioritizes strength, hence why his short visits were always about seeing how strong she has become. It frustrated her not to have an actual relationship with her father but based on everything Xander told her, she can only worry for him instead of being mad.

"So… anything I should be looking forward to, or not when I meet father?" Corrin asked Xander.

"He will most likely ask you to demonstrate your abilities to him. Depending on how you perform, he will assign your first task accordingly."

"Task?"

"Father often sends us to be his envoys around the kingdom. Enforcing peace, maintaining the border, quelling rebellions. He is not normally unreasonable in his tasks to us. Do not worry, he did not raise you so carefully to throw you aside into an impossible challenge. What he asks will be difficult, but possible."

"You always did call him an honorable man."

"He is but make no mistake, we are at war with Hoshido. Sometimes, that means he must make undesirable decisions. Fear not, though. He always has Nohr's best interests and ours in his heart. Just remember to watch how you speak with him."

The group of royals reached the large entrance to castle Krakenburg. Several servants dressed in hooded robes gripped the doors tightly and pulled them open, slowly. Corrin gaped at the sheer scale of such a place. How had such colossal doors even been brought down here? Honestly everything about this place is downright insane.

"Father, we have arrived with our sister Corrin." Xander announced.

Corrin found herself in a great hall that stretched out before her. Cold stone bricks lines the wall, only lit by the torches on them. None of the sparse natural light above reached down here. And there, standing at the far end, stood King Garon.

He had changed little since Corrin saw him last. Dressed in huge, ornate armor that was equal parts ceremonial and combat ready. A large fur cloak was draped over his shoulders, and Corrin found herself wishing she had brought her own cloak with her. It was cold down in the castle. A simple metal crown adorned his head, which although slightly more balanced than last time still had thick white hair over most of it. His face had remained totally unchanged, greyed and weathered skin with dark eyes gazing out from under a heavy brow. His stance demanded respect, and Corrin felt herself stooping a little lower on instinct. The group walked across the hall towards her as he stood in silence. Even when the group stopped in front of him, he stayed silent, staring directly at Corrin. Finally, he spoke.

"I see you made it here safely, Corrin."

"Y-yes father. Long have I waited to visit you in Castle Krakenburg. Thank you for permitting me to leave the fortress." The Middle Princess spoke up solemnly.

"You have only your own diligence to thank for finally being here. I am told you are now a warrior on par with Xander. You now possess the strength to be an instrument of Nohr's power in the world." A tiny smile flickered on his face. "This is… good, Corrin. Well done."

"Th-thank you father! I'll do my best for you."

Garon's face resumed its stony neutral expression. "I expect nothing less. Corrin, as you know, Nohr is at war with the eastern kingdom of Hoshido."

Xander and Leo had given her a rundown of world politics on the way to Windmire. "I have heard as much."

Garon continued. "We are the descendants of the ancient dragons who once ruled our world as gods, the Precursors. As inheritors of that divine strength, we conquer those who oppose us with ease. One who learns to wield that power can destroy an entire army of common troops. Xander, Camilla, Leo and Elise have already shown that they possess this power. I expect nothing less from you."

Corrin nodded. A test of manipulating Dragon Veins. She could do this. For the first time since entering the room, she felt some confidence return to her. "I am well aware of your expectations, Father. And I have trained every day to become more like my siblings."

Garon turned around to face a large cabinet behind him. "Hmmm… you show great promise, and though I question the worth of your blade, I trust that you can conquer foes with whatever tool you are presented with."

"Of course! I'll use anything at my disposal to bring whatever victory suits the needs of Nohr." Corrin said with such conviction while holding on to the 'Yato' tightly and her voice showed a lot of strength that pleased Xander and Camilla very much and made Elise happy, while Leo remains neutral on the matter.

Garon grinned as he saw Corrin holding her blade perfectly. "Such a bold claim, to be expected of my offspring but you've yet to prove you can back it up. I demand a test of strength." He gestured to one of the hooded servants. "Bring out the prisoners!"

The man bowed. "Yes, sire."

Corrin was caught off guard. "Prisoners?"

A door to the side of the hall was opened, and a string of strange looking men and women were brought out in chains. They were Hoshidans, Corrin realized. The guard dragged them out and pulled out a key, handing it to the man who seemed to be their leader. He quickly unlocked his own cuffs and then began on his comrade's. The guard then dumped a sack on the ground with a clang. It was full of their confiscated weapons.

"Father, if these are prisoners, then why are you setting them free?"

"I wish to see you in real combat, not merely in training. These are prisoners from our most recent skirmish in Hoshido. Show me the resolve of your training and bring them to their knees." Garon ordered.

Corrin gasped. "All of them?"

Garon looked back up at the prisoners. "I suppose there is a rather large number of them. Assistance is required, Gunter and Jakob may assist you."

The prisoners at the far end of the hall were now fully freed and arming themselves. Corrin had never fought in real combat in her life, yet the murderous look in the prisoner's eyes confirmed that she would have no choice. Gunter entered from another side door, followed by Jakob.

"Keep calm, Lady Corrin. They are tired from their captivity and have poor quality weapons. We can win this battle." He advised.

Corrin lowered her voice to a whisper. "Doesn't change the fact that this will be difficult, but I don't doubt that we will win either."

"Even the greatest warriors can feel fear, milady but only the greatest can overcome it by fighting on in spite of it. It will never be pleasant but you had best get used to the idea of killing now, lest it catch up with you on a real battlefield."

Corrin grimaced and held Yato out. The opponents were already advancing menacingly, weapons at the ready. She counted five in total- one bearing throwing stars, three with katanas and a sixth brandishing a club. They were outnumbered two to one. Even with Jakob and Gunter, Corrin wasn't sure how she planned to win. She took a tentative step forward and felt a faint twinge of power under her foot.

"There's a Dragon's Vein here." Corrin took another step, and the feeling became stronger, holding out her hand, which promptly became entangled in white light coming from the ground. With a burst of white, Corrin tapped into the dragon vein beneath the ground. The large, ornate statue that was in the middle of the hall was promptly torn apart, throwing rock around the room. When the dust cleared, a glowing half of light was left behind, covering half the width of the hall. Gunter became deeply impress while Jakob gasps.

"Extraordinary! Rarely do we get the chance to see the Royal Family's power at work."

Garon grinned wide. "Heh. Well done."

Gunter aimed his lance forward and set his horse at a trot. "Excellent plan, Milady. Now we can wait in there for them to come to us."

The prisoners at the far end of the room had recovered from their shock. Their leaders, a green haired man dressed in traditional ninja gear and a dark skinned woman in a tribal head dress, advanced ahead of their group.

The woman spoke first. "I am Rinkah! Daughter of the Flame Tribe's honorable chieftain. I would know your name before I end your life, Nohrian scum!"

Corrin fell into step alongside Gunter. "I am Corrin, Princess of Nohr."

The ninja faltered in his step. "Corrin?"

"Have you heard of me?"

He did not respond, instead falling into a combat stance. "I am Kaze, a Ninja of Hoshido. Show me what you can do."

Kaze and Rinkah broke into a sprint, charging at the small party, their own troops right behind them. King Garon sharply waved his hand.

"Corrin! Serve as my will and strike them down!"

Corrin stepped into the silver light, and immediately felt the aches of her long journey fade away. In fact, she felt better than healed. She felt invigorated. Jakob approached behind them, bearing several daggers on his person.

"Milady, I've trained well in combat with daggers both up close and at range. They are coated with a numbing poison, which should greatly decrease their fighting power."

Corrin watched as the group of Hoshidans grew closer. Mere seconds to combat now. The trio need a combat plan, but she is no tactician, she did receive lessons from Leo in the art of strategy but she could only get the basics, in the end she is more of a frontline kind of girl but that just might do in this battle. "Gunter! Engage Rinkah in combat, keep her busy! I will take the nearest swordsman. Jakob, hit the second nearest Swordsman with a dagger!"

Jakob swiftly obeyed his liege's instruction, hurling two daggers with a swift yet potent swing. It streaked towards its target like a blur and embedded deep into the swordsman's right abdomen and right knee, forcing him to the ground, already rendered incapable of moving and is off the battle.

"I will cut you down!" Gunter shouted. With a battle cry, he launched his horse forward like an arrow, lance poised forward. Rinkah found herself caught off guard by such an attack, but she managed to move to the left just enough for the lance to skim past her eye. Swinging her club in counterattack also missed, and Gunter brought himself around for a second charge.

Corrin had no time to issue any other orders. The swordsman she chose to engage had deft skills with a blade, able to block every strike from Corrin, but in terms of physical strength she is stronger with the swordsman quickly struggling to keep up and she would've bested him if not for Kaze who arrives at the scene in his peripheral vision, distracting her. The swordsman saw an opening and dashed in, the blade stabbing into her shoulder. With a cry of pain, Corrin goes to strike her would be executioner with her fist, her strength that is abnormal for humans into her opponent's back, the blow was so hard that he slumps down, in so much pain that he cannot bring himself to stand up. Jakob was at her side immediately, hurling a dagger at Kaze. The ninja moved in a blur, snatching the dagger out of the air and dropping it onto the floor.

"Milady, are you hurt? Fear not for I will cease all your suffering, Butlers can use staves to heal wounds." Jakob drew the short staff from his waist and held it over Corrin's shoulder. With a soft pulse of green energy, the wound closed itself up. The silver aura around them quickly caused the lingering pain to fade. Jakob stood back up and immediately found himself fighting the third swordsman. The butler stepped back from every swing, not seeing any openings and keenly aware that Kaze was lining up a throw with a shuriken. "Milady! Some help would be greatly appreciated!"

"I'm at your side!" Corrin threw herself while bearing forward, the swordsman turned to face the shout, catching a glimpse of Corrin just before she kicks him in his stomach. The swordsman gasped, dropping his katana down with a clang and falling down, also now in too much pain to get up, Xander may be superior to Corrin in terms of being a warrior but her whole family have noted that Corrin is the most superhuman from the rest of the family, her hits can be quite severe. Jakob got back up onto his knees, hurling a dagger at Kaze. The ninja easily dodged, but it forced him back.

"Thank you, milady. Are you hurt at all?"

"The one that got rescued isn't normally the one to ask who's alright."

Jakob reached down and pulled the shuriken from his leg. "Force of habit. Anyway, I will keep this Hoshidan trickster engaged, it appears that Gunter requires your assistance."

Turning around, Corrin saw that Gunter had been driven well back by the fiery savage. He was visibly panting, well outside of the healing aura, with several large dents on his armor. Rinkah looks much worse for wear as well, bearing a gash on her bare stomach and holding her club much more loosely. Nevertheless, she roared a battle cry and charged forward, club aloft.

To Corrin's amazement, as the club swung towards Gunter it began to glow with fire, slamming into his lance with a burst of flame. His jaw practically dropped when he saw Gunter's lance melt at the point where she hit it, breaking in half and leaving him with a useless stick. Gunter was without a weapon. Corrin sprinted towards her stalwart knight.

"This ends now!"

Before Rinkah could react to the new presence upon her, Corrin swings the Yato horizontally. Rinkah had no way to avoid the blow. It cut across her midriff and right arm, forcing Rinkah to drop her club and clutch her abdomen. Gunter wasted no time, spurring his horse forward in a charge. Rinkah tried to step aside, but still got clipped by the heavily armored war horse running full gallop. She was knocked aside, hurled like a leaf onto the ground where she lay defeated.

Corrin didn't waste time to check on her condition. Quickly turning around, she sees his butler was staying inside the Aura of light, exchanging knives with Kaze. The butler was doing significantly better, aided by the healing Aura, while Kaze was tiring from all the poison in his body. Before she could ask if the butler needed help, Jakob hurled another dagger which embedded itself firmly in Kaze's chest. The ninja let out a gasp, before the poison finally overwhelmed him and he fell down unconscious. Corrin breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Guess I did alright. These guys were tough, weren't they? I really, really hope all Hoshidans aren't this strong."

"Trust me Milady, there are far stronger Hoshidans than these." Gunter assured her.

"Crap…"

"Swear jar!" Elise shouted from a distance, somehow hearing what Corrin said.

"Not now Elise." Garon lectured as he focuses on Corrin while clapping his hands. "Very good, my girl. You do show promise as a warrior but your true potential has not been revealed to me but it will have to be enough for now."

"Thank you father." Corrin vowed down before her father for his praise.

"However, you still show weakness in your ferocity and leadership, for not one of the Hoshidans have been executed." Garon shook his head as he gazes at all the prisoners of war, all still alive and breathing, their wounds threatening but still they cling to life and can make it if they receive treatment now.

"Y-you… you said to strike them down, not out." Corrin muttered, clearly reluctant to take any of their lives, causing Garon to shook his head in disappointment.

"You're still too soft and naïve. I supposed I raised my hopes too high for expecting you to be so willing to do what must be done for Nohr in one day. Very well, I am satisfied with the results nonetheless." Garon said as he turns his attention to his oldest son. "Xander, these fools have outlived their final usefulness in this life, I leave their fates in your capable hands."

"Yes father." Xander replied as he vows at his words before watching his father depart. Corrin sighs not sure how to respond to her father's words, except feel some relief that his lecture wasn't as monstrous as she remembers.

She then focuses her thoughts on her servants, as Gunter and Jakob regroup with her, and Felicia steps into the arena.

"I am so relief that you all made it out of that in one peace." Felicia makes an exasperated sigh of relief to see her friends alright.

"Not my brightest moment in combat but I supposed that Kaze would be considered a fine opponent if he were more open in combat." Jakob said brushing off the struggle he had against the ninja. "But then again, one cannot expect much from a Ninja."

"You have done well for your first time in true combat, Milady but showing mercy as you did today is not good when during times of war, the enemy has good reasons to never offer you the same courtesy." Gunter lectured.

"I know, I know, it's just that…" Corrin began before turning to see the Hoshidans and notices Rinkah try to stand back up on her own, the flame girl is too stubborn to stay down. "I guess I'm not ready for what's to come after all."

"Do not despair, Milady, if upholding your family name is what you desire, than the hardships of the future will harden your resolve, my only hope is that you are absolutely sure that this is what you desire." Jakob gives words of encouragement to his Princess.

"Me too, Jakob, me too."

Once the ordeal was done, the prisoners were all granted a full recovery with the healing magic used by Jakob, Felicia and Elise, afterwards the five Nohrian Siblings take them to a derelict house in the southern district of Windmire, seemingly abandoned, but securely sealed for anyone trying to get in or out, with the five of them standing before the prisoners.

"Listen well. You were all permitted to live only because of my sister's kind heart that has bought your freedom. Remember this mercy presented to you by the Will of Nohr, Hoshidans and begone." Xander commanded them to leave immediately. No words were spoken from any of the Hoshidans with them not wanting to let this chance slip their grasps and they all quickly flee. The only one remaining is Rinkah, the look on her face is a furious one with few words to say before departing.

"I am not some hostage to be freed. You said your name is Corrin? When next we meet I will make you pay for this humiliation!" She vowed.

"Yes, I suppose anyone who takes their warrior pride to heart would consider mercy an offense but if honor serves any form of currency in your life, I suggest you consider the chance to live on for your people the greatest testament to your pride." Corrin said, her words leaving Rinkah briefly baffled but she will not relent.

"I do not need words of encouragement from an enemy. Warriors of Muspelheim need no mercy from Nohrians!"

"Then I hope that the next time we meet, things will be more to your liking, just so long as it doesn't involve getting my head bashed open." Corrin replied, not taking her harsh words seriously.

"Softhearted fool." Rinkah hissed before taking her leave.

"Wow, I heard that the people of the Flame Tribe were rude but she's got some issues." Elise pouted over Rinkah's rudeness. "Do you think it was because her daddy didn't give her enough hugs?"

"Whatever the case, I say we should've killed her, no one should throw insults at my sweet Corrin and get away with it." Camilla stated, venom all over her face towards Rinkah.

"Perhaps but when given the chance to offer mercy we should not waste it. Not all enemies may meet their deaths, and father permitted us this opportunity." Xander said kindly.

"Doesn't change the fact that he may not allow it again." Leo sighed also not okay with this decision. "You have better appreciate what we do for you tenfold, Corrin because none of this benefit us at all."

"Not everything we do has to be about personal gain, Leo." Corrin argued.

"I disagree, especially when it comes to Hoshido, they brought this war upon themselves because of their Xenophobia." Leo hissed. "For centuries, we Nohrians have suffered because of our own terrains, our food shortages are constantly low with our inability to yield crop because of little sunlight and harsh weather. We are in desperate need of resources, hence why the royal family have been enlisting the aid of our neighbors since our foundation, using our unsurpassed wealth, talents for magic and equipment to pay for their resources, and receiving pity here and there. It has been our burden for so long but it was all just for survival up until this point but Hoshido has been blessed with resources that they are fill to the brim with it and time and time again they refused to aid Nohr, wanting to keep their riches to themselves. Their stupidity have affected the other nations as well, and father has had enough."

"Hence why we're going to war." Corrin said melancholically while folding her arms, clearly bothered by what predicament her Kingdom is going through.

"Strength Little Princess, one day you'll see that all this carnage was worth it. The ends don't always justify the means but when they do, it's better not to think of the long run." Xander said as he places his hand on her shoulder. "Now come on, father will have words to speak with you regarding all that has happened today."

The Five children of Garon return to castle Krakenburg walking pass the hall that will lead them to their father's personal quarters and they make it there in no time.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to barge in now?" Corrin asked.

"Probably not but if he gets mad he'll quickly forgive us since it's us." Camilla replied.

"Worst words of encouragement ever, where's Jakob." Corrin muttered.

"I don't know why you guys are so worried, he always makes time for me." Elise said as she is about to knock on the door to call their father but stops once the door opens up from the inside.

"Enter, we have things to discuss, Corrin." Garon spoke from within, as he must've overheard his children.

"Of course he heard us somehow." Leo muttered as all five Royal Children of Nohr enter their father's chamber. Said chamber is spare, considering he was a king. An ornate bed and a desk filled with paper of various royal decrees. Her father stood before her and her siblings, hands behind his back.

"Corrin… you basically disobeyed a direct order from your King by using a loophole in my own words to benefit your unwillingness to STRIKE down your enemies. By definition, that is treason, and if you were any other soldier I had you punish for your stupidity. However, I know better than to be swift to those who are in our Kingdom's best interest, and one such interest is that our people need ALL of us, the Royal Family alive and united now more than ever, as such I give you some leeway on this matter. I can hardly blame you for your innocence, myself having had you raised in isolation. Nevertheless, I cannot have a soldier that disobeys my orders. I have devised a task for you to complete, so as to prove your loyalty to me and our family."

"And pray tell what is this task that shall prove that our sister remains loyal to our Kingdom, father." Xander asked, boldly speaking next.

"One I know you would disapprove." Garon said as he turns to a large map of Horus that covers much of one wall. He pointed to the large mountain range that designated the border between Nohr and Hoshido. "There is an abandoned fortress here, perched on the Hoshidan border. I wish to know if it is still serviceable. You will travel to the site and inspect the premises. With some luck, no battle will be required. Do you understand?"

"But father, that's the Bottomless Canyon." Camilla gasped, dread in her voice. "Please reconsider, Corrin cannot be near such a place."

"She's right father, hardly anyone we sent to guard those borders have ever come back alive, that whole place is cursed with unstable Dragon Veins, mainly where the fort is that activate by themselves and bring harm to any who gets near." Xander added, also against this, not what he hoped for Corrin.

"Cowards! Our Hoshidan enemies have never once allowed such minor inconvenience to hinder their progress there and neither should we." Garon venomously scolded his children's defiance. "Are you not the descendants of the Dusk Dragon Qliphoth, noble God of Darkness who blessed our family with control over Dragon Veins to give us more power over the common man. It is our destiny to face danger, embrace it, conquer it, just like anything else that stands in our way."

"Father!" Elise yelped at his harsh words, as all of them are force to stay silent.

"Your need to protect each other is warranted as always, Xander, Camilla, but you two won't always be there to aid your younger siblings and making promises that you will always be there to protect them is the ultimate betrayal because you're not helping them make progress in life, you are holding back their potential." Garon remarked sternly but still offers fatherly wisdom. "It's one thing to bring along our retainers everywhere we go and deem them pieces of our full strength but allowing any of you to go with Corrin on this mission is one training wheel too many."

Corrin nodded hesitantly before she makes her response. "Y-Yes, Father. I won't disappoint you."

"You have better not, you have been blessed by the Precursors more than anyone has ever had before, not since the Founder Kings of the Kingdoms. All the same, I cannot allow any form of failure to occur. Not even for my own blood."

Corrin gulped. "Y… Yes father. It shall be done as you command."

"I am glad. Now, leave me. I was deep in meditation before you interrupted." The King sat down on a stool and closed his eyes.

With no more words to be said the children quickly exit the quarters.

"Gods! His lectures are always so unbearable and they always make it difficult to sleep because that's all you can think about for hours." Leo sighed heavily.

"His word is law, nothing can be said to change his mind, I'm afraid." Xander sighed in defeat, completely against sending Corrin on this mission.

"I say we take our chances and arm Corrin with our very best, your retainers and mine. My precious Selena and Beruka will guarantee Corrin's safety, and your Laslow is no slouch in a fight either, especially Peri, given how much she relishes combat." Camilla said in defiance.

"Offering her our best soldiers is like offering her half our strength, just as father said, Camilla, anything we do will damage her progress as well as our relationship with father." Xander said regrettably.

"Then I'll go there with just Jakob and Gunter, besides it's just to investigate an abandoned fort, once I confirm that its usable or not, we'll leave." Corrin said more optimistic about this whole thing.

"Were it that easy, Little Princess. As you may know, Dragon Veins are special energy points placed in many places around the world left behind by the Precursors to grant the inheritors of their bloodlines the ability to manipulate all the elements, as well as the very environments of the world to our whim, even to create areas with superb healing capabilities. Their magic is mostly depended on the landscape and what can be done to make it by, however, the Dragon Veins in the Bottomless Canyon are corrupted, there is this strange force that can be best described as evil making them activate by themselves for devastating effects on any human who gets near any of them." Xander explained. "The Mages of Hoshido, or Diviners as they prefer to call themselves seem able to avoid them somehow better than our Magic-Users so their issues with that place are minimum. You should be able to keep yourself and your servants safe by getting close to the Veins and deactivate them the same way you turn them on but as long as you're nearby they will only stay off for five minutes, maybe less so you need to be extremely cautious and if Hoshidans are occupying the fortress, you run. Do you understand, Corrin, regardless of our need to win this war, it is the greatest foolishness to start a fight somewhere you know victory is a minority."

"I understand Big Brother, I will never jeopardize the lives of my own for any reason." Corrin assured her family.

"I know you mean well darling, but I cannot help myself but feel such dread. Group Hug!" Camilla forces everyone into a heartwarming group hug. Xander and Corrin don't mind, always looking forward to moments like this. Elise is overjoyed and giggling as usual, while Leo is just annoyed but does not resist and just smiles.

* * *

**And there it is, my very first Fanfiction chapter. I don't want to jinx myself but I am pretty confident that I did good for the most part, granted I'm not good at making fighting scenes so there will be complications along the way and it will probably bore a lot of people but I promise that the story itself won't be boring, for the most part with a lot of changes here and there. And as you have read, Garon is more merciful, because I'm changing things up with the villains, making them as sympathetic and relatable as I possibly can for the purpose of making compelling Antivillains, who's main motivation for conquering nations is for Nohr's best interest and nothing more, and the conflict between Nohr and Hoshido will be solely base on Nohr's desperate need for resources and Hoshido's unwillingness to get involve with those they can't trust because I want my story to be as morally gray as possible with no one absolutely good or absolutely evil, something that has always made Fire Emblem's stories so compelling and interesting for me. And I also plan to do the same thing with Iago and Hans because while they will remain the scumbags we love to hate their actions will be driven by motivations they consider justified and I trust you will all feel satisfied with the end results.**

**The problem with Fates that earned my attention the most is that the first six chapters made it clear from the start which side was good and bad, there was a clear black and white with no real gray line, at such it's obvious which side to pick and the only real reason to choose Conquest is because of the harder chapters, better characters and not wanting to go against Elise of all adorable princesses and the real reason why you pick Revelations is because Corrin's a pussy and everyone can live in the long run, except for Izama and Scarlet. God, those deaths were pointless.**

**But most importantly, I intend to make Corrin less of a nuisance and make sure that she succumbs to the full impact of the depths her choices bring and keep her from her stupidity. Sure, I admire a protagonist who can maintain their good nature under dark situations but Corrin ruins the whole experience because they're such a weak character, but it is because of all that untap potential that I intend to preserve their image as best I can as I am really hoping that my stories become a hit. So leave your comments and tell me what you think and await the next chapters that are coming soon, next week if I'm lucky.**


	2. Chapter 2: Journey to the Unwanted Truth

**Chapter 2: Journey to the Unwanted Truth**

It had been a whole day since coming to Windmire, Corrin was allowed to spend the rest of the day in Krakenburg to relax and become accustom to her true home and begin her mission the next day, and for the most part she enjoyed being in the castle, however there were plenty of discomforts for her as she's just not used to being in such a huge place, the servants seem nice enough at least.

"Oh, I just can't stop shaking, I really wish to go back to the Northern Fortress." Felicia muttered as she is walking alongside Corrin and Jakob.

"I suppose someone with little will would feel intimidated by this castle, the history and magic surrounding this place has been the subject of many frightening bedtime stories." Jakob stated.

"What, did the Dusk Dragon used to live in this crater and bits of his near degeneration still linger in the atmosphere?" Corrin asked.

"So the legends claim, though you must forgive me Milady, but I am not very religious when it comes to dragons so I can never take the legends serious, although the dangers of the Bottomless Canyon are very real." Jakob said. "Honestly, what on earth could his Majesty be thinking of making you take this mission, only harm and discord is certain once you undertake it."

"I don't have much of a choice on the matter, what my father says is law, not even Xander can convince him otherwise so the best thing we can do is make this as quick as possible." Corrin sighed.

"Tricky but I supposed it can be done as quickly as preferable with just us and Gunter." Jakob stated.

"Wait, what about me, I can help too." Felicia complained.

"You baboon, the chances of fighting against Hoshidans are high and admitted yourself that you have no fighting spirit, so what would be the point of bringing you along if you'll just hold Lady Corrin back." Jakob rudely remarked.

"I know but… but… you might need an extra healer and my aiming is better than yours." Felicia pointed out, causing the butler to scoff in response.

"HA! And now you jest."

"Hey, no fighting you two, we're about to meet father and siblings as they see us off, so don't make a scene." Corrin pleaded with her two loyal servants and friends as they will meet up with her family soon.

"Ah, I see the rumors are true." The trio stop in their tracks and look at the man before them. Iago, the royal adviser to King Garon, the Princess had met him once or twice, as he had come along with Garon on a few of his visits. He still had a chalk whit complexion, with his black hair covered by a complicated metal headpiece denoting his place as head of the Dark Mages of Nohr as well as the top tactician of the army. "How surprising it is to see you outside of the Northern Fortress."

"Iago, it's been a while." Corrin greeted the Sorcerer.

"Indeed, your arrival has long been anticipated by both of your parents, I certainly hope that you were worth the wait, our armies are in need of more competent leaders for the war." Iago said sternly but not unkindly.

"I know what's at stake here and I will not fail." Corrin swore.

"We'll see about that after this mission. Honestly, I don't know what the King is thinking with this one, the corrupted Dragon Veins are especially vicious when near those with dragon blood, the very idea that you will come back unharmed is actually ludicrous." Iago said not having confidence in Corrin making it out of this alive.

"Keep your words to yourself, you fool, Lady Corrin has no room for the doubts of others." Jakob hissed venomously at the Sorcerer. In the few times that the butler has seen Iago, like with everyone else, the Royal Adviser only succeeded in getting people to dislike him more and more. Why does Garon tolerate him, is the bigger mystery?

Iago merely chuckles at Jakob's sharp tongue. "Now, now Jakob, you shouldn't waste a single drop of energy on your fellow Nohrians, its bad for our fortune, but on the bright side I am now less concern for your wellbeing when you fall into the canyon. You on the other hand, Milady, have best have the Devil's own luck, like Lord Leo likes to say."

With that said, Iago takes his leave and no doubt heading towards the same direction they are, to King Garon.

"You two are always trying to start a fight." Felicia muttered, scared by Iago's mere presence.

"And every time I curse my inability to settle things, that heathen brings nothing but misfortune to those around him, and I have every reason to believe that he was the one who let those monsters sneak into the fortress two years ago just for some experiment and nearly cost Lady Corrin's life." Jakob cursed. "Lord Xander also suspects him of insidiousness."

"Even if that's true there is no way to prove it, and he has father's trust, somehow, either way we mustn't start a fight here of all places, so let's try to ignore him for as long as we can." Corrin insisted as the three continue walking and soon meet with Corrin's family, along with Gunter and Iago.

"I trust you had a proper rest Corrin." Garon asked his daughter as she walks to his side.

"Yes father, I am ready for this, and so are Felicia and Jakob. Gunter is at the top of his game as usual." Corrin assured him.

"Good, however after much consideration I have decided that sending only Jakob and Gunter accompanying you is still an incomplete set, hence why I arranged for another for your party." Garon said as he snaps his fingers, and one of the guards standing by him stepped forward. "This is Hans. He is a veteran warrior and his strength will suffice in your exploration."

Hans dipped his head to Corrin. "Milady."

Corrin nodded back to the Berserker, feeling unsure about him. The man certainly looked capable, but with his bald head, violent eyes and vicious axe he also looked dangerous. Corrin decided to reserve judgement until she learned more about Hans. "Thank you, father."

"With such competent warriors in your group, I am sure you will be more than capable of making the journey and scouting the fortress, your maid Felicia, in spite of her incompetence is also a healer and an inheritor of the Ice Tribe's ancient power so I permit you to bring her along as well. I send you with my blessing, take whatever you need from the storeroom. But be warned: Do not fail me. Best that you fall in battle than return to me in failure."

With that, King Garon strode out of the room with Iago at his side. Xander quickly pulled Corrin aside. "I'd be wary of Hans if I were you, Corrin."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's a criminal. Once a member of a bandit group called the Blackhounds, they were vicious thieves and murderers who originated from Hoshido before they fled to Nohr and started causing harm here. Though Hans in particular never killed any Nohrians personally, the raids he led on our cities were too cruel. I arrested him myself shortly after I acquired Siegfried. Father seems to think he's rehabilitated, but I'm not so sure. He is a powerful soldier, and will no doubt be useful to you, but the fact that he is Hoshidan by birth is a cause for concern, all the same exercise caution around him and do not let him wonder off on his own."

Corrin nodded. "I see. Thank you for the advice, Xander." She stood up straight and walked over to Hans. "It's good to meet you, Hans. I hope we can work well together on this coming mission."

Hans stood still, scanning Corrin up and down, as if sizing her up. Finally, he nodded. "Likewise, Milady. Likewise."

"I am already wary of him." Felicia muttered to her friends while they are at a far distance.

"He so much as touches Milady and I will remove his eyes with my bare hands." Jakob whispered.

"Can it you two, hostility is reserve for last, no matter how tempting." Gunter lectures the two despite also wary of Hans.

Garon wanted the task completed as quickly as possible, so the goodbyes were brief, to Camilla and Elise's great dismay. Jakob and Felicia had gathered their things together within the hour and prepared to leave. Lilith had brought them their horses for the long journey to the border.

"Good luck, Corrin. Please do keep yourself safe."

Corrin mounted the horse and nodded to Lilith. "Don't worry yourself, Lilith. I'll be back in no time to Windmire. Everything will go fine."

Lilith eyed Hans, who was loading weapon after weapon onto his own horse. "… All the same, do be careful. I… would hate to see you come to harm."

"Thank you for your concern, Lilith. It's good to have a friend like you." She leaned down from her horse and gave her a hug around the shoulders. "See you soon."

Lilith smiled with joy, accepting the warmth. "Yes. Do be careful."

* * *

With that, Corrin and her group were away on the trip to the Bottomless Canyon, where the abandoned fort lay. With favorable weather and road conditions, the journey could be made within four days on horseback. Thankfully, the traditionally terrible weather in the Dark Night Kingdom had a rare break, and they made it to the mountain range in only three days. From there, it was a short trip down a narrow mountain pass, and then they were at the Bottomless Canyon but still at a fair distance from their true destination.

Corrin slowed her horse to a halt as the colossal, gaping hole in the earth came into view. "Wow… this is it? The Bottomless Canyon?"

Gunter caught up with her and nodded. "Yes. It's the natural border between Nohr and Hoshido."

Corrin peered down into the darkness. "It can't really be bottomless, can it?"

The knight shrugged. "Let the eternal darkness below be your answer. Those who fall in never return… I truly despise this place. The entire land around here is completely rotten. Here the sky is always dark in a different manner than in Nohr, and lightning strikes those who try to fly across on with Sky Knights so finding any type of riders with their armies is a rarity. This is clearly a place us mortals were never meant to enter." He shuddered.

"Is it really true that there are more Dragon Veins here than in most other places that are corrupt?" Felicia asked with concern.

"I'm afraid so, none have been able to explain why but the Dragon Veins here are semi-conscious and function only to keep people away, almost as if something here despises humanity and is keeping us away, making travel here between Nohr and Hoshido a life threatening challenge. But the stubborn kings and queens of old of both nations have been adamant on ceasing control of this place, hence the creation of the fort, though the Hoshidans have always had better luck than we have, something to do with the Dragon they worship, perhaps but either way, this place is clearly evil, with the canyon itself in reality a massive scar from a long forgotten sin and past."

Corrin looked around the canyon. "Oh, it's not so bad. Just think, I could be sitting in the northern fortress doing nothing right now. Compared to that, this is a holiday."

Gunter laughed. "That certainly puts things in perspective, milady."

"Still, what do you mean by Sin? Xander always wanted the subject of this place dropped whenever I brought up the legends out of curiosity." Corrin said.

"It is not for me to say why he wanted the subject dropped but I personally found the legend to be a testament to human evil." Gunter said. "Two thousand years ago, these lands were not always a canyon of endless darkness and were once beautiful, the home of a perfect kingdom, though small in comparison to Nohr and Hoshido, was the strongest and kept the rest in a perfect unity."

"Oh, wait, I know this story that my father read me once, the Legend of the Veiled Kingdom." Felicia concluded.

"Yes, though the name of this lost kingdom has been forgotten to time, it is said that it was founded and ruled by one of the Precursors, who's love for humanity encouraged him to remain among us, I believe it was the Silent Dragon, God of Wisdom and sought to unite humanity under the banner of trust and commitment, unlike the other Gods who were forced to remain in the Heavens because too much time in physical form affected their psyche, losing more and more of their cohesion and becoming completely feral but the Silent Dragon's infinite wisdom supposedly made him immune to this horrible weakness." Gunter continued.

"What happened that led to it becoming this?" Corrin asked not liking where this story is going.

"There are two possible endings to the story, one that we Nohrians believe to be true is that the Silent Dragon, for all his willpower, eventually lost himself to the Degeneration that all Dragons are doom to face in the end and accidentally set the forests of Nohr and Hoshido ablaze, killing thousands of innocence by mistake and in a panic, both kingdoms banded together to attack the Veiled Kingdom, out of fear of the God's power, and in the end both the Dawn and Dusk Dragons descended from the Heavens to assist their human followers to stop their now out of control brother. The war between the three dragon gods destroyed the Veiled Kingdom and transformed it into what it is today." Gunter continued. "But the one the Hoshidans believe to be true is that the monarchs of both nations at the time were jealous of the Veiled Kingdom's great power and distrusted the Silent Dragon's constant presence in the human world because despite his benevolence he was still a dragon, so the possibility of him Degenerating was high, thus ancient Nohr and Hoshido betrayed the Silent Dragon and started a despicable war for full dominion over the land. Outraged and betrayed, the Silent Dragon laid waste to both Nations, worse, since Nohr attacked first, the enraged God cursed our lands into what they are today, leaving us with endless Famine. Afterwards he chose to leave this world, taking those of his kingdom that he still trusted with him into another world called the Outrealm, doing so created this Canyon in the process, a permanent scar and symbol of a god who lost his faith. The world has forgotten the truth ever since of what really happened."

"Those are awful endings, Gunter." Corrin said now sore upon learning this legend.

"As they should and why I call them a testament to human evil, actions committed out of fear or envy, which one is the lesser evil and which one makes us seem less redeemable? A question for the ages, and the only thing we can agree on is that these corrupted veins are a representation of the Silent Dragon's unending hatred, ever present and a sad reminder that humanity is not pure."

"Makes you wonder what's the whole point of fighting to preserve humanity if destruction is all we're good for." Corrin muttered.

"It is up to every living person to decide what is worth fighting for, and on your journey you will be faced with many choices to make, each one with consequences, and for all the regrets and hardships you will no doubt face, it is how you embrace them and make the most of it that matters. Many will question your choices, or worse stand against you, that is why you must be strong and not let your efforts be wasted on second guessing yourself." Gunter gave his own words of wisdom to the troubled Princess.

"You always know what to say to keep me on my feet, don't you, Gunter." Corrin smiled in gratitude to the old knight.

"I merely do my duty, Milady." The Great Knight replied.

"Milady!" Jakob called out to Corrin as he and Hans volunteered to head in further to scout for trouble and they are coming in in a hurry, that can't be good. "Urgent news. We found several burned corpses."

"What?" Corrin gasped, most troubled by this news, as well as Felicia and Gunter. "Burned corpses?"

"Not far from here we caught a scent of something burned where we found exactly seven bodies of dead men and women, all burned alive and they look recent." Hans informed.

"Are they Hoshidans?" Gunter asked.

"Hard to tell since everything they likely had with them have been completely incinerated but we're certain it was the work of Fire Magic but rather it was a Diviner or Dark Mage remains uncertain, what we can confirm is that we're not the only ones in this miserable place." Hans continued.

"It can't be our own otherwise the King would've known, making the exploration pointless, there must be Hoshidans settling in the fort." Jakob concluded.

"So were they the ones who killed those people. Has father sent others before me to investigate the fort?" Corrin asked.

"If he did, the fact that not a single member of the first scouts haven't returned yet would've been a sign that the fort belonged to the Hoshidans now, because even though the Corrupted Veins are a massive threat, the odds of survival are still acceptable since we usually send our best here." Gunter stated. "And though Hoshidans can be savage themselves it's not their style to execute through cremation. Something else is going on."

"Do we turn back?" Felicia asked, growing nervous.

"It would be wise, however on the off chance that there might be a third party involve we must investigate, even if it's nothing." Gunter decreed. "Ultimately it is your choice, Lady Corrin. How should we proceed."

'I'm going to regret this.' Corrin thought as she really wants to leave this place now but Gunter raised a very good point that they must solve, so against her better judgment…

"We'll go and check the fortress but from a fair distance so we don't get spotted." Corrin declared.

"Very well, Milady." The five of them continue onward down to the very lip of the canyon, and they inevitably find the burned corpses that Jakob and Hans discovered and the sight of them troubles Corrin deeply, as well as Felicia but neither mutter or make any sickening reaction and manage to keep a level head, seemingly at least. The three men have an easier time ignoring them, Gunter and Hans it makes sense since they have experience witnessing carnage, Hans probably did a lot of heinous acts during his time in Hoshido, while Jakob is most curious, because while the butler knows his way in combat, the Princess didn't think he be this tolerant of such an unsettling sight. One of the many qualities to admire about him, perhaps.

Things become more horrifying as they find more bodies, men and women impaled by large rocky spikes that came out of the ground, leaving them in a traumatizing position.

"What the Devil!" Gunter protested, also troubled by this sight. "These are Hoshidan Mages!"

"These deaths are also very recent seeing how their bodies are still dropping blood." Hans said examining their bodies. "Diviners are supposed to have a better control over this place than us, and yet it doesn't seem like these poor dastards saw the threat coming. In fact, aren't there supposed to be Dragon Veins in this spot as well, and yet none have reacted by our presence?"

"Yes, something is truly wrong here, whatever it is, it is beyond our enemy's control." Jakob said.

"I see smoke!" Felicia cried out as she sees a lot of smoke coming from where the Fortress should be, followed by loud sounds of explosions.

"There's a battle going on over there." Corrin gasped.

"Looks like there is a third party." Hans said intrigued.

"Let's hurry." Corrin said as they rush to the scene and quickly lay witness to a battlefield on folding right in front of the fortress that is occupied by Hoshidans, judging by their outfits, though the fort itself has been mostly set ablaze and the ones station there are being attacked by one being that is not human at all.

"By the Gods!" Jakob gasped in true horror as the Nohrian gaze upon what can be best describe as a Devil, human enough in shape and features but way taller, likely forty feet tall, or slightly more with a fierce look resembling that of a feral, maddened beast that had just been awoken from its slumber and insulted in the most horrendous way possible. It has bronze skin, long dark hair, and red eyes, possessing a golden crown adorned with red jewels, also having long twisted horns and claw-like nails. It's Topless, exposing its muscular and well-endowed body but also radiates flames all around it, as if the air itself was blazing with a ranging inferno, and the only set of clothing it wears is a loincloth. Finally it carries a longsword, fit for its size made entirely out of fire.

The Inferno-like being swings its blazing sword at the Hoshidans, who are powerless to avoid it and are cut in two as well as completely incinerated. Archers keeping their distance and standing on top one of the wooden bridges, shoot their arrows at it but they are instantly turn to ashes while only four feet from reaching the demon and in response the inferno monster shoots a fireball from its mouth, hitting all of them, making them scream in uncontrollable agony, what's more, the bridge they are standing on falls apart because of the flames burning the ropes and they fall into the bottomless canyon. The Demon then grabs another soldier, an Oni Savage like Rinkah with his free left hand and lifts him to the air. The Savage hopelessly tries to free himself and gets burned alive as well, afterwards the Demon throws him aside, sending him up and lands nearly right next to Corrin and the others, who watch in horror at the unholy brutality.

"To think that Demons actually exist." Hans muttered now also horrified at the sight of this monster.

"We got to get out of here!" Felicia cried out, as they can't risk fighting something this terrible after witnessing what it had done to the Hoshidan Troops, Nohrians know are not to be trifled with in combat.

Unfortunately, the Fire Demon caught a glimpse of them and will not let them escape as he extends his left arm towards them and from below them shines what Corrin recognizes as a Dragon Vein.

"NO!" The Princess cried as the ground around them begins to shake violently as the earth they are standing on splits itself from the cliff they are in, becoming a floating platform that levitates them closer to the demon faster than any of them could react.

"It has us where it wants us!" Jakob cursed.

The Demon activates more Dragon Veins and focuses their energy on the edges of the cliffs nearest to the burning fortress, causing them to split themselves apart, shattering smaller chunks and rearranging them to fit a new design. Rocks flew through the air, floating out, beginning to fuse to other pieces near them. In mere moments, a large floor of solid rock had formed that covers much of the chasm below.

"Incredible, I've never seen the Dragon Veins be used to such an extent!" Gunter shouted in horror as they are taken to the arena the Demon made and are forced down only for a firewall to be created by the Demon that separates Corrin from her comrades.

"Lady Corrin!" The four of them cried out to their Princess but it is futile to try and pass through.

"Felicia, try to dispel the flames with your ice magic!" Gunter commanded.

"O-Okay!" Felicia said getting closer to the firewall, and while the heat is unbearable she resists and raises both her hands, harnessing her power over ice, producing cold air in an attempt to dispose of the flames.

Corrin takes steps away from the Demon as the horrid beast stares down on her with anticipation in his eyes and a smirk on his lips, while the Princess only feels fear.

"Corrin." The Demon spoke, addressing the Princess by name, knowing about her. "Finally."

"W-What… are you?" Corrin muttered, terrified with Yato in hand, awaiting the worse.

"I… am Wrath! The Worldwide Strife." The Demon introduced itself and begins to shrink in size fast, now only as tall as Xander, as well as his fire sword. "Now, entertain me."

The Demon now named Wrath charges at the Princess, who has no choice but to engage the evil beast in combat and start slicing, with Corrin getting a good slash on Wrath and leaving several gashes on his hellish skin with the flames he was radiating also diminished. Wrath seems to shrug off the wounds and makes several fast slash attacks that Corrin is barely able to counter and later tries cutting through the demon diagonally, but her sword stops at Wrath's right shoulder and yet he makes no reaction to the hit.

"How do you function?" Corrin cried out over the demon's resilience. Wrath counters her and pushes back Corrin's blade to then stab her in the stomach, luckily though, Corrin is rather agile and manages to avoid the flaming sword and backflips away from Wrath.

"Heh, the fighting style of the People of Dusk suits you more than those of the Dawn, but one such as yourself surely has more to offer than this." Wrath said intrigued and expecting more.

"Don't act like you know anything about me!" Corrin yelled.

"Then don't misinterpret my words, young one, I don't know anything about you, yet." Wrath corrected smugly as he dashes forward and delivers several hits each harder than the last that the Princess of Nohr can now hardly block against, her hold on her sword feeling fragile with each hit. Wrath then manage to grab her by her head and throws her aside, right to the edge of this arena, near a hole on the floor that wasn't fully covered when Wrath made this.

"You need to get angry, woman, show me your power!" Wrath demanded as he starts shooting fireballs at her, the sight of which forces Corrin to pull herself back up and start running, barely able to dodge all of them. She was trained relentlessly in all manner of combat by Xander and Gunter, mainly swordsmanship and hand to hand combat from time to time, however when it came to magic, though Corrin showed a level of aptitude for it but nothing ever developed, instead she received training from Leo on how to resist against magic attacks, she is a working progress on that department, however Leo always held back way more than Xander ever did because he thought she lacked the resilience to handle magical hits at the time so she never experience fire magic of this scale before and it certainly biting at her now as she fails to avoid the last fireball, knocking her to the ground, yet strangely the fire quickly extinguishes as soon as they hit and don't spread around her body, much less leave a burn mark on her armor. The pain is real enough as she is no longer able to stand, the best she can muster is the strength to keep her sword in hand. This demon is much stronger than Xander, or any human for that matter.

"BAH! I can't believe he went and made such a big deal and overestimated you so severely!" Wrath shouted, pure disappointment in his tone as he expected so much more from her, as he walks to finish her off. "Maybe I approached you the wrong way, or perhaps you're still silent where you should be awake. Let see if your coming death will anger you enough to make this a proper challenge." He declared as he swings his sword down on her, only to be stopped by Gunter who blocks the fire sword with his Brave Lance, holding off as best he can despite already forced to his knees before the demon. Wrath laughs at his efforts.

"Oh, so the old knight still sees himself a champion, eh?" Wrath mocked, eager to squash the old knight like an insect but is stopped as both Felicia and Jakob attack next, throwing several knives at him from his right abdomen to his neck, while this doesn't seem to really harm him, it does give them his attention, and Felicia throws two more knives, straight at his eyes, now that did something as Wrath shouts, backing away from Gunter and Corrin, though his shouts seem more of fury than pain and is then attacked by Hans, who with a furious roar raises his axe on him and slices open a large gash on his chest but strangely no blood comes out, only… water? Hans pays no mind to this as he proceeds to ram himself at Wrath and pushes him off the edge and straight to the Bottomless Canyon.

"We did it!" Felicia cried in relief.

"How's Lady Corrin?!" Jakob shouted with immense concern.

"Not good, even though she has no visible injuries given the lack of burn marks or any sort of damage to even her armor, the wounds seem internal." Gunter said as he examines the defeated princess and notes the pain in her face as she struggles to get herself up.

"We'll heal her up in no time!" Felicia declared.

"Save it for later, we need to get out of here before more Hoshidans show up. Giving how paranoid they are of outsiders, especially Nohrians they'll just blame us for all this chaos regardless." Hans protested, really wanting to get out of here.

"He's right, we cannot allow ourselves to remain here much longer. Jakob, you carry her all the way through." Gunter instructed and the butler wasted no time in carrying his mistress with all of them making a run for it to one of the remaining bridges nearby.

But they may not get very far as Wrath somehow climbs back up to his arena, the knives no longer impaled on him and all his wounds, including his eyes all healed up instantly and he will not let them leave as with a single punch, the whole floor he created begins to fall apart fast while he leaps all the way back to the burned down fort.

The Nohrians notice the sudden danger and run faster until they are force to jump to reach the bridge with Gunter, Jakob and Hans making it in time but Felicia not so much as she nearly falls but is saved by Hans who pulls her up quickly. Sadly their horses could not be saved and fall to their deaths deep below.

"GO! GO!" Gunter shouted at them to continue running as he notices Wrath making his way to the bridge and sets it ablaze, aiming to make them fall into the darkness below. But for Corrin, he has other plans as he extends his right hand towards them and Corrin is suddenly pulled off of Jakob's arm and telekinetically lifted into the air and towards the Fire Demon.

"LADY CORRIN!" Jakob screamed out, extending his arm to her in a vain effort to save her, forcing him, Felicia and Gunter to turn around to get her back, except for Hans who's smart enough to recognize the futility and keeps running and just in time as the bridge breaks apart, causing all three of them to fall down into the canyon, with the Berserker as the only one who made it to the other side.

"GODS DAMMIT!" Hans shouted at the calamity he narrowly survived alone.

Corrin is left crying out in anguish as she watches her servants and the few friends she ever had fall to their deaths, with her watching helplessly and unable to save. She knew deep down that going further into the canyon was a mistake upon learning about the bodies of the Hoshidans but she pressed onward out of curiosity that has plagued her mind about the outside world for years, despite the possible dangers, and now she led her friends to their deaths. How was she going to explain this to Flora that her sister's gone?

While in her newfound despair, the evil monster responsible laughs in immense bliss at all the death he has wrought.

"What's the matter, feeling like surrendering without your meat shields, I'd figured you be at least a little angry after that but instead I haven't even scratched the surface." Wrath said, convinced that he has to dig deeper into Corrin's soul. Or perhaps not as Corrin's sorrow morphs into rage and hatred so great like she has never felt before, something inside her clawing to get out finally with her left hand also beginning to transformed, becoming a spear-like object that she brings down like a whip and hits Wrath by his shoulder.

As Wrath falters at the sudden predicament, likely the one he has been waiting for, Corrin's head also transforms like a mask with antlers with seemingly no eye holes for her to see through, and her right hand also changes, turning instead into a huge inhuman fist that may also be a mouth of sorts as well and uses them to knock back Wrath, making him stagger backward, almost lying flat on his back and from the hand-like mouth, Corrin fires a massive sphere made of water that hits Wrath, blasting him to crash through the burned fortress, the force from the blast is so strong that it demolishes nearly the entire building and bury the Fire Demon. The Princess collapses on her feet, breathing heavily from exhaustion and baffled over what she had done.

"What… how did…?" Corrin is left speechless not sure how could she had pull off something so inhumane. First she faces an actual demon and now it turns out that she might be one herself. What nightmare has she gotten herself into?

She may get her answer in the form of an explosion coming from the fort, giving the Princess the horrible conclusion that the Fire Demon is still kicking.

"NO!" She cried in horror as she sees Wrath coming out of the completely destroyed fort and grabs her by her neck, lifting her in the air, chuckling sinisterly.

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere with this exploration. You are the one indeed." Wrath declared proudly.

"What are you talking about?!" Corrin demanded, hopelessly trying to free herself from his hold on her.

"You'll find out soon. By the way." Wrath said as something manifests into his right hand, a black colored egg, slightly bigger than a chicken egg. "Your father sends his regards." Without warning, Wrath punches a hole through Corrin's stomach, while placing the egg inside, a pinkish and blackish aura erupts from Corrin, with her screaming in with unbearable agony for a few seconds up until the aura fades away and she is thrown aside to the ground by Wrath, and the hole in her stomach seemingly gone, even her armor looks untouched but the pain again is real enough and the Princess lies down either dead or comatose.

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! Damn this canyon! Damn all of this! There will be hell to pay when King Garon learns of this and Hoshido will take the blame and received the full front of his madness!" Hans yelled as he grudgingly escapes from the carnage, making it up to where he and his now dead allies were before Wrath brought them down.

"Well, that could've gone better." Hans is caught off guard as he notices Iago who unexpectedly arrives.

"Iago! So you were watching over us! You didn't say anything about a god damn Demon of Hell coming out of the guts of the Inferno, and now the Princess is dead, as well as one of the daughters of the Ice Tribe's Chieftain." He protested. "When the King finds out about this…"

"The King will put all the blame in Hoshido, as you just said, and become fixated on mounting a rescue for his daughter when he finds out his single minded enemies have taken her hostage." Iago said unconcern with what happened to Corrin.

"What are those scumbags going to do with a corpse?" Hans questioned.

"Trust me, we'll see her again, alive. What just happened is that she just received a small taste of what's to come." Iago made a cruel chuckle in great amusement. "Now let's go, quickly before the Hoshidan Dogs spot us and hunger for more Nohrian blood. They're gluttony will never be satisfied."

As Wrath stares down at the defeated Princess of Nohr for a brief moment, he notices that not far, more soldiers of Hoshido finally arrive at the scene and gasps in horror at the carnage done to the Fortress and the sight of the horrid demon who gives them one last evil grin before inexplicably jumping into the canyon, quickly vanishing into the darkness.

Half an hour passes and the Hoshidans quickly secure the area and fruitlessly try to search for survivors but unsurprisingly there is no one left except for Corrin who is confirmed to be alive but is still unconscious, being tended by healers of Hoshido; Shrine Maidens. Leading this troop is a Ninja dressed all in black, an intimidating man with his face obscured by a cloth, only his eyes and dark red hair visible, though his left eye seems to be the only one he can really use while his right one is scarred.

"How is she?" The Ninja asked, regarding Corrin.

"It's strange, even though she seems fine externally, there are a lot of internal injuries, four broken ribs, a ruptured kidney, but it's likely because of the dark magic spread across her body forced inside of her possibly caused by that… thing." One of the Shrine Maidens explained most curious about this phenomenon. "I've never seen anything like it but she should make a full recovery."

"Good, once you're done, put her in a wagon so we can take her in for questioning, this Nohrian may have been attacked as well by whatever that monster was but her presence here is a direct violation against Hoshido and must receive punishment, unless the information she gives is a valid one." The Ninja declared.

"Brother!" The Ninja turns to look behind him to see the ninja Kaze, alongside the Oni Savage, Rinkah. "We came as soon as we heard the news. Is she alright?"

"Somehow but that might be worse for her, now that she will be our prisoner." He said.

"Don't be so harsh Saizo, I assure you that this is Princess Corrin." Kaze said certain of something other than she being the Princess of Nohr.

"I rather not take any chances and get Lord Ryoma's hopes up for what might be no more than a misunderstanding."

"Boys, how about we continue this discussion elsewhere, the longer she's here, the more we risk the corruption." Rinkah suggested.

"Yes, let us escort her back to Shirasagi, Lord Ryoma and Queen Mikoto will want to deal with this matter personally, even if it's not really her." Kaze requested.

"Fine, just be sure that she doesn't pull anything funny." Saizo warned his brother.

"Everything will turn out fine, brother." Kaze assured him.

* * *

It's unclear how long she has been out, but Corrin inevitably awakens slowly, her head still feeling heavy. Her vision swam for a few moments as she opened her eyes and finds herself in what looks like the inside of a wagon, and it is moving.

"Ah, you're finally awake. It's about time."

Corrin turned her head to face the new voice. Sitting on the side opposite to her with her club right within reach, is Rinkah of the flame tribe. "From what I've gathered you went through quite the ordeal."

"Rinkah?" Corrin muttered weakly. "Where are we?"

"Nowhere close to Nohr if that is what you're really wondering, we're well within the heart of Hoshidan territory. Don't try anything you'll regret." Rinkah explained.

Corrin sat up properly. Her head ached, her mouth felt dry and Yato was not at her side. She was surprised to find she was not bound in any way. "What's going to happen now?"

"We just passed through the Great Wall that protects the Capital of Hoshido; Suzanoh and will be in Castle Shirasagi very soon. The authorities will have claim of you once there." Rinkah continued.

Corrin's heart sank. A Princess of Nohr, found near a destroyed Hoshidan controlled fort with horribly burned and slaughtered Hoshidans? By the time reinforcements arrived, Wrath must've left her for dead and assumed that she was responsible for the chaos. "I see. I suppose they'll want to hear an explanation for the unprovoked attack, followed by an execution." The young princess had grown up on stories about what Hoshidans did to prisoners. Those captured by ninjas were said to meet a particularly gruesome end.

Rinkah simply grinned. "That's for you to find out once we get there."

Corrin remained silent for the rest of the trip, her head faced on the ground, not bothering to gaze upon the beautiful city before her as her thoughts lingered elsewhere.

'Felicia… Jakob… Gunter… I'm so, so sorry…' She wallowed in her sorrows, mourning for those she lost because of her choice. First time truly leading anyone and it ended like that. All that training, all those years studying and preparing to be the best battle commander Nohr had to offer alongside her older siblings and younger brother and prove her worth to father, all for nothing with her now in enemy hands and about to be executed before her life can really begin.

'Xander, Camilla, Leo, Elise, Father, Mother… was I simply not meant to be with all of you? Was I really nothing but a waste of space, is that why I was stuck living in that fortress without given a reason why…? Will I never see any of you again? Flora… Lilith… And most of all, will I never get to see… you again…?'

Corrin feels the wagon stop, meaning that they finally reach the Castle where the Royal Family of Hoshido resides in, Shirasagi, forcing Corrin to wipe the tears from her eyes and reluctantly gets off and meets faze to face with the two people at the front of the wagon who brought her here, one of them being the Ninja Kaze and a dashing woman in her mid-twenties with purple hair ornately styled in traditional Hoshidan fashion.

"We meet again. Kaze?" Corrin asked the ninja.

Kaze nodded. "Yes. It is most fortunate that we found you again, Princess Corrin." The ninja dipped his head and got down onto his knees, bowing respectfully to the Nohrian Princess.

Corrin stared at Kaze with shock. "What? You are?" She looks over to Rinkah. "Am I missing something? What's going on?"

"All will be explain in due time Princess." The purple haired woman said. "Just stay calm, enjoy the view as we take you to meet Queen Mikoto."

'Queen Mikoto!?' Corrin had heard of her. A great and powerful sage who was able to singlehandedly prevent war from their two kingdoms from breaking out by creating a magical barrier around all of Hoshido that affects the mental state of any outsider who crosses, stripping them of their will to fight, forcing the Nohrians away since they'd be slaughtered by the Hoshidans who are not kept from their violent urges. She sounds amazing but what could she want with her? "Why?"

"Oh, we can't tell you that, it will spoil the surprise." The woman said with a genuine smile as she takes her leave. "I'll leave the rest to you Kaze, I have other matters to attend to."

"Thank you for your aid, Orochi." Kaze replied to the woman.

Corrin finally focus her gaze at her surroundings, Sunlight streaming down from the sky, practically blinding Corrin with its intensity. She was used to grey and dark, not the purity here. The garden around them was full of color, with the cherry blossom trees, orange flowers, bright green grass and clear water streams. The air, as well, seemed somehow more clear than the heavy and cold atmosphere of Nohr.

"So this is Hoshido?" She wondered.

Kaze stepped up beside her. "Do you recognize anything?"

"Why would I recognize anything here?" Corrin questioned.

"Just curious. When you're ready, please follow me. I am sure Queen Mikoto would like to see you as soon as possible." The Ninja said.

"How is that my choice?" Corrin questioned. "This isn't my kingdom to do what I want."

"You'd be surprised, Milady." Kaze gives her a genuine smile, confusing the captured Princess even more and not sure how to respond. Desiring some form of distraction, Corrin wonders off around the gardens in awe. Hand carved statues gave the place an ethereal beauty, and fountains sprayed jets of pure water in fascinating paths. Kaze made his question sound like she should be familiar with such beauty but there is no form of nostalgia so the Nohrian Princess can only brush off the question as him being friendly.

"Let's just get this over with." Corrin remarked.

The ninja once again bowed and gestured for Corrin to follow him and as she does Rinkah remains behind her as she too follows. The three soon walk pass a pair of sliding doors, which seemed to be made of paper. While they did look pretty, Corrin wondered why the doors to their castle were so weakly made.

"As beautiful as this all is, I question why the royal family would live behind such weak doors. Feels like poor security." Corrin stated.

"Yes, it all seems hollow when in comparison to the metal doors of Nohr but we Hoshidans are old fashion and we aren't too big on the defenses you're accustom to." Kaze explained.

"You ninjas are unique."

After following Kaze for the rest of the way in silence, she found herself in a great hall. Now this is what Corrin expects of the doors of a Throne, similar in size and functions to the one in castle Krakenburg but was different in every other way. Adorned in all manner of decoration, from the banners adorning the walls to the paper lanterns that gave it light. Sunlight streamed in through painted glass windows, lighting up the room in unfamiliar bright sunlight. Corrin was so caught up in examining the room that she didn't notice the tall man in red armor approach her.

"Welcome back, Kaze, Rinkah. Good work."

Kaze nodded to the man. "Thank you, Lord Ryoma."

"Did… did you just say Lord Ryoma?" Corrin gasped as that is the name of the Crown Prince of Hoshido, or High Prince as the heir of the throne is supposed to be addressed. Guess every nation has their own quirk on how a monarchy works.

Kaze nodded. "Yes, this is the High Prince of Hoshido, Lord Ryoma."

Corrin felt herself shrink down a little. Ryoma looks every bit the mighty warrior she was told about, some have exaggerated that he is a demigod on the battlefield. Xander had once told her about a brutal fight the two had had in a battle, describing him as the most fearsome warrior he had ever faced. If the prince was here to meet her, it didn't bode well. Still, though, why does he wear armor that makes him look like a lobster? Sure, it looks amazing and gives the impression that he is a king in the art of war but she can't shake this ridiculous vibe.

"Well? What are you waiting for? If you're going to execute me, please get on with it." Corrin pleaded.

Ryoma shook his head and smiled. "There will be no killing, Corrin. It is good that you were able to come back to us."

Corrin sighed. "Will somebody please stop beating around the bush and tell me what is going on? As a prisoner of war, I have the right to know what I stand accused of."

The sliding door at the far end of the hall are opened and a regal figure stepped through. Corrin knew at once that it had to be Queen Mikoto. She looked exactly as she had envisioned her, despite having never seen any pictures of her while at the castle. Her eyes scanned across the room, before locking onto her. Corrin prepared for the worst, but when he looked the Queen in her eyes, rather than seeing hate and anger in them, she instead saw relief and… love?

"I cannot believe it's really you…" She whispered. She began to quickly stride across the room, getting closer to Corrin.

Corrin blinked. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?"

Queen Mikoto apparently hadn't heard her. "Oh, I've missed you so much! Come here, Corrin, my sweet child!" Before Corrin could respond, she closed the gap between them and threw her arms around her, enveloping her in a tight hug. Corrin froze up, having not expected this situation in the slightest.

"I… I'm sorry, what?"

She pushed the Queen away, stepping back from both Ryoma and Mikoto. Surely, she misunderstood. This is some Hoshidan custom to greet visitors. Perhaps she's just being friendly.

Queen Mikoto reached out to her. "Oh, I'm sorry for surprising you like that. It's just… been so long. So long since I've seen you."

Corrin took another step back, her mind ablaze. "Have we met before?"

Queen Mikoto fell silent, a look of shock across her face. Clearly, it had never occurred to her that Corrin would not have recognized her on sight. After a few moments of silence, she withdrew her hand. "You… do not remember me? It is I, Mikoto. Your mother."

Corrin froze. No denying it. The Queen of Hoshido thought she was her mother. But that was wrong. Wrong. There had to be a mix up.

"I… I'm no Hoshidan! King Garon is my father. Queen Arete is my mother! Please, don't mistake me for whoever it is you think I am!" Corrin spatted.

Mikoto drooped visibly. "It seems Nohr has stolen much from me. I had hoped that you would remember me once we lay eyes on each other once again. Oh, my poor Corrin. I have so much to tell you."

"I don't understand. I've been in Nohr my whole life. How can I be your daughter?" Corrin questioned.

Queen Mikoto shook her head violently. "Not your whole life! You are a Princess of Hoshido, my child. You grew up here, among the gardens and the castle and alongside your siblings. You had just turned seven when me and your father took our whole family to our first trip together to Nestra's Resort City, Cyrkensia when Nohrians attacked us for previously refusing to heed their demands. I barely managed to get out of the disaster alive with your siblings but you and your father were lost to us!" Queen Mikoto became quite emotional, turning away from Corrin and holding a hand to her face. Ryoma laid a hand on his mother's shoulder, comforting her. He continued the story.

"King Garon murdered our father in cold blood. Declared war on Hoshido. And then, to make matters even worse, he took you from Nestra while we desperately sought you out but only found our father maimed. In the confusion, he slipped away to Nohr with you. You were lost to us. That day, mother lost her daughter and I… I lost a sister."

Corrin cradled her head in her hands. "No, no, no… Xander is my older brother! Leo, Elise and Camilla are my siblings! Garon is my father! Arete is my mother! You're all wrong! You have to be."

A brief flicker of anger passed across Ryoma's face at the mention of Xander. "The Nohrian royals, correct? They are not your real family. You are my younger and second sister. You and our sister, Hinoka, were close friends as children. Surely you remember Takumi, your brother? You and he used to fight all the time." Ryoma took a step towards Corrin. "You really don't remember any of this?"

Corrin shot her head up. "NO! I don't remember any of you! Stop telling me things like I should know what you're talking about!"

"I understand. Sorry for putting so much on you at once, Corrin. This must be an impossible amount of information to bear all at once. Please, stay with us here at Shirasagi. Your sisters, Hinoka and Sakura will return soon. In time, I think you might remember more. Please... just give us a chance." Mikoto pleaded.

"NO! I want nothing to do with you people! I am sorry for your losses but I am not your daughter!" Corrin shouted with open defiance.

"There has to be a way to convince you of the truth Corrin, deep down you must know you are bound to our family." Ryoma said also pleading.

"LOOK AT ME! Look at my hair, It's as white as snow! And my Eyes! The irises are as red as blood. And My ears. LOOK AT MY EARS!" Corrin snapped furiously showing off her strange pointy ears. "They make me look like an Elf! It makes much more sense that my birth mother was one of King Garon's many mistresses who had one too many body disorders than a foreign queen who looks… normal. Nothing about my appearance is normal! So knock it off because I don't appreciate your poor attempts to give me Stockholm Syndrome!"

Corrin made a compelling argument that left the four people beside her in deep silence, contemplating the unusual facial features Corrin has that she certainly did not inherit from Mikoto, and certainly not of the Late King Sumeragi.

"Yes… there is… a perfectly reasonable explanation for your… unique appearance." Mikoto hesitates to explain what that explanation is, clearly a subject she was not ready to bring up, and Ryoma must also know what that is, judging by his face. Kaze and Rinkah on the other hand look ready to kick themselves for being oblivious of this whole thing. Clearly they never stop to put into account Corrin's appearance in comparison to her ''mother''. No one ever does, seriously did anyone back in Nohr ever question why does she look like this. It doesn't matter that she's beautiful, she's also weird.

"The truth is… that Sumeragi… was actually your Stepfather, with Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi and Sakura are really your step siblings." Mikoto confessed. "Your true father was the one who you inherited your ''unique'' appearance. Apart from your white hair."

"Wait, what?!" Kaze becomes baffle by this serious revelation, including Rinkah, and judging by Ryoma's neutral expression he is aware of this truth as well.

"But I really am your mother!" Mikoto cried.

"So I'm not of Hoshidan Royalty, go figure. But you're saying I'm not even of Nohrian Royalty. But I can control Dragon Veins, so I must have the blood of a Precursor and not all of the divine bloodlines grant this ability." Corrin said.

"You are a special case Corrin but regardless you are of the Royal Family of Hoshido, blood doesn't decide who's family, after all." Ryoma assured her, his tone more genuine.

Corrin remains silent contemplating this whole mess. She feels nothing for these people, no personal attachments to anyone nor is she receiving any sort of flashbacks. Truth be told, she doesn't remember anything from her youth up until the age of eight. Xander told her that she is suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder because of a werewolf that snuck into the northern fortress and nearly killed her if not for Gunter. The stress caused her to block out the memories along with her youth. Gunter keeps the skull of the werewolf in his room as a trophy, she's seen it. Still, what if it is true, then she had to know. King Garon, kidnapping her? Elise wouldn't know. Maybe not Camilla. But Leo, probably, Xander and Arete, definitely. They called her their sister, but have they always known she wasn't a true daughter of Nohr. She wasn't sure she could handle a betrayal of that size. She had to know the truth.

"I'm… sorry for my outburst. You're just trying to find your daughter. But… right now… I'm not sure what holds truth anymore. I'll stay. At least until I find it."

Queen Mikoto smiled brightly. "That's all I ask of you, Corrin. And even if you'll never remember us, know this: I love you, my daughter. I always will, no matter where you may go."

"I sincerely doubt that. I run back to Garon and Arete and one of you will most certainly express your dismay violently." Yes, that was a cruel thing to point out but Corrin isn't convinced that these people won't respond negatively if she chooses to remain with her… ''adoptive family''.

"Ouch…" Rinkah uttered by Corrin's sudden brutality, a far cry from the naive girl that let her and Kaze live.

Her harsh words definitely brought silence to Mikoto and Ryoma, visibly hurt. If they thought that the truth would only bring clarity than they really didn't think this through of how this would affect her, though the fact that neither of them are trying to assure Corrin otherwise means they know she is telling the truth. Hoshido won't stand for Corrin returning to Nohr.

Before more could be said the doors to the hall were pushed open. A man dressed in ornate gold samurai gear stepped into the room. Queen Mikoto frowned.

"What is it? I would prefer not to be disturbed right now."

The man bowed deeply. "Please forgive me, my Queen, but I have an urgent message for Lord Ryoma."

The warrior Prince of Hoshido stepped forward. "Speak."

"Grimm have been spotted in the north and are quickly overrunning Karakura."

Ryoma's eyes widened. "No! Hinoka and Sakura are in that region!"

The Samurai nodded. "Yes, Milord. I've been told they're helping to evacuate the villagers."

Ryoma nodded, a look of pure steel in his eyes. "Very well. I will personally assure this assault is repelled." He turned to Corrin. "Corrin, will you come with me? I want you to see this with your own eyes."

Corrin gestured to herself. "Wasn't I just arrested for supposedly slaughtering your troops station at the borders? Now I'm to be put on community service."

Ryoma shook his head. "No, whatever that monster was, mother and I are certain it is the true culprit, you were just another unfortunate victim of that evil. Regardless of what your intentions were for arriving there, you will not be held accountable for what happened in the canyon, and the time has finally come for you to learn the truth."

Corrin glanced at Queen Mikoto, who nodded. "Go, Corrin. Ryoma will watch over you. Go and see how Nohr rewards our peacefulness."

"Fine…" Corrin sighed, reluctant to do anything for these people.

"Kaze, your strength is a fine substitute for your brother while he is away. Stand with us." Ryoma requested. "You as well Rinkah, the Flame Tribe is always a welcome sight in Hoshido."

The ninja, who had been patiently waiting to the side, nodded. "My strength is yours for however long I may satisfy you, your Grace."

"I came here to fight, nothing more." Rinkah replied bluntly.

"Good. Mother, we will travel to the north on the fastest horses we can find and bring our sisters home. I swear it."

Mikoto shook her head. "No, that will take far too long. Have Orochi warp you and take care of Corrin. You require only the best for the sake of our family."

Ryoma nodded and turned around. "Come, Corrin. Let's get you a weapon from the armory, and then we shall be on our way."

"Actually, I do have my own. Kaze, did you by chance found my sword when you found me?"

Kaze nodded. "Yes. I had it confiscated for safekeeping."

He reached into the long sack he carried with him and drew the Yato and presents it to Corrin, who is thrill to have it back in her arms. She never wants to be away from this sword.

"That sword!" Ryoma gasped, recognizing the Yato. "Where did you get it?"

"It's a gift from my best friend." Corrin explained before becoming sore. "One of the few friends I have left. What does it matter?"

"It's… never mind, we can continue this conversation once Hinoka and Sakura are safe." The High Prince said brushing the matter off but she can tell that he wanted to press it forward, so did Mikoto judging by her own shocked expression regarding the sword. "Kaze, find Orochi." Corrin could see the thunder in his step. "Let's show these Nohrian abominations what happens when they threaten my sisters."

Hearing the steel in his voice, Corrin wondered if he and Xander were so different after all.

It took a few minutes but soon enough everyone assigned for this mission gathered in the throne room with Orochi preparing to use her Diviner magic.

"Be safe out there and bring the hurting to the nearing darkness." Orochi said to the four of them before closing her eyes, beginning to mutter a few words. Sigils began to float around her, forming into patterns and shapes. Finally, she opened her eyes, ablaze with energy. "Warp!"

Then Corrin, Ryoma, Kaze and Rinkah vanish from the throne room in a flash of yellow energy, leaving only their footprints behind and now find themselves in a snowy field, full of steep inclines and sharp dips. Corrin gasps in amazement as she had no idea magic like this existed. The town called Karakura is the primary target for these enemies called Grimm.

Kaze immediately drew his shuriken. "Take a good look around, Lady Corrin. This is a treacherous region for battle. It is important to scout ahead and look for any troublesome areas."

Ryoma began to stride towards the town. "Well said. Come, let us see if Sakura and Hinoka are still in Karakura."

The four warriors marched ahead to the town. Up close, they could see some of the outer wall was quite badly damaged, with one large chunk of it missing entirely. One guard, armed with nothing more than a rough spear, stood at the gate. He saluted as Ryoma walked up to him. "Prince Ryoma! Your presence brings us all hope."

The man began a bow, but Ryoma cut him off with a hand motion. "I rather not waste precious time, Tell me, are my sisters here?"

The soldier stood up straight and shook his head. "No, sir. Lady Hinoka feared for the safety of the townsfolk so she led a small regiment out of the village, to lead the Grimm away to buy us time."

Ryoma sighed, frustration coming through in his voice. "Of course she would. Which way did they go?"

"Over that hill and the one after that. As far North West as they could go, from what I understood."

The Prince frowned but nodded at the soldier anyway. "Alright. Stand guard here, evacuate all the villagers quickly and if something goes wrong here we may be unable to help you."

With that, Ryoma broke away at a sprint. He looked over his shoulder at Corrin. "I'm going on ahead to find Hinoka and Sakura. You take your time, hunt down all the Grimm in the area. Go!" He reached the top of the mountain and disappeared over the top with Corrin, Kaze and Rinkah following after him with the goal to cover his flank.

Looking around her, Corrin caught sight of a titular enemy quite fast. Standing not far from them are two monsters that can be best describe as creatures of darkness, both are large, taller than any human, one of them is a wolf-like pitch-black beast, consistently standing on its hind legs, albeit with a slouch, and is extremely muscular, glowing red eyes with a bone-like mask with red markings, as well as the bone-like spikes protruding from its arms, back, and knees. Its hands and feet are also tipped with long, sharp, white claws.

The second monster has the same characteristics but this one strongly resembles a bear, with black fur and bony spikes on its backs and arms, as well as white, bone-like mask with red detailing, but is much larger and stockier.

"These are the Grimm Creatures you mentioned?" Corrin asked, more amaze than horrified as she has never seen monsters like these before.

"Yeah, two types of them at least, a Beowolf and Ursai respectively. The most primitive of the whole species but not to be underestimated when in high numbers." Rinkah said as she raises her club high. "Let's get this over with!"

She charged forward without waiting for either of them. The Ursai charged in first, to face the flame tribe warrior as Rinkah made it within swinging distance, bringing her club down on its mask. With a burst of fire, she connected, enveloping the head in flame, knocking the creature to the ground, but it is not dead yet as it gets back up to try and strike at her with its claws, that she is narrowly able to dodge, and goes in to land another hit, this time to bash the head open but the Beowolf moves in next for the sake of finishing her itself, forcing Rinkah to halt her assault and block the claws of the wolf with her club. The Beowolf is strong as it manages to force the Oni Savage to her knees but only briefly as Corrin rushes at the scene and succeeds in decapitating the monster as swiftly as she could. Upon the decapitation, the Beowolf's body disintegrates into black dust.

In return for her help, Rinkah steps in to block a hit from the Ursai who continues its assault, hitting its arm aside with her club, and Kaze finishes it off by charging forward and thrusting its shurikens deep within its mask, piercing through its skull, killing it.

"Next time don't tempt an Ursai with a frontal assault alone, they are very resistant to fire attacks." Kaze warned Rinkah.

"You can wield fire magic without a magic conduit? That means you have the blood of the God of Fire" Corrin asked.

"It's literally in the name and I told you I was the Flame Tribe Chieftain's daughter when we met. Wielding the true power of the flames is in my family's blood and my people can also wield them, however we have never been as strong as the descendants of the Dawn Dragon and Dusk Dragon and we can't use Dragon Veins." Rinkah explained.

Corrin nodded in understanding. Felicia and Flora are of the Ice Tribe, people who are believed to be the descendants of the Frost Dragon, a Goddess of Ice, and are the only people in the world who use Ice Magic without restrictions, while everyone else is limited with other elements.

The Trio go for the hill Ryoma had traveled up. It looked like a steep incline, it would take a while to climb it. Walking along the ridge to search for a good climbing point, Corrin felt a familiar twinge of power. Circling the base of the hill, a ring of power had its source beneath Corrin's feet. He reached out, feeling the ancient Dragon Vein.

"Keep your distance from the hill!" Corrin instructed the two who obey as she completed the ring of power with herself. The snow of the hill began to rapidly melt, vanishing off the rock as steam. The rock itself began to go liquid, seeping down into the ground. Corrin pushed further, and the hill seemed to suck itself down to ground level. With a final rush, the once steep hill had become a tiny hump on the ground. Rinkah gasped, stepping onto the new patch of bare rock.

"The entire hill just disintegrated! Is that the power of a Dragon Vein? I had no idea…" Rinkah gasped in amazement, this is the second time she has actually seen a Dragon Vein put to work in person.

Kaze walked past her, already going for the next hill. "To harness the ancient dragon powers is truly a magnificent gift. Yet I wonder if even the Royals who wield that power can fully control it, if the ones in the Bottomless Canyon are any indication." He shrugged.

"We got more incoming!" Rinkah shouted as they spot more Grimm, Beowolves and Ursai heading their way through the path Corrin created. It seems that affecting the environment is like a double-edge sword as the enemy also has more field for advancement. Corrin never was much of a tactician, though she is learning to be one like Leo to please father. Shame she never took the lessons seriously as she always prefer to just follow orders. That is coming to bite her now.

"Let's do this!" Corrin shouted as the three prepare for a major fight but they do not get the chance as all fourteen of them are struck down by mighty bolts of lightning that easily vaporizes all of them instantly.

"What in the! Was that Lord Ryoma!" Kaze asked.

"No, I have seen the power of his Sacred Treasure, the Raijinto before, this felt more wild and less divine." Rinkah said, believing this to be the work of someone else. The trio look to the sky and see the one who did it is floating right above them and none stare at amazement more than Corrin.

The one above them is a man, wearing a black body armor that consists of a black tight and sleeveless shirt with red accents and a metal plate on his collar, and black pants that had two black straps on his thighs, and another two strapped around his shins separate from each other. He wears black metal plated shoes, which appear to be attached to his trousers. He also wears a white coat that seem to actually be two separate sleeves connected by a metal plate at the back which covered his arms and was cut off showing his upper torso and midriff and has a separate white open skirt which ends above his shins with the top fashioned and tied with an agemaki knot, covered by a red metal plate. On his right hand is a beautiful black book of magic, decorated in elegant red designs from all angles and at the center is the symbol of infinity. The pages move by themselves, each one outwardly look to be made of gold, filled with complex symbols and incantations in an ancient language that he understands as easy as English.

The man descends to the ground, landing next to them and turns to the trio for them to see his face and he is a man in his mid-twenties with white hair like Corrin's but shorter and messy, brown eyes, and if Corrin is being honest, he has a very dashing face.

"Robin!" Corrin cried with immense relief.

"I leave for a day and you get send off to the borders. I hate that you have such misfortunes, my friend but don't worry. I'm here now." The White Mage declared.

* * *

**Now I know what you all must be thinking, the antagonistic force from the RWBY Franchise… Really? This isn't even a crossover, I know, I know, but C'MON! It's a fanfiction, we can do whatever we want, and I needed something dark. Nohr is believed to be the land of a Dark God just as their Royal Family are believed to be human descendants of that same Deity, and Grimm are the creations of another Dark God who obey his will and the Main Antagonist, due to her transformation from the very pool that constantly creates them so I figured I risk it. And besides, are any of you really going to tell me that you actually like the Faceless. Absolute BS! They don't hold a candle to the Risen and there will be no Faceless in my story, okay. You can't change my mind on this one. The Grimm will also be vastly different from their source material.**

**On another important note, yes, I did rushed things by mixing two game chapters into just one and skipping the Lilith scene, I deemed it necessary out of personal preferences since I didn't like Chapters 3 and 4 that much and wanted to get them over with and focus more on my takes on them. In other news, Robin is a part of Fates now. I adore Awakening and am a big fan of the stories that have him and Corrin teaming up, most of them make me wish that Robin was actually involved in the story of Fates instead of being some amiibo character. People joke about him being this Harem King/Queen, even though Corrin has that same problem, yet he can't be pair with anyone in Fates, a wasted opportunity for bringing Morgan into the fray as well.**

**Furthermore, yes, I got the revelation that Corrin is not blood related to the Hoshidan Siblings out already but I don't see this as rushing things but more like I'm letting a very obvious factor out that should've been addressed right from the beginning, and that is that Corrin's default appearance is not normal. My Corrin always assumed that her mother was a concubine of Garon who originally used her as a diplomatic tool for her place in the Royal Family, similar to Camilla and her mother, and had strange but not ugly body disorders that she inherited, such as her red eyes, elf-like ears and silver long hair, details which Mikoto completely lacks, as well as Sumeragi and my Corrin is smarter but with a shorter temper and is overly emotional when under extreme stress since she doesn't have any experience with anything important due to being LOCKED in a fortress for more than a decade. She's a child being forced to pretend to be an adult capable of impossible feats and it's only because of plot armor and a poorly written support cast that she SOMEHOW pulled it all off. And I surely don't need to tell you about all the stress she is about to endure.**

**And yes, the First Dragons, the Gods of Fire Emblem Fates, I prefer to call them Precursors because it makes them sound more interesting and befitting of their title as gods (Huge fan of Jak and Daxter), will be more involved, in a more religious sense, hence why I also brought up Anankos early on because I want him to have a bigger presence, I find him to be a very compelling and sympathetic character with wasted potential, kind of like Garon, but in hindsight it's because of Anankos that Garon is what he is so I digress.**


	3. Chapter 3: Distrust

**Chapter 3: Distrust**

"Robin!" Corrin cried in joy, thrill to see a familiar face as she rushes to her friend's side, ignoring Kaze and Rinkah behind her as the two embrace in a warming hug, something she desperately needed ever since she awoke to find herself so away from her home.

"Is that guy Nohrian?" Rinkah asked, her only reason for not bashing Robin's skull open is because of Corrin.

"Yes, but he is no enemy yet, I've encounter this man before and we can partially trust him." Kaze assured.

"Corrin, what are you doing here in Hoshido, so far from home?" Robin asked with concern, especially upon feeling her tremble.

"Oh, Robin… it was horrible! Everything in the canyon fell apart and… Felicia, Jakob and Gunter are… are… dead…" Corrin tries to let out all the grief she has kept locked inside ever since the Bottomless Canyon, not given a chance to mourn because of the Hoshidans, especially Mikoto and her bombshell of a revelation.

"What…? It can't be!" Robin gasped in horror, unable to accept the news, however neither are given the chance to mourn as they are attack by another Type of Grimm, an avian of colossal size that has features resembling those of several other bird species. Two notable examples of this are its resemblances to condors and ravens. Like other creatures of Grimm, it has a mask-like, white bony structure overlaying the upper front of its head. It also has four glowing red eyes, two on each side of its head. The headpiece also includes a dorsal spine or fin, reminiscent of that on the heads of condors and some prehistoric pterosaurs and it seems to have two clawed "fingers" extending forwards from the outermost wing joint.

"A Nevermore! Take cover!" Kaze shouted as the Avian monster attacks the group by throwing its own black feathers like a volley of arrows with effective range, most of them directly at the two white heads. Robin keeps Corrin close as he unleashes his magic, his Tome starts to move by itself, opening up and shifts its own page for the purpose of having one spell to use, creating a barrier of purple energy around them that easily repels the extremely sharp feathers that upon reaching the barrier, the force of their hit made Robin believe that they could cut through flesh and bones like butter, even though he easily blocked them. Once the attacks stop, Robin removes his barrier and summons multiple spheres of white energy and sends them all at the Nevermore. For the most part the giant black bird did well moving fast enough to avoid most of the spheres but eventually gets caught by twelve of them, each causing concussive explosions that greatly damage the Nevermore and make it crash land. It's probably not dead yet.

"I'm afraid we have no time to mourn, first we fight." Robin said, sadness in his voice but still determine to survive this day for Corrin's sake.

"Yeah, I know." Corrin said trying to wipe away her tears just as Kaze and Rinkah regroup with them.

"It's been a while, Sir Robin." Kaze greeted the White Mage.

"You're one of the Ninjas that directly serves the Royal Family of Hoshido. Kaze, right?" Robin said recognizing the Ninja.

"You two know each other? And what even are those things?" Corrin asked.

"It's a long story. And those things are supernatural beings made of pure dark magic native to Nohr and serve as the main force of their army." Robin informed.

"How come I've never heard of them while back home!" Corrin argued.

"Well, you have been living in a fortress your whole life so that's no surprise, and why Xander and the rest didn't fill you in is anyone's guess, but what I can tell you is that they are relentless and will attack anyone that isn't faithful to Nohr, and they don't seem particularly fond of me." Robin explained.

"If you speak truth, then you do well to earn Hoshido's trust once again by helping cleanse our lands of these monsters." Kaze declared.

"Is that really a good idea?" Rinkah questioned, not willing to trust the stranger.

"I will use anything and anyone at my disposal to guarantee the safety of the Hoshidan Princesses." Kaze declared.

"Fine, I've been chasing these things since yesterday anyway." Robin said as he begins to examine their surroundings and notice seven more Grimm arriving at the scene, boxing them in along with the steep hills. Four Beowolves, follow by three others who are of another type of Grimm, in terms of appearance, these Grimm lack any animal equivalent and are just creepy. They have no forelimbs, only hindlimbs. Said hindlimbs are dual-clawed and are inverted at the knee joints. They also possess tails, which may be use for combat. Their skulls are rather stubby and have four eyes. Like all other Grimm, they feature a dark black color, with white external bone all over the body, alongside deep red eyes and accents. They didn't have many places to maneuver, but then again, sometimes the best strategies are born from limitations.

"Kaze! Are Grimm affected by your shurikens?"

The ninja nodded, already holding a few in his fists. "Yes. Each Grimm has their own advantages and disadvantages, Ursai are resistant to fire, Beowolves can handle lightning attacks, while the Creeps over there have thicker highs than most Grimm so I'm mostly useless against those three but I can certainly slow them down, and luckily none of these are resistant against poison."

"Robin is a gifted Tactician so he'll find a way out of this, no doubt." Corrin said with the utter most confidence in Robin, and he responds fast.

"The Creeps are mine, Kaze, go hit each of the Beowolves to the left of you, and then retreat for that hill." He pointed. "Corrin can handle the other two Beowolves. You, you seem to be from the Flame Tribe, so your strength should be invaluable so you deal with the ones Kaze hits." Robin instructed, finishing with Rinkah but he did not have time to see if they understood, as they need to move fast.

Corrin stabs upwards with the Yato at one of the Beowolves, as it tries to evade her strike but isn't fast enough, cutting off its head. This attempt briefly distracted her to fail to notice the other Beowolf go in next, attempting to sink its fangs on her but she manages to notice in time and uses her sword to block the fangs as the wolf bites the sword instead. The Beowolf tries to push forward in an attempt to bring Corrin to her knees, forcing the young Princess of Nohr to use up her dormant strength to keep herself up and starts pushing the Beowolf while placing her left hand on its neck, in an attempt to give herself an advantage, and it seems to be working as the Beowolf is the one being pushed back but the beast is more intelligent than it appears as it allows itself to be pushed, knocking itself to the ground while dragging Corrin down and with its feet, knocks her aside and sent crashing into a tree.

"Can't help but wonder if maybe death by wolf is predestine." Corrin muttered as she gets up in time to avoid the Beowolf's next assault, as it tries to maul her, Corrin retaliates by trying to slash it in two again but the Beowolf is agile, able to avoid and proceeds to strike the Princess with its claws, only for her to parry the two slashes with her Yato and then slashes its chest, leaving a gash that she can't quite see but judging by the amount of black miasma coming out of it, the gash must be big but it is not enough to keep it down as the two would continue their clash but the Beowolf is briefly stopped as it gets hit in the back with a moon-shape blade of sorts made of wind that makes it lose its balance, giving Corrin the chance she needed to decapitate it.

Corrin turns to see that the one who assisted was Robin as he turned away from his enemies to help her, allowing one of the Creeps to get close to him to strike him with its tail, however Robin easily evaded it by leaping away, and it instead hits the tree the White Mage was next to, that gets swiftly cut in two. Robin retaliates by firing one of his wind blades that also cut it in two despite Kaze's claim of high durability. Disposing of the remaining few should be easy for him.

"Milady! This Alpha is tougher than expected!"

Corrin turns to face her two companions, who were surrounded with the bodies of dissolving Grimm. One, however, still stood. This one is different, covered in more bone-like armor and spines, with a more angular skull, larger teeth and sharp triangular ears. Its stronger and it doesn't seem like Kaze and Rinkah can take it, forcing Corrin to step up and assist them, as she gets behind the Beowolf, or Alpha and attempts to cleave it in two but the Alpha is better than she thought as it saw her coming and turns around in time to block the Yato with its right forearm, and as it tries to slash her face with its left claw, Corrin manages to back away in time, earning its attention away from Kaze and Rinkah.

"Aim for its knees!" Robin shouted as he rushes to the scene, having just dispatched of the Creeps, and Kaze quickly throws two shurikens right at the back of each of its knees, forcing it on the ground, and Corrin takes the chance to finish this as she swings down the Yato at the Alpha's skull, cutting it in two.

"That's the end of this bunch." Rinkah sighed.

"Is everyone alright, I brought Vulneraries just in case?" Kaze asked as he reaches for his satchel and pulls out a clear vial filled with a yellow liquid. Those are Elixirs with magical properties that can offer people strong healing but not to the same extent as actual users of healing magic but still very invaluable.

"No, I'm good." Corrin kindly declined.

"This area seems to be clear." Rinkah said.

"Not quite." Robin said, watching the Nevermore he brought down get back up and angrily turns to them with the intent to finish them, firing more of its feathers, of which Robin steps in front of Corrin and counters all of the arrows with more wind attacks, afterwards he shoots another bolt of lightning that vaporizes the Nevermore's head, finishing it.

"Damn, didn't think anyone could one shot a Nevermore except Ryoma and he needs the Raijinto to pull it off." Rinkah muttered.

"I'm not one to accept praise, and if I recall correctly, Kaze said something about the Hoshidan Princesses in danger." Robin said.

"Yes, let's keep up the pace." Kaze said as the four warriors carry onward, moving between two of the larger hills in the direction Ryoma had run off in. All they had to do was follow the trail of burn marks cause by all the electricity Ryoma unleashed because of his lightning magic sword. In the distance, they could hear shouts and the clang of metal.

"We must be close. Prepare yourselves." Kaze warned.

Coming around a particularly steep hill, Corrin caught sight of Ryoma, cutting his way through a group of Ursai. He sliced with purpose and skill. Behind him, a young woman with fiery red hair was engaging a Creep with a strange looking spear, using the large shield attached to it for blocking strikes. Ryoma seemed perfectly fine with his group, but the red headed warrior seemed to be struggling. Robin turned to Kaze and Rinkah. "You two help Ryoma, Corrin and I can help Lady Hinoka."

"Sure, if you don't mind her cutting you to ribbons, Nohrian." Rinkah replied, not sure if the Hoshidan Royals will take kindly to his help.

"I don't gamble but I like to think I have high chances." Robin stated.

"We'll see." Rinkah grinned and rushed into the giant brute of Ursai, ready to crush more Nohrian abominations. Kaze stayed at a distance, hurling shurikens with pinpoint accuracy. They had the larger group but they'll be fine, considering Ryoma is leading the assault.

"Are you familiar with all the Royals of Hoshido?" Corrin could not help but question Robin now.

"Later Corrin, now we must fight." Robin insisted.

Charging around the larger fight, Corrin held the Yato ahead of her. "Get back!" She shouted.

The Princess of Hoshido turned her head to her and nodded. Stepping away, she allowed Corrin to sweep in front of her with a hard slash. The harsh slash cut open the Creep, causing black miasma to spill out onto the snow. Apparently not caring, it continued its assault, trying to sink its teeth at Corrin. She avoids the horrid mouth but was forced to block the second, driven backwards by the force. The redhead warrior princess leapt around her, stabbing her spear into the right of its lip. It let out a roar, but Corrin cut it off by stabbing her sword hilt-deep inside its mouth. Pulling it out to a gush of black ichor, she laughed shakily as the beast slumped down.

"Guess I did that right."

"It's not over yet! We got a Titanboa!" Hinoka shouted as they look to see another type of large Grimm, a giant snake that dwarfs all humans, where normal snakes have only one pair of large fangs in their mouths, this one sports many fangs in its jaws, with a long, black forked tongue to boot. The body is primarily black in color, though it does contain a few speckles of white on its underbelly, as well as some isolated areas along its body. Its color scheme is very similar to that of the Beowolves and Ursai. It has large, blood-red eyes and a white bony covering with red markings on the top of its head.

It gets closer before any of them could react to intercept it, minus for Robin as he gets between them, creating another energy sphere, but one that is much bigger for the Titanboa to sink its fangs into instead of the three of them, which then releases a shockwave that forces the serpent to back off, afterwards he fires a massive gust of wind, that blows the Titanboa hundreds of feet in the air, sending it violently crashing on top several more Beowolves heading their way.

"They won't be a problem for now." Robin said.

"Wait a second… you're Robin, the Nohrian I met in Notre Sagesse." The oldest Princess of Hoshido said, also familiar with him, baffling Corrin. Just what was he really doing in the ten months he was away?

"A pleasure to meet you again Lady Hinoka, a pity that it has to be under violent circumstances." Robin greeted.

"Not that I don't appreciate any form of help I receive, but why would you protect me from the monsters of your people?" Hinoka questioned.

"I told you before, I hold loyalty to certain people who I owe a debt to in Nohr but I hold no real allegiance to the Dark Night Kingdom as a whole, and these things have deemed me their enemy." Robin assured her.

"I'll hold you at your word for now, foreigner." Hinoka said as she turns to Corrin. "Sorry for being dismissive. I too thank you for coming all the way out here to help me, even if it didn't go so well. I owe you one as well."

"It was no problem at all." Corrin brushed off.

"Hey, you never did tell me your name."

"Oh, sorry. I'm Corrin. Nice to meet you!"

A look of confusion passed across Hinoka's face, but before she could ask her question a roar echoed out over the snowy plain. Looking at the tall hill just ahead of them, a gang of seven titanboas came over its crest. The sight of them troubles even Ryoma as they began to slowly descend the hill.

"Corrin, get the Dragon Vein." Robin instructed her, pointing at the Dragon Vein that is encircling the hill, the Nohrian Princess wasting no time as she breaks into a sprint. Reaching out with her hand, she tried to access it. Not close enough. She kept running, constantly trying to trigger the vein while Robin runs beside her to cover for her.

"Corrin! What are you doing?" Ryoma yelled out to her and starts to run after the princess, anxious to stop her running straight into the horde.

Finally, Corrin felt the Dragon Vein react to her power. It gathered into her clenched fist, bursting to move into the heart of the hill. Unsure of how to release such a huge amount of power, she acted on instinct. Drawing her fist back, she punched the hill. Yellow energy rippled outwards, causing the surface level snow to evaporate quickly. The rock then began to melt, becoming the strange liquid/solid combination that she has little knowledge of. The Grimm sank into the hill, roaring as they were cooked by the super-heated rock. In just a few moments, the once tall hill had retracted into the ground, and the Grimm were nowhere to be seen, incinerated entirely.

"Nice job." Robin praised.

"Thanks, it's strange how all the Dragon Veins seem to be connected to each other, though not as strange how you can also spot them." Corrin said aroused before growing bitter. "If only I could've made use of them in the canyon."

"I'm so sorry Corrin, if only I wasn't so wrapped up in what I was doing, I could've been there when you needed me the most." Robin said with regret as he should've been there for Jakob, Felicia and Gunter.

"No, it's not your fault, the blame falls solely on me, I got them killed." Corrin cursed herself, fruitlessly trying to keep her tears under control.

"I hate to ask but what are you doing here with Hoshido, your parents and siblings have to be worried sick?" Robin asked.

"Well… long story short, they kidnapped me, took me to see their Queen and High Prince who both claim to be my 'real' mother and eldest brother and that the Nohrians kidnapped me after they killed my 'real' father, Sumeragi and raised me to be their soldier against my birthplace." Corrin explained all she's learned. "Of course, it turns out that Sumeragi and his kids are really my step family."

"What! That's insane. Nohr's Royals don't seem like the kind of people who would do that." Robin snapped in denial. "I mean, I never really seen your father, people frequently say he's wrathful but not an authentic tyrant."

"That's what I keep telling myself but even though I don't doubt them, I can't help but wonder what my family has been keeping from me all these years. I'm sure if I ask Xander he'll tell me the truth out of obligation after what I've been through." Corrin said confidently.

"Want to make a run for it, I know my way around these particular lands and there's no way that even their Kinshi can catch up to me as I propel us to the sky." Robin offered.

"As much as I want that no, I want to stay and discover the truth from them. I supposed there's a part of me that wants to trust Mikoto, even if I loathe to call her mother when it is Queen Arete who I feel attached to." Corrin declared, making Robin sigh.

"Whatever you decide I will follow, the Hoshidans don't seem as hostile to outsiders as Leo would always brag about." Robin bowed.

"I hope that's true." Corrin muttered. "Now tell me, what are you doing here, did you rush to Hoshido to find me."

"I did, I finished the errand Xander requested of me sooner than he expected but because you were off to be with your folks I felt no rush to make it to you and decided to explore the forest of the Lycans, there is something there that earned my interest for a while and decided to finally explore it but before I could get to it, I decided too late that since Garon would have you sent out on missions you may need me so I rushed back. I regret to say I acted slowly." Robin explained.

"You're here now, that's all that matters." Corrin assured him.

"When I learned that you were sent to investigate the Bottomless Canyon I rushed as quick as I could but by the time I made it you were taken by the Hoshidans and I came across those black creatures crossing the Hoshido borders and butchering anyone they came across, me included once they saw me alone."

"Corrin!" Ryoma called out, reaching his sister, alongside Hinoka, Kaze and Rinkah. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Yep, Thank Gods for Dragon Veins, and… curse them at the same time." Corrin muttered.

"… Incredible. There was a Dragon Vein there this whole time?"

Corrin nodded. "Yes. Most of the hills in this region seem to be connected to one."

Ryoma laughed. "And I didn't even notice any. Thank you, Corrin. I don't know if even I could have fought all of them." He then turns to meet Robin. "So we meet again, Robin, is it an act of Fate that we would cross paths when my siblings are again in need of aid or a mere coincidence, I wonder."

"I'm not one for Fate, but I assure you that I mean no harm to Hoshido, I came here only in search of my Princess." Robin informed.

"So you knew Corrin all along. I knew we should've questioned you more on your ties to at least their army, still you aided us again, and so I give you my thanks and none of my hostility." Ryoma said.

"I am grateful."

Hinoka stared at Corrin, now certain in her suspicions. "Sakura! You can come out now!"

A pile of soft snow shifted, and from behind it stepped a girl in a priestess robe. She carried a healing stave and had the same red hair as Hinoka, albeit much more organized and with a lighter tint. Ryoma turned to the royal princesses.

"Hinoka, Sakura! I'm so glad that you're both safe." He looked around. "But where are your troops? Hinoka, your Pegasus?"

Hinoka stared at the ground. "We were ambushed by the Grimm hiding on the hills. All… all of my soldiers are dead. My Rukia injured. I told her to fly back to the castle, lest she died too."

Ryoma laid a hand on her shoulder. "Strength sister, the blame is not on you. They gladly gave their lives to defend Karakura."

Hinoka looked up at Ryoma. "Are they safe?"

"Indeed, as expected you served our people well, Hinoka, you always do." Ryoma praised.

She nodded sadly. "Then perhaps it may have been worth it. We need to find their bodies, so that they can be returned to their families."

The younger princess hugged her sister from behind. "You were so brave, Hinoka. I wouldn't have survived if you didn't help me. Don't beat yourself up so much."

Hinoka nodded, and gently tore herself free of their grips. "Thank you. Both of you. I'll be fine." She turned to face Corrin, staring at her intently. "Just fine."

Deciding this was a good time for proper introductions, Corrin stepped forward. "Greetings, Lady Sakura and Hinoka. My name is-"

"Your name is Corrin. I know. I suspected it from the moment I saw you." Hinoka cut in.

Suspecting where this was leading, Corrin nodded. "Er… yes. Nice to meet you properly."

Sakura looked up at her elder sister, who had tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. "Hinoka? Are you okay?"

Hinoka ran forward, closing the gap between them around throwing her arms around her 'sister's' neck. "Finally… After all these years." She sniffled. "I… I've missed you so much!"

Corrin remains silent, not sure how to respond, like with Mikoto, she feels nothing from her warming embrace, and again, Corrin doesn't mean to be selfish but Hinoka doesn't hold a candle to Camilla's loving embrace but that's just her being completely bias when all it takes is getting used to it.

"Ah… it's… nice to be on friendly terms with all of you so quickly." Corrin said in a weak attempt to be kind towards her.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be to my little sister." Hinoka cried.

Ryoma smiled as Hinoka's embrace on Corrin tightens. "You and Hinoka were always so attached to each other when you were little. When you were taken from us, she cried for months. One day, she stopped crying and picked up the naginata. Every day she has spent training, training to get you back from Nohr. And now… Here you are."

Hinoka sniffled, breaking away from Corrin. "I'm sorry, Corrin. I'm not usually this emotional. But I'm just so happy to have you back! Take that, Nohrian Scumbags! We win, you lose!"

"Hey!" Corrin suddenly snapped at the insult since she still sees herself as a Nohrian. The outburst silences Hinoka, forcing Corrin to take back her words. "Sorry, sorry, this is just too much to accept so suddenly."

"It's fine Corrin, the journey to the truth is not meant to be a blissful one, we realized that too late and for that I'm sorry." Ryoma said.

"What even were those monsters, I know of the Beastmen Tribes but those things felt so surreal." Corrin questioned.

Hinoka shrugged. "Surreal is too kind a term for them. Nohr sends a new wave every few weeks. Usually our border guards hold them off and take advantage of the Corrupted Dragon Veins in the canyon to dispose of them, but one of our forts were in chaos and this lot slipped through."

Corrin's thoughts returned to the evil monster that attacked her. Was that Wrath's true intention for his attack on the fort? Robin said he confronted most of them.

"The swarm was expected to be much bigger than what we encountered, though." Hinoka added while concern if she missed a few. "Word is that a rogue mage of Nohr intercepted them and gave us a fighting chance, though I brushed it off as a farce until now."

"Yes, there's no doubt now that the rogue mage is you, Robin." Ryoma stated.

"You're welcome." Robin replied gently.

"Those things are not of this world, are they?" Corrin wondered.

"They are an ancient army created by the God of Darkness the Nohrians worship to serve as their protectors and ultimate weapons." Ryoma began to explain. "Long ago, roughly fifteen hundred years ago, a kingdom from the eastern continent, Gristonne, had a falling out with the King of Nohr at the time and launched a very cruel and cowardly surprise attack on Nohr after organizing a false peace treaty that nearly led to them conquering Nohr as well as Hoshido and the other nations here, however to save his people the Crown Prince at the time struck a deal with the Dusk Dragon, in exchange for his life, his god will lend his people the power to repel the invaders, and Qliphoth accepted the offer and granted the Nohrians his army of the underworld; the Grimm, who the Nohrian royalty can easily control with a mere thought due to having Qliphoth's blood in their veins, and with the Grimm, the Nohrians defeated Gristonne and saved our lands. At first the Grimm were a frequent sight in Horus as the Nohrians used them as the bulk of their army to settle disputes and force alliances with their neighbors. However despite their reasonably good intentions with them, they are still demons and the Nohrians eventually began to hate how they held such loyalty from others through fear of being wiped out from a seemingly endless army of demons and so the Nohrians made the army vanish back into the Underworld so that they could earn back the trust of the other nations the right way and the Grimm became another legend."

"That is until King Garon went completely blood mad, murdered our father, kidnapped you and brought these monsters back and constantly sent them after our people, desecrating our lands and murdering everyone they come across." Hinoka continued for Ryoma, the hatred in her voice all too obvious.

"I knew father was desperate to take these lands but to use such creatures on the innocent." Corrin muttered, not sure if she can believe it. Sure, Garon is demanding and violent but…

Hinoka scoffed. "Spreading chaos is all he knows! The Grimm have no will of their own so they're the perfect weapons to send after us since mother's barrier doesn't work on them like their human soldiers. All they want is for us to give in. To surrender. I won't ever forgive them for that, or for stealing you away. They'll pay for all the suffering they've caused!"

Corrin thought back to what she had seen of King Garon. All her siblings respected and cared for their father, Garon seems compassionate enough, sure he clearly disapproved of Corrin showing mercy to the Hoshidan captives but he didn't object and allowed them to go free for her. He's brutal but only because he's so committed to pulling his people out of the poverty they have endured for centuries. If its true that the Nohrians of old could've used the Grimm to take over Hoshido then and there but didn't because they knew it was wrong, they chose to try and provide for their people the right way, so how could Garon fall astray from the path? Was she wrong about him?

Noticing the stress on his sister's face, Ryoma speaks again. "Corrin, I understand that you have mix feelings about all of this and still see Nohr as your home but the evidence is all around you. The Grimm live to bleed, kill and die for the Dusk Dragon Bloodline, they are obedient to a fault, I've faced their Crown Prince in combat before and seen how protective and loyal the Grimm are to him and do as he says without any consideration for themselves, if you're really his sister by blood then why haven't the Grimm you've come across deliver the same courtesy to you, their Princess? They were supposed to bow before you, take every word you say as if they are the word of a dark goddess and protect you with their very being, but no, they attacked you, tried to kill you, because they know you're not one of them. Even if you weren't royalty they had to have known just by looking at you that you're a citizen of Nohr by birth, or at the very least loyal to their Kingdom and would've still avoided engaging you in battle, because Grimm attack all who are against or are disloyal to the lands of their Dark God. You are of the land of the God of Light; Sephiroth! Hoshido!"

"I'm… disloyal?" Corrin took Ryoma's words of reality hard, not sure how to even respond, placing her hands into her face, while shaking and struggling to keep her tears under control again, her mix feelings and faith in Nohr rapidly seeding with doubt, but monsters of all things isn't enough proof to convince her to abandon the family she actually knows. She could never! But…

"Prince Ryoma, I'm not really sure what to believe about this scenario but perhaps now is not the time to discuss such matters, especially with so many blows thrown at her in just one day." Robin suggested, placing his hands on Corrin's shoulders for comfort, the way she is shaking indicates that any minute she's going to break. He's surprise that she hasn't already.

"Yes, I supposed it was selfish of us to have our hopes so high considering all the time she spent with them and expected that everything would be perfect. Come, we should return to Shirasagi, you have my permission to come along as well, Robin, Hoshido does owe you, even if Takumi is too thick headed to ever admit it." Ryoma offered as they begin their return to Shirasagi.

* * *

Queen Mikoto was waiting for them at the front gate of Shirasagi, anxious to see their safe return.

"Oh, my children! I'm so glad to see you safe!" She stooped down and embraced Sakura, stroking the younger girls hair. "Are you hurt at all? Should I call for a healer?"

Hinoka shook her head. "No, we're fine. A few moldy beasts aren't going to take down the royal family of Hoshido!"

Mikoto smiled at her elder daughter. "Quite right. But of course, I do so worry when you go out on these missions. Surely it would be safer if you stayed in the castle?"

Hinoka frowned. "Please mother, quit worrying so much, I'm a knight before a Princess."

"I know, I know but I just can't help myself but worry for the five of you." Mikoto insisted.

"Come now, you two, let's not start any debates, now is time for rest." Ryoma insisted.

"Quite right as always, my son, now come, I have prepare dinner for you, you must be hungry." Mikoto said as she is about to take her children to the banquet hall but stops upon noticing Robin. There is no hostility in her expression only curiosity, and perhaps a little concern, Corrin only felt the concern part and quickly gets close to Robin and wraps her arms around his left arm. "Oh, a newcomer, who might this be?"

"This is Robin, a friend of Corrin's from Nohr, however he harbors no alliance to Garon considering the aid he has presented us in the past, such as his assistance in repelling the Grimm in Karakura today and it was he who ensured Takumi's safety when we sought the Rainbow Sage." Ryoma explained to his mother. "He's good people."

"I see, well then…" Mikoto seemed pleased with the response and since its coming from Ryoma, there is little reason to doubt him, plus, Mikoto can see the attachment Corrin has for Robin and because of her desperation to earn Corrin's trust and affections, she won't do anything bad to him. "If that is the case, then I welcome you to my home, please help yourself to whatever you like." She offered.

"Thank you, your Grace." Robin replied with a half vow of respect.

Corrin expected a small table of snacks. What she saw when entering the banquet hall was more than she could ever expect. A long table, filled with fruit, meat, and vegetables she didn't know could be so colorful. With all the food there, they could have fed everyone in the Northern Fortress for a month. Ryoma, Hinoka and Sakura sat down and began to eat, using strange instruments to pick up the food. Corrin stared at the display, not sure how to react. They had this much food in Hoshido? Enough that they could just throw dozens of banquets at a whim? Such luxuries in Nohr are few and far between, even with them forging alliances with other nations and even conquering them, and the Royal Family only has five members, based on what she knows thus far about her ''real'' family so there is no way they can eat all of this, and they likely always have leftovers

Now Corrin doesn't want to judge or speak for anyone's behalf, especially now but with all of this food and resources, she can understand from the perspective of the desperate, why her father would be so determine to take all this food to feed his people, Nohr is richer than any kingdom due to the gold mines located in the mountain regions, but gold can't help make the sunlight more frequent to raise crocks, hence why Nohr has depended on the assistance of their neighbors. Hoshido used to be willing to help Nohr but due to a falling out decades ago, Nohr has been struggling to survive ever since. Perhaps… perhaps father is not in the wrong after all.

Corrin's thoughts are caught off, hearing her stomach grumbling. She is starving, the whole day was just stressful, so she decides to cease her inner debacle until she is fed and sits down on the table, right beside Sakura and Robin. And Sakura goes and offers her one of the strange instruments they use to eat

"H-Here, big sister, you're very own chopsticks." Sakura offered her but very nervously. Wow, she is so shy that she can't even eat calmly, but then again she was hit with the news that Corrin MIGHT be her long lost sister so it is understandable why she would be as such to a supposed family member who's just a stranger to her. She calls them chopsticks, how strange, wonder why they don't use spoons and forks. Kaze did say they were old fashion. Leo also taught her a bit of what he knows of Hoshido's culture.

"Thank you." Corrin said as she accepts the chopsticks and goes to eat but… she doesn't know how to use them and can only stare at the food baffled. Sakura notices and gets worried but not for concern just questioning if she knows what she's doing.

"You… you do remember how to use them, right?" Sakura asked.

"Ah… sure, I mean come on, it's obvious how this can be done." Corrin lied, not wanting to take lessons over something that is clearly so basic.

"Liar, you never once liked using chopsticks and always prefer to eat with your hands." Hinoka smiled, reminiscing on happier times.

"Oh, you were so adorable back then, refusing to be all ladylike and leave a mess wherever you go, honestly, it's like you knew you wanted to be a warrior from the get-go and just didn't know how to express yourself." Mikoto chuckled, doing the same.

'That's how Camilla used to describe me when I was younger.' Corrin thought.

"No, I can do this." Corrin insisted stubbornly as she goes to pick up a piece of apple with the chopsticks but does so the wrong way as she instead stabs the chopsticks deep into the apple to pick it up. "There, see, I got it done right." She declared proudly as she goes to eat the apple, only to stop as she hears snickers from Sakura and Mikoto. "What?!"

"Try it like this." Robin said as he shows Corrin how to use the chopsticks the right way to pick up a small piece of meat. "There, I know using a fork seems more practical since its the norm for you but when experiencing other cultures it's more interesting to go with the flow. Also, most Hoshidans would view your poor attempts as disrespectful." The White Mage offered to feed her. "Now open wide."

"I'm not a baby!" Corrin shouted enraged but the blush on her face made her look silly, turning back to her apple, pulls it off her chopsticks and attempts to pick it up the same way Robin did but she does so poorly and the apple slips off the sticks. After the seventh failure, she gives in and reluctantly allows Robin to feed her, which is embarrassing given the constant chuckles she is receiving but at least everyone is having a good time. AT HER EXPENSE!

"Don't be so hard on yourself sister, you'll get the hang of it eventually, and there is no shame in asking your friends and family for help when you can't do something yourself." Ryoma advised more casually and even playfully than Corrin would ever expect, does he ever even take off that lobster armor of his? That really long spiky brown hair of his is already giving off a no-nonsense mentality.

"Yeah, I suppose." Corrin muttered, still feeling like this is really all an elaborate ruse just to humiliate her. Though, she has a change of heart when she looks at Mikoto, the heartwarming smile on her face, small tears of joy that she wipes from her eyes. She has been longing for this moment for far too long, being here, eating with all her children together as a family, however, one is still missing and she imagines that having a stranger along as a substitute was not in her dreams but Robin is anything but unwanted. They'll do more than warm up to him in no time.

"Oh, if only Takumi would show up already, then everything would be perfect." Mikoto lamented. "Azura too, this calls for a musical celebration and none can surpass her."

'Azura?' Corrin repeated, that name is so familiar to her.

"I don't know, all Takumi does is be a jerk about everything when there is nothing better to do. And you all know how I feel about buzzkills." Hinoka said reluctant about having her own younger brother to dinner to celebrate Corrin's return.

"Yes, I imagine he would respond negatively to the news; however it is still wrong to exclude him, even worse on his part for not being here. I best go find him." Ryoma offered as he is about to stand up to find his younger brother.

"No, Lord Ryoma do not trouble yourself, I'll find Lord Takumi for you." Kaze offered, who has been standing idly by and at a fair amount of distance from the royal family as they eat.

"Oh yes, please do Kaze, you're aid is always a blessing." Mikoto replied as Kaze takes his leave before making a respectful bow.

"S-So… Corrin, how… how long have you and Robin known each other?" Sakura asked politely.

"That doesn't feel like the kind of question that should be asked." Corrin replied, more confused than intrigued. Kind of feels like she's asking if the two are dating?

"W-Well… I'm just surprised, I mean, when Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, Azura and I first met him in Notre Sagesse, we would've never guessed that you two actually knew each other." Sakura raised a really good question that earned Robin the attention of everyone in the table.

"Huh, you know that's a really good point, you never really told me what you did during your last month of your travels across the world searching for answers about your past, all you did was give me a shining new sword for my birthday. What's up with that?" Corrin questioned Robin.

"Corrin, if I'd told you that I went in search of the Rainbow Sage for his wisdom you would've told your brothers, and Xander and Leo, being the questioning types they are would've eventually made me tell them that I encountered Hoshido's Princes and Princesses and they would've overreacted, even if I lied and told them that I spent most of the ordeal trying to evade their murdering intents, which was only true for only a few of them." Robin professed. "I wasn't even wearing this uniform at the time."

"Right…" She muttered, now seeing things from his perspective. "Those two and Camilla weren't exactly very welcoming after you came back, especially Jakob and have spent weeks being a real pain ever since Hallo… ween."

Corrin suddenly goes silent, gaining an emotionless expression that they all take notice of.

"Ever since what? Corrin?" Hinoka asked curious over why her sister has gone suddenly quiet.

Emotion returns to Corrin's face, sheer embarrassment, also becoming as red as Hinoka's hair and is quick to cover her face with her hands.

"Never mind." She uttered.

"Sister?" Sakura grows curious herself.

"Oh my Lord…" Mikoto makes a weak gasps, probably on to what has gotten her so flustered, and is intrigued.

"I am not prepared for having this conversation." Ryoma muttered, becoming uncomfortable, also coming to the same conclusion as Mikoto.

"Let's change the subject please." Corrin begged.

"Corrin, if Robin is to remain with us, it's only right that we are given the full details of your…"

"CHANGE THE SUBJECT, RYOMA!" Corrin snapped at the High Prince, silencing everyone and causing each of them to drop a sweat at the sudden change in demeanor.

'And I thought Takumi was emotionally frail.' The older siblings mused at the same time, already having a better understanding of Corrin and are actually enlighten, giving weak chuckles but still feel intimidated.

'Big sister is already strong enough to stand up to big brother. Amazing.' Sakura mused in awe.

'Oh, they grow up so fast. All those birthdays and wondrous moments, gone.' Mikoto now shows tears of sorrow, though in a comedic fashion since this is more based on self-pity over her beautiful daughter already a woman.

"What has gotten into you?" Robin questioned, deeply surprise by Corrin's poor manners.

"I'm sorry, I'm just really stressed out by everything." Corrin apologized.

"Oh, it's okay sweetheart, I realize now that all this has been one bad day after another but I promise that I'll do better." Mikoto promised.

"Oh, it's not your fault, none of it is. I just… don't want to talk about my problems right now." Corrin uttered.

"Right, a change in topic never hurt anyone. Robin, if I recall correctly, you sought the Sage for his infinite wisdom in search for answers." Ryoma recalled.

"That's the sole reason, Robin is suffering from amnesia, I met him almost four years ago, during my first time traveling Nohr outside of the fortress I have been living my whole life." Corrin explained, having calmed down. "Me and my sib… retainers found him in an open field, covered in serious cuts and bruises, something really awful happened to him and we nursed him back to health but the trauma of what he endured from the near death experience took away his memories, with the only thing he can remember is his own name, and the name and face of a little girl named Morgan, who we both concluded must be his sister but apart from that Robin pretty much had nothing and so I took him to live with me in my fortress, and has been with me for more than three years." Her revelation earning Robin some gasps of horror from Mikoto and Sakura, and narrow eyes from Ryoma and Hinoka, despite the different reactions, there is sympathy from all of them.

"Oh, you poor thing, could it be that you were assaulted by a pack of Grimm?" Mikoto wondered.

"Unlikely, considering his astonishing prowess when it comes to magic and battle tactics." Ryoma said.

"All those times I saw them in Nohr was among the citizens while they are patrolling the land, yesterday was the first time I encountered them alone and they didn't think twice about attacking me, even though I've never seen them attack anyone from Nohr so it's clear that I am not Nohrian myself by how eager they are to sink their teeth and claws into me." Robin concluded. "The cloak I used to wear were definitely not from back there, even with the obvious signs of a Dark Mage are present in the design."

"If you were Nohrian my barrier wouldn't have allowed you to use your magic for any sort of violence as the spell is very thorough about keeping those vipers under control under our soil, so you check out." Mikoto said in confirmation, also deciding to trust Robin but the Mage suspects that she is still wary of him, and quite honestly, Robin would be concern and suspicious if the White Night Queen was so quick to trust him just for Corrin's sake.

"And I am most grateful for that. Anyway, ten months ago, I finally decided that I have been nurtured long enough and set out to find my lost past. I hit mostly dead ends, and there was no one in any nation who could help, my best chances was in Izumo, who the Archduke is said to have a deeper connection to the Gods than any of the Elemental Tribes and Royalties of Nohr and Hoshido should and can see the future and past of others. Sadly that did not go so well." Robin muttered, visibly troubled by whatever went on in the Dukedom of Izumo, earning Corrin's curiosity but he quickly continued. "My final hope was with the immortal sage, and making it pass his Sevenfold Sanctuary was not something I want to deal with again, though half the reason why it was so unbearable was because of Takumi. That guy has some serious trust issues. And I'm sorry for offending a family member but I feel it needs to be address."

"Takumi can be extreme when it comes to outsiders, but I assure you that his attitude, while not always warranted, has merit." Ryoma spoke in defense of his brother.

'Xenophobia is not something you should defend.' Corrin hissed scornfully. 'Wait, does it count as xenophobia to be hostile towards a xenophobic? I'm so confused, and now my head hurts.'

"I was surprised to run into four members of the Dawn Dragon Bloodline, in search of Sacred Treasures, though Ryoma already had his Holy Katana Raijinto but their goals were clear, though if I recall, the Rainbow Sage only gave Takumi a Sacred Treasure, the Holy Bow, Fujin Yumi." Robin added.

"Still can't believe the Sage didn't acknowledge me!" Hinoka snapped in frustration as she slams both her fists on the table, not that anyone can blame her, being rejected by such a holy man can shake anyone's spirit. "And all Takumi really accomplished was almost getting himself and his Retainers killed, just because he didn't consider Robin's profound strategy, and he had to be the one to save him from the trial of the Sevenfold Sanctuary."

Sakura yelps at the mention of the trial out of fear, and that is something that Robin, Ryoma and Hinoka can understand as that battle was BRUTAL!

"At any rate, once we passed the trial, the Rainbow Sage heard me out and while he didn't tell me what I wanted to hear, he instructed and assured me that the answer I crave I will find in Mount Garou." Robin finished.

"Mount Garou! The home of the Lycanthropes, what could you possibly find in that horrid place that could help you find your family?" Mikoto questioned.

"I don't know, I haven't been there yet, once the ordeal in Notre Sagesse ended I went back to Nohr to rest and told Corrin most of my misadventures. I was planning on finally going there when I learned of Garon sending Corrin to the Bottomless Canyon of all places and I instead rushed to find her, and you should know the rest." Robin finished.

"Well, I am glad that all your hardships have lead you here, where it's safe." Mikoto said happily.

'We'll see.' Corrin and Robin unknowingly said in their heads simultaneously, doubting that things will bow well for them in the long run.

"Milady, I have returned." Kaze said as he arrives at the banquet hall in the blink of an eye, now beside his queen and on his knees in a form of respect. "However, I regret to inform you that Lord Takumi is no longer in neither the Castle or Capital as he departed for Fort Jinya at noon without letting anyone know to speak on some matters he wished to talk about with Commander Haitaka, according to his retainers Oboro and Hinata who he strangely didn't bring with him this time and left in the castle and won't probably be back until tomorrow in the afternoon."

"What…?" Mikoto becomes distraught by the news, along with Sakura, while Ryoma and Hinoka become angry.

"That little punk, and we instructed him never to do anything without letting us know first while war becomes ever more inevitable." Hinoka scoffed.

"It's because war with Nohr is becoming more inevitable that he is being this way, I'm afraid, however the fact that he didn't even let me know is odd." Ryoma said concern.

"Any chance the reason why he left is because he found out first before everyone else that I was being brought in?" Corrin whispered to Robin, not wanting the others to hear them.

"Probably, you were taken hostage during the morning so news spread fast and decided he wasn't ready for you, he does strike me as someone with a severe inferiority complex, I guess that you being the 'long lost sister' who was finally found after so long in Nohr struck a nerve on him, not understanding why everyone else is so quick to trust you." Robin whispered back, offering his thoughts on Takumi based on past experience. "Like Ryoma said, his attitude holds merit even if it is unwarranted."

"What a prick." Corrin muttered, already holding his supposed real younger brother at low regard.

"Oh, and today was supposed to be the most important moment of our lives. I'm sorry Corrin, I know that deep down you want to see him again." Mikoto said naively.

'Oh no, it's the complete opposite. I only partially like it here.' Corrin cursed.

"Well, this simply won't do, Kaze, can you please go and find Oboro and ask her to come have dinner with us." Mikoto requested, earning her suspicious stares from her children, minus Corrin.

"Of course, but… may I ask why?" Kaze asked confused.

"Oh, come now, I think we both know that he plans on courting the semi-lovely girl eventually, its hilariously obvious how she feels about him and she's the only girl outside of the family that Takumi feels comfortable around. It's inevitable I'm telling you, so I feel like we should already make the newest member of our family feel welcomed when he finally proposes." Mikoto insisted.

"So punish him for being a no show by going after his crush." Robin concluded. "That's downright child abuse and a violation of your kids' trust."

"I am their mother, I have a right to know about their love lives when it eventually happens, as I'm sure it will." Mikoto declared while winking at all three of her daughters, making Corrin furiously blush again.

"Mother!" Hinoka and Sakura cried at once, the older princess burying her face at the table while the younger one gets up and runs away from the banquet hall embarrass. Ryoma can only sigh, annoyed at his mother's antics and involvement in their none existing love lives because not one of the royal siblings are ready for a serious relationship with her around.

"She's lively at least." Robin smiled at Corrin, who can only sigh. She might be just as overbearing as Camilla. There's a reason why she dreads having a boyfriend with her around, and Mikoto might be just as bad.

"I'll go get Lady Oboro, as soon as I confirm that Lady Sakura doesn't hurt herself while running without looking." Kaze said as he takes his leave.

After dinner, which the Nohrian Princess enjoyed very much, Queen Mikoto took her out of the banquet hall and led her down a few corridors that had exquisite murals painted on them, and finally through a sliding door.

"Welcome back, Corrin. This is your old room."

Corrin looked around the room and it certainly did look like the kind of place she would have loved as a child. A huge display of wooden and mechanical toys were stacked neatly in a box, and a bed far too large for a child dominated the far left corner of the room. One wall was completely filled with childish drawings.

Corrin walked over to it and pulled one off the wall. "What was this?"

Queen Mikoto looked over her shoulder. "Oh! That's a picture you drew when you were a little girl. This is your stepfather, that's me, and that at the center is you. It's so cute!"

"Why does my head look like a deer-like monster?" Corrin questioned as her face in this drawing make her look subhuman.

"Not sure, Sumeragi suggested that maybe it was because you wanted to appear as someone powerful. That face is actually that of an ancient dragon that lacks the typical lizard-like appearance. Odd how you knew about that so young." Mikoto said most curious. She never put much thought into that detail of the drawing until now.

'Is this the face I took when I vengefully attacked Wrath?' Corrin's thought, remembering the metamorphosis she went through in the Canyon. Was she always aware of that transformation at a subconscious level?

Not wanting to think more on the matter any further, she brushes these thoughts off, and not getting any flashbacks from it, Corrin places it down on a carved wood desk and sighs. Queen Mikoto continued to walk around the room.

"We couldn't bear to touch a thing in this room after you were taken. If we put your things away, it would feel like giving up." She turned to her, smiling. "You've grown so much. I can't believe how beautiful you have become!"

Corrin coughed. "I still don't remember any of this."

Mikoto cocked her head. "Oh?"

"I… I just don't know how to respond to your stories. Everything and everyone here is so new to me, I don't know what's real anymore."

Mikoto smiled sadly. "I understand, Corrin. Please don't worry about it."

Corrin sighed. "I'm so sorry. You've been so kind to me, while I have been hostile but I still don't feel anything…"

"The best you can do right now is make yourself comfortable. Sleep, if you wish, or explore the castle grounds. I'm sure there will be plenty of food left over if you are still hungry, as well." Mikoto said as she exits the room, leaving Corrin to rest.

'I bet they'll be leftovers, alright.' Corrin thought darkly.

The Princess locked in a Crossroad hadn't been able to sleep. The bed had been too soft, and too large, a far cry from the functional and adequate bed she'd had at the Northern fortress. She walks out of the room given to her and starts walking the long halls of Shirasagi, wanting to leave the castle grounds and get some more space from all this. Wandering the area around it, taking in the beautiful view and fields full of bountiful crops growing without any problems. A harvest like that in Nohr would be unheard of. Dammit all, she wants to go home so badly, to Xander, Camilla, Leo and Elise but the desire for the truth is too strong, she can't help but want to stay.

"You doing okay, Corrin?" Robin asked as he too exits Shirasagi and walks to her side.

"Not in the slightest, what's your excuse for being out?" Corrin replied.

"Even though I hit it off surprisingly well with the family, I can't help but feel threatened in there, mainly because all ten Royal Retainers are all present inside and six of them have made no attempt to hide their distrust, including Oboro, who's giving me a very intimidating demonic glare." Robin explained, feeling very unwelcome. "She reacted the same way towards me back in Notre Sagesse, judging by her expression I say that she suffered a great injustice as a child by Nohrian hands that traumatize her and has been hostile towards them ever since. At least that's what I can deduce based on her glare alone."

"She seemed nice at dinner." Corrin said.

"Yes, because Queen Mikoto kept her attention on her while bombarding with question about her son, making her blush like crazy. I find it sad how no one can have a retainer of the opposite gender without people making rumors about secret affairs."

"No kidding, one of Xander's current retainers is a battle maniac who he hired because of her warrior prowess even though she critically injured so many knights for no reason other than wanting a good fight but Jakob says that people are convinced it was because he felt she's too pretty to be in jail. Luckily the others have an easier time with Camilla's retainers being both women, two men for Leo and Elise's are too old for her, and then there's the fact that Father expects to meet whoever they are courting or is courting them before any relationship is made official and he always seems to find out about any sort of relationship going on, if what Camilla said regarding an old boyfriend is any indication." Corrin said.

"It's a good thing hardly anyone knows about me then, a hardly handsome amnesiac found in an open field unconscious by a Princess and brought in to live in her personal fortress, that would give your other family headaches if word got out." Robin joked, trying to get a laugh out of her, which seem to work partially as Corrin chuckles nervously with a slight blush.

"Right… right." She tries to brush off the subject, not wanting to discuss this further, even though she deeply appreciates his kind words. "So, what's your opinion in all of this, do you really think this might all be true. Can Mikoto really be my mother?"

"I hardly think my opinion is noteworthy but they seem so genuine, then again so are the Nohrians but I see no family resemblance between you and your siblings from both families." Robin said.

"And what about Mikoto?"

"Oh yeah, definitely, I have keen eyes for details and I can totally see you looking like her in a decade or two." Robin said with much certainty.

"Really?" The response surprises Corrin more than she cares to admit. "But then, what about my eyes, hair and ears."

"If Mikoto really is your mother then it means that whoever your birth father is, it's clearly not the late Sumeragi, and regarding Garon, I honestly feel like not being his child is actually a good thing, I mean that while Queen Arete being your mother is extremely enlightening, she's just your stepmother and I don't think he's someone you should aspire to be like or follow." Robin said with total honesty, making Corrin contemplate some more.

"There's still something else that has me thinking a lot. You and Ryoma mentioned that the Grimm will protect and avoid harming anyone who was either born in or is loyal to Nohr, but… how can I not qualify as the latter, I was raise among the nobility, partially at least, and I still see myself as their Princess and Garon as my father. What is it about me that those monsters consider distrusting?" Corrin questioned. "Was it because they saw me with Hoshidans, mistook the ancient blood within me for that of the Dawn Dragon?"

"I know as much about the Grimm as the common folk do, if the Grimm can tell when someone is loyal to their kingdom or not must mean that they have a mystical sixth sense that allows them to snuff out rats. Queen Mikoto married into the Dawn Bloodline and if her claim holds truth then you were born before her marriage to King Sumeragi so you are of a different Precursor Bloodline that can use Dragon Veins and according to every history book I could find, only four among the Precursors who've created human descendants with their blood can actually use them, who are the Dawn, the Dusk, the Stone, and the Ocean Dragons." Robin explained what he knows.

"The God of Earth and the God of Water?" Corrin commented. "Well, I've never displayed any earth based or water abilities, even with a Dragon Vein so I wouldn't be able to tell which of the two Tribes I belong to."

"The Earth Tribe wasn't really known for bending earth, but yes, apart from being able to use Dragon Veins way better than any of your Nohrian siblings, you have yet to show up any real abilities that would suggest you are of any of the clans of Vein Users." Robin said. "And it's not like we can go to a Earth or Water Tribe Village to seek their council."

"Right, because they supposedly went extinct long ago due to unforgivable crimes they both committed against Nohr and were hunted down in the process." Corrin replied, according to what she read about in the books of her personal library.

"Or so Nohrian historians would claim, though History can be easily shifted to suit the needs of others, not that I mean to discriminate Nohr, I'm just stating facts." Robin said.

"I know you are, I'll take options and opinions at this point."

"Whatever the case, the Grimm must be hostile towards you because of your blood not because of your faith, I know it's too soon to give up on Nohr."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

"~You are the ocean's grey waves~,"

Corrin and Robin turned their heads towards the stunningly beautiful voice, coming from the large lake just outside the castle grounds. A figure was standing by the shore, singing a haunting yet beautiful melody. It resonated with her, striking at some primal part of Corrin that she didn't know she had. She walked towards her, anxious to hear better.

"~Destined to seek, life beyond the shore, just out of reach~"

"~Yet the waters ever change,"

"~Flowing like time~,"

"~The path is yours to climb~"

Corrin took a step onto the boardwalk the mysterious singer was standing on, and she stopped immediately. She turned around to face them, a questioning expression on her face. Corrin cleared her throat, realizing she had just snuck up on her.

"Er, hello. I'm sorry to bother you, I just... got lost in your singing. There was just something about that song that captivated me."

The mystery singer smiled, as if that was something she heard a lot. "You must be Princess Corrin. It's nice to finally meet you in person."

She nodded. "Yes, that's me. Who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm Azura. Former Princess of Nohr."

Corrin stared at her. With long blue hair, fair skin and a petite, light body, she didn't look anything like the Nohr nobles that Corrin knew. "Former? But that means… you're the daughter King Garon and Queen Arete lost years ago to the Hoshidans."

Azura's smile fell. "Correct. I have been in Hoshido a rather long time. Almost as long as you were in Nohr. When you were taken, the Hoshidans tried many times to get you back, but you were too deep in Nohr territory. I, however, wasn't nearly as well guarded. They kidnapped me, as a hostage to try and trade for you." She smiled grimly. "But neither my mother nor stepfather tried to get me back. I suspect it was because they realized that the war would've begun sooner if they gave you back, and while Nohr specializes in manufacturing, they weren't ready at the time for war so they were forced to leave me behind."

Corrin could only guess how it would have felt growing up in Nohr if she knew the royals had taken her from her rightful home, and there's no way a comforting lie can make things easier. "Gods… I'm so sorry."

Azura shrugged. "It's not so bad. I've lived a happy life here. The people of Hoshido tolerate me, and Queen Mikoto seems to treat me like one of her own daughters. I may always be an outsider, but I've not been mistreated." Corrin is left again to her thoughts on the matter. Azura then turns to Robin surprised.

"Oh my, is that you Robin." Azura asked as she only now notices the other whitehead.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Lady Azura. I only partially heard your singing back in Notre Sagesse but it was easy to deduce it was you once I heard your voice again." Robin greeted with hospitality and a half bow of respect.

"I am surprise to see you again and in Hoshido no less, and if you're with Corrin now must mean that you two have known each other for a long time." Azura concluded.

"Three years and half a month, the other three Royal Siblings have made their hostility for Nohrians very clear when we met in Notre Sagesse, especially Takumi and Hinoka, the latter weakly mentioned Corrin, something I found most strange at the time and I didn't think they be more merciful if I brought her up." Robin said.

"Indeed, I'm glad to have met you again under better circumstances, though." Azura smiled at him before turning back to Corrin. "I truly hope that your time here is a good one."

"That's not something I'm entirely looking forward to. Mikoto seems perfectly lovely, everyone here does. But I don't feel any connection to them, nor am I getting any flashbacks of any time lost from here."

Azura nodded. "I understand. If I were to go back to Nohr, I suspect I'd feel the same way."

Corrin felt an immediate affinity for the strange, blue haired songstress. They were similar in many ways, she decided. "Do you think you could start over there? Live a new life among strangers?"

"I am not sure to be honest. In many ways, I feel it's okay to choose to stay here, since Nohr is far too alien to me at this point for me to even consider going back." Azura confessed.

"And yet so many would oppress me if I say the exact same words for Nohr." Corrin said spitefully.

"I am so sorry for the position you are in and wish I could help but I don't think I am of use to you." Azura said weakly. "Truthfully, I do miss King Garon, Crown Prince Xander, Princess Camilla, and above all my mother, Arete. They were very kind and heartwarming to me but war is something I loathe very deeply and mother assisted Garon in going this far when they summoned those demons, together."

"That's another thing we have in common, at least." Corrin mused.

"At least I've finally met the woman I was to be traded for. All I ask of you is this: What are you going to do with your new life?"

Corrin sat down on the boardwalk, letting her feet dangle in the clear water. "I don't know. For now, I'm just going to spend some time thinking. This seems a good place for it."

"I pray to the Dawn Dragon Sephiroth that your choices do not have a profound impact on your life and those around you." Azura said softly.

'Pray all you like, but when its finally time to cross that bridge, a lot of people are going to get hurt.' Robin mused dreadfully as he can only fear the worse for Corrin, with the Lost Princess, no longer sure of what path could possibly be the right one.

* * *

Six days passed but it feels like it's been longer, in which Corrin is barely seen with anyone that isn't Robin, the two are practically inseparable at this point. She would often be approached by Mikoto, Ryoma, Hinoka, Sakura and sometimes Azura, to start more and more conversations, they are very likable but she still feels nothing for them. She drifts around the castle grounds like a ghost, desperately trying to grasp at possible forgotten memories that drifted at the edge of her mind, just out of reach. But again and again, she feels nothing, as if there were never any memories at all of this place, and she really is being deceived. It's infuriating but not because she wants to remember and interacting with her 'family' only made things worse, as they all brought up memories from her past. She understands they are just trying to help her but in the end it only frustrates her further. Instead, she keeps to herself, only speaking to Robin, and despite having amnesia, Robin always has a topic to bring up a conversation.

While walking peacefully through one of the halls, she notices three people about to walk pass them, one of them being Takumi, her younger stepbrother. He has a long head of silver hair, much longer than Corrin's own and drawn back into a long ponytail reaching all the way down to his back, and his blue and silver clothing are what she expect of a Hoshidan warrior of nobility. Even within his own home, he still carries his sacred bow, the Fujin Yumi, and with him are his retainers, a blue hair spear master girl named Oboro, she's nice but as Robin said, she has some demons influencing her emotions, and then there's the brown hair samurai so close to being a Swordmaster, Hinata, now him Corrin likes, he's very sweet and considerate but kind of dumb.

Takumi arrived at the same time Kaze informed her and he has made no attempt to get to know Corrin, it's clear right from the start that because of her time in Nohr he doesn't trust her, and the way he looks at her troubles Mikoto and Hinoka more so than Corrin, who is only apathetic towards him, also uninterested in getting to know him, viewing him as an inferior version of Leo. Though now that Corrin thinks about it, Leo is also going through some sort of inferiority complex for some reason. So strange considering how amazing and competent he is when in comparison to her and Camilla. She's always wanted to address the matter but never found the time.

As the two siblings walk pass each other, no words are spoken between the five, though Hinata does wave at Robin, who waves back at him, the Samurai making no attempt to hide his gratitude for what he did for the three before, while Oboro has a look of contemplation which Corrin can only partially understand, and as for Takumi, he was deeply surprise to see Robin again and was against him staying here, unsurprisingly ungrateful, but it's his word against Queen Mikoto and High Prince Ryoma who chose to trust Robin. Plus, Corrin made an ultimatum that either Robin stays or she walks away from them immediately, something that made Mikoto more adamant about Robin staying.

Using her strange ears that give Corrin a minor level of enhanced hearing that has always allowed her to overhear people much better, even through walls, she is able to hear Takumi whisper something as lowly as he can, she definitely heard him call her a 'Nohrian Scum'.

"Hoshidan Pineapple Head." Corrin whispered back, not having any of Takumi's hostility. Fortunately, only Robin heard her insult and gently places his right arm around her right shoulder and makes her walk faster to move further away from the wayward brother.

"Please don't start a fight with anyone here, from Hoshido's perspective, Lord Takumi has a right to be suspicious of you." Robin insisted. "And please, never call his hairstyle pineapple head to his face, that's an argument I am sure no one wants to have. Kind of like how Ryoma vaguely looks like a lobster with his armor on."

"That's up to him at this point because I sure as hell ain't going to let him be a jackass around us." Corrin hissed, just waiting for the right moment to start a fight with Takumi.

"Why, because engaging one of the royals in physical confrontation will encourage everyone else that you're too Nohrian and throw you out?" Robin questioned.

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing." Corrin protested.

"1) They'll more likely lock you up in one of their dungeons. 2) While there is no questioning your love for your Nohrian Family, and trust in King Garon, you go back to them you'll be force to fight these people, including your own mother, and 3) Do you even believe in Nohr's cause?" Robin questioned.

"Invading other countries to provide for my people, I say I am completely against that and I'm afraid to know how far father and mother are willing to go to achieve their goals but I trust Hoshido to know what's best for the world even less." Corrin confessed, her understanding of the moral gray line of both kingdoms better than she ever did.

"Yes but what if instead of changing Nohr from within we try to change Hoshido, if every harsh thing Leo said about them is true, than Hoshido's only true flaw is that they refuse to help outsiders out of fear of being betrayed, they have been double crossed by other nations in the past before, not just Nohr. By staying here and reaching out to them…"

"We can change their minds after almost two centuries of refusing to provide for Nohr, and finally do a better job at ceasing wars altogether? C'mon, Robin, you said it yourself, that from Hoshido's perspective, Takumi is in the right, so how are we supposed to change an entire nation when bastards like him are in control?" Corrin demanded.

"We can start from seeing things from their perspective, like the old saying goes, keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. No one here is really our friend despite their attempts to earn your trust, and that simply means that we have a lot of bonds to forge, and hopefully, in the long run we might, MIGHT accomplish a better understanding by acting as representatives of Nohr. Nohr has hurt these people in so many ways so their rage is justified but fighting for a just cause doesn't always mean the people are in the right. Light burns while Darkness soothes after all." Robin concluded in his own way to assess the situation they are in. Seeing no other way, Corrin sees only benefit from Robin's ideals.

"It could work but that's all a maybe, but it's all we got." Corrin said.

"It's all we may need." Robin assured her.

"Lady Corrin." Kaze appears before the two out of nowhere while on his knees. Kaze is another that has tried to interact with Corrin more, grateful for sparing his life back in Nohr, it's almost like he's trying to be a retainer for her service. The Ninja is loyal to the Hoshidan Royals to a fault. Loyalty that Corrin admires deeply and reminds her so much of Jakob, Felicia, and Gunter, who she still mourns for. "Forgive my intrusion but Queen Mikoto summons you."

"Thank you, Kaze. I'll try not to keep her waiting." Corrin thanked the Ninja as she and Robin depart for the throne room while Kaze stays behind, having someone else to talk to as he sees Ryoma also passing by.

"I trust that all is well, Kaze?" The High Prince asked the loyal ninja.

"Of course Lord Ryoma, despite keeping her distance, Lady Corrin remains gentle, however the only issue thus far is that Lord Takumi remains uncooperative and giving her a reason to start a fight, she even said that she's waiting for that chance. Everyone is getting unnerved." Kaze informed.

"Takumi always seemed the least interested in getting Corrin back, deeming her too far gone. It is infuriating but I know that deep down inside he still harbors love for his sister, I know he does." Ryoma said, putting a lot of faith in his wayward brother. "And our guess?"

"Robin is gentler and more levelheaded than most Nohrians we've encountered, and though he distrust us, he cannot deny the evidence of Corrin's birth and has been trying to discreetly encourage her to remain with us, why, it be better for you to learn it from him when you two next converse." Kaze continued as he and other Ninjas have been watching every move the two whiteheads make out of concern that they might be planning something and so far nothing threatening against Hoshido has occurred. "He's clever, despite our best efforts he noticed the subtle signs that we are watching them 24/7 but wisely chose not to inform Lady Corrin, out of fear that she might overreact."

"I see. Though, I sense that there is something else concerning you. I appreciate it if there were no secrets between us like me and Saizo." Ryoma insisted.

"Forgive me, High Prince but I still can't wrap my head around what I learned six days ago, about Lady Corrin not being King Sumeragi's birth daughter." Kaze said with a bothered expression. "It all makes sense now, I mean there is no record of her date of birth and it seems odd that there was no public appearance of her youth until a year after Lady Sakura's birth, though I wasn't around much in the castle much in our younger years but I still don't understand why this piece of information was kept from everyone."

"I cannot really claim to know why father and mother wanted to keep this a secret from all of Hoshido, only speculate as I always assumed it was because all the nobles weren't at first too keen about Mikoto's place as queen, almost everyone had yet to get over the loss of my birth mother, Ikona." Ryoma said.

"I have heard whispers of animosity towards Queen Mikoto even to this day but I always assumed it was because the more stubborn of our people are unsatisfied that she erected the Barrier of Concord to keep invaders out instead of something more violent to set an example for our enemies." Kaze said.

"Not even I can deny that my stepmother is not a perfect ruler and some of her choices have backfired on us but regardless, she is the reason we have held peace for so long, and Hoshido owes her more than the queens that have come before her." Ryoma declared very sternly. "If she and my father believed that the knowledge of Corrin being my father's stepdaughter would raise concerns and objections from the people about having a Princess who lacks the blood of the Dawn Dragon than I intend to honor their choices with my silence. I trust my answer will satisfy your curiosity, Kaze?"

"I mean no disrespect milord, Lady Corrin is the child of Queen Mikoto, that's all the reason I need to bleed and die for her!" Kaze declared solemnly. "Though, I must ask if Lady Hinoka, Lord Takumi and Lady Sakura are aware of the true depth of their bond with Lady Corrin."

"I fear that they are just in the dark about the truth as everyone else, they were too young to understand at the time and I was entrusted with the truth because it was easy for me to notice Corrin's sudden arrival in our lives. The only other person who knows the truth apart from you, Rinkah, me, mother and father would be Yukimura, who father and mother trust so much and confide with when they don't feel like talking about certain matters with just anybody. But they will learn the truth soon enough, until then I request for your silence for a while longer." Ryoma requested. "I know there's no need to request this of Rinkah, she always seems to be the kind of person who knows when to mind her own business."

"My lips are sealed until you deem them worthy of speaking again, High Prince." Kaze obeyed.

* * *

Corrin and Robin made their way to the main hall, that is also the throne room with Queen Mikoto already waiting for her up by the ornately styled throne.

"You look as though you're feeling a little better after a few days on your own, Corrin."

Corrin nodded. She greatly appreciated that Mikoto had given her the space she needed. It must have been very difficult for the poor woman to stay away from the daughter that had just returned to her.

"Yes, I think I am. I thank you for giving me the space to think."

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Her mother smiled warmly.

"So why did you bring me here?" Corrin asked politely.

"Oh, I just wanted to personally let you know that a very special ceremony is about to begin and I would like for you to participate in it with me and your siblings." She requested.

"Well… I did enjoy the last big activity I snuck off to be in, so I see no reason to object." Corrin replied, while blushing before calming down two seconds later. "What's it about?"

"Oh, well, it's not really a ceremony is just that every year I perform a ritual, a totally harmless and none sacrificial ritual for my barrier that needs to be recharged once a year, today and I always perform at the center of Suzanoh where everyone gathers to see me do it. They always describe my ''performance'' as very flashy like fireworks that everyone insists I make a celebration about it." Mikoto explained. "Personally, I don't see it as a cause for celebration but I supposed our people are too grateful for my protections and host it in my honor. I do it for them even though I really distaste parties, but your brothers and sisters also like them so it's all for them as well."

"Well in that case, I really want to see it." Corrin smiled.

"I am so relief to hear you say that." Mikoto smiled back.

"Am I to assume that there is more to this ceremony, after all, no one in the Capital has seen Corrin yet, so there will most likely be a lot of questioning glances at the newcomer beside their Queen?" Robin asked, raising an obvious dilemma, making Corrin doubt coming.

"I was getting to that…" Mikoto began, nervous about revealing this next part. "You see, I also plan to make a public announcement about Corrin's arrival here. There have been rumors circulating about how she is just a captured Nohrian Princess, and I would like to crush those rumors once and for all."

Corrin is not happy about this but miraculously chose to keep quiet about it and not raise her tone, though the subtle anger in her face is enough to make Mikoto feel dishearten.

At the far end of the hall, another person walked into the room. Queen Mikoto tapped Corrin on the shoulder as he walked closer. "Oh, hello Yukimura. What brings you here?"

The robed man bowed deeply. "Pardon the intrusion, Queen Mikoto, but the ceremony is about to begin."

She raised a hand to her mouth. "Goodness, already? How could I lose track of time?" She gestured to the man for Corrin's benefit. "Corrin, this is Yukimura. He's our prime strategist, and one of the reasons Nohr's Demons hasn't overrun us yet."

Yukimura laughed. "You are too kind, Milady. You yourself deserve far more credit. That said, it is good to meet you, Princess Corrin. I am here to help you in any way I can."

Before the conversation could continue, the rest of the royals entered the throne hall. Hinoka in her Pegasus rider gear and Sakura in a simple Priestess robe. The door was almost thrown off its hinges as the third sibling walked in, Takumi, and Azura quietly stepped into the room as well but also trying not to be noticed.

Mikoto smiled as nearly all her children stood before her. "Thank you all for coming. The ceremony is about to begin and I would like to ask all of you to accompany your sister in showing her around Suzanoh for me. Yukimura, is everything ready?"

The tactician nodded. "Yes, milady. People are already beginning to gather at the plaza."

Hinoka nodded. "Leave everything else to us, mother."

Takumi shrugged. "As you command, mother."

Azura dipped her head. "It would be my pleasure."

Their mother bowed to them slightly. "Thank you. If you'd excuse me, I need to speak with Yukimura first, but I'll join you at the plaza soon." With that, she walked down and out of the hall, Yukimura already discussing matters with her. Once she was out the door, the nobles dispersed slightly. Sakura smiles, grabbing Corrin's hand and pulling her towards the door.

"Come on, Corrin! I can't wait to show you around. I think you'll l-love it here." She cheered.

Smiling, Corrin followed her youngest sister out of the hall, followed by Azura, Hinoka and much more distantly by Takumi. As they walked towards the castle exit, Robin also follows at a fair distance, not wanting to be a bother for the four siblings.

"I hope Corrin is truly okay with this…" Mikoto wondered with concern.

Yukimura shrugged. "Yes. I can't imagine the position she's in. It's a lot to process. That said, I do think she looks happy there."

Mikoto smiled. "Yes, I'm sure she is. I just can't help but worry."

Yukimura laid a hand on the queen's shoulder. "Leave worrying to me, Milady. Simply focus on the fact that you have your daughter back. It is alright for the Queen of Hoshido to be happy, you know."

"I know. And truly, I've never felt happier than I have now. I just… Don't ever want to lose it."

* * *

The city square was full of more people than Corrin had ever seen in one place. She could barely move through the crowd, full of vibrant banners and bartering voices and the sweet aromas of various foods on sale. The old woman manning the stall she was currently trying to move past grabbed her sleeve.

"Hey, young woman! Would you like to try a sample of one of our world famous roast potatoes? They're delicious and nutritious! I swear you'll love 'em!"

It was just a free sample, right? Corrin reasoned. "Well… sure, why not?" She took a small handful of the thinly slices potatoes. Taking a bite, it was unlike anything she had ever eaten. "Wow! I've never tasted spices like this before. These are amazing!"

The old lady grinned. "Heh, thanks. I call 'em chips. I swear, these things are the future!" She pointed a wrinkled finger at Azura, who was having a similar problem trying to move through the crowd. "Here, take a basket on the house, give some to your friend there! Just tell all your friends about 'em!"

Corrin took the small thatch basket filled with the strange, thinly sliced potatoes. "Well, thank you very much!" They are a bit salty but she feels like having heavy salt and probably some vinegar is the only way to eat these things. "It sure was kind of her to give them to us, everyone is really friendly here. And it's so… Bright. It's quite a contrast from the fortress I grew up in."

"I'm glad you like it. Like I said, I've always been happy here." Azura smiled back at her.

A new voice cut in from behind Corrin. "Just don't get too comfortable, 'sister'."

Corrin turned to face Takumi, who had pushed his way through the crowd to them. "Excuse me?"

The Hoshidan grimaced. "Don't go and settle in too much. Shouldn't you be heading back to Nohr soon?"

'And here we go.' Corrin sighed, expecting an argument with Takumi for days now.

"Takumi, please." Azura also sighed.

"Don't get involved Azura, this doesn't concern you anymore." Takumi snapped at her but it was not done harshly. In all honesty, Corrin is surprised by his words.

"Wow, I am honestly surprise to hear you say that considering we both have ties to Nohr." Corrin replied as honestly as she could without sounding harsh but her annoyance is easy to spot.

"Don't drag her in to this, you're the real problem here, and I don't trust you. I just wanted to say that to your face." The Young Prince of Hoshido spat.

"Pesky little…" Corrin began, wanting to let her frustrations out but is stopped after giving a quick glance at Robin, who maintains his distance and makes a hand gesture to indicate to tone it down and not make a scene, which she reluctantly complies. With nothing more to say, Takumi stalks back into the crowd, leaving Azura and Corrin.

Azura sighed. "Well, not everyone can be kind, I suppose. Don't let it get to you, he's like that even to his actual siblings. Though he used to be much harsher to me but he loosens at his own pace, which is rather slow."

Corrin was about to reply, until she felt a soft tug on her cape. Looking to the left, she saw Sakura had made her way through the crowd and was trying to get her attention over the noise. "Hello, Sakura."

"I'm so sorry for losing you in the crowd! I got quite lost there for a while." She looked at the irritated look on Corrin's face and then at the rapidly retreating form of Takumi. "Is he being mean again? I apologize for Takumi's rudeness. He's a bit of a hot head."

"So I have noticed." Corrin sighed, taking another chip from the basket.

Sakura shrugged. "Truth is he has been suffering from a form of inferiority complex for a while, Ryoma's the crown prince, you're the long lost daughter everyone is searching for, and then he gets stuck in the middle. He can't help but feel a little ignored."

'Spot on as usual.' Corrin randomly turns to Robin again after hearing Sakura say that.

Hinoka burst through the crowd, catching sight of Corrin and Azura. "There you are! Come on, mother sent me. The ceremony is starting!"

Corrin followed Hinoka and Sakura up to the podium, where Queen Mikoto had just stepped up to. The whole royal family made their way onto the podium, minus for Corrin with her thoughts going back to Windmire, where the people had bowed to her and her siblings, sure there was respect in their bows but certainly no ecstatic clapping and cheers. Nohr has its moments of excitements but they are rare and only occur once a year, or more because of the food shortages. Those thoughts also fade as Corrin starts feeling dizzy by the huge crowd surrounding her even though she's not at the center. She REALLY hopes that Mikoto doesn't call her to speak. With a wave of her hand, Queen Mikoto brought the crowd to silence as she would soon give a speech.

'So all of this is really supposed to be my true home?' Corrin has been giving herself that question repeatedly each day since she arrived, still in denial. 'At least it all looks prettier than Windmire, one of the perks of being the White Night Kingdom. Still… it doesn't feel right to be hostile towards Garon without hearing his side of all this. Though… I've always known I won't like the answer to his reasons. And the fact that he killed Sumeragi for refusing to his terms. My… Father.'

"Oh… You want a larger reason to want to stay here." Corrin is left gasping in immense horror upon hearing the demonic voice of Wrath coming from seemingly nowhere, making her hysterically scour the surroundings for the source of the voice, though she immediately deduces that the voice is actually coming from her head. "Very well, just remember that the signs were always there, you just pretended that they weren't."

Instantly, Corrin's entire world fell apart as she began to feel pain so intense coursing through her whole body, shaking so much that she felt like every bone in her body was going to crumble and she falls to her knees while breathing heavily now, earning her the attention of everyone nearby, the numerous whispers of concern and confusion spreading quick that Mikoto, Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka, Sakura, Azura and Robin, who all got separated from her through the crowd only now realize her condition. Mikoto hasn't had the chance to give her speech to her people, completely lost in her thoughts of fear over what might be happening to her lost daughter.

"Sister!" Sakura called out to her with pure dread.

Corrin's breathing gets heavier until she is no longer able to catch her breath and begins to vomit out a lot of her own blood that is mix with some black gooey substance. Horrifying everyone.

"CORRIN!" Mikoto cried out in pure hysteria, with her, Corrin's siblings and Robin rushing to her aid, only to halt when Corrin begins to breathe fire instead from her mouth, black flames that spread through the ground surrounding her and forcing everyone to step back, already a panic ensued, so many citizens wasting no time in fleeing the scene while others remain for a variety of reasons.

"SISTER, HOLD ON!" Ryoma roared in complete desperation. Corrin screams in pure agony as she raises her head to the sky and out from her comes out a massive pillar of blackfire, spreading far and wide to the sky, and it can be seen from all over Suzanoh, spreading greater turmoil, but that is not the worse part, as there is something within the blazing pillar that also comes out of Corrin. A massive monster.

"There's no way!" Hinoka gasped in pure horror.

"Gods! Is that what I think it is!" Takumi screamed unable to keep his own terrors.

"EVERYONE BRACE YOURSELVES!" Ryoma shouted.

Out from the black flames comes out a real lived Dragon, a massive lizard-like monstrosity with darkish scales surrounding its whole body, massive bat-like wings and horns all over its body with spikes spreading through its back, but the most intimidating part of all is it's face that has holes covering the glowing red eyes within it while the rest of it is covered up in darkness, or perhaps it has only one eye, it's hard to tell from their distance. The flames finally cease and Corrin falls to the ground, unconscious but it's easy for everyone to mistake her for being dead.

"CORRIN! MY BABY!" Mikoto cried out to her as she rushes to her daughter's side but is stopped by Takumi who grabs ahold of her arm.

"Get back Mother! That thing is about to strike!" Takumi pleaded.

"I don't care!" The grieving Mother cried out while the Dragon above unleashes a violent fire breath straight at all below it, setting Suzanoh ablaze.

* * *

**Longest Chapter I hope I ever write and to me, my most complex, though I am sure the next one will be just as long. Corrin meets more of her step siblings, spends quality time with them, has her first embarrassing moment with them, got fed by her possible crush in front of everyone and is learning how to properly use chopsticks, and I put more lore of the Grimm in my story. And I know, Robin having amnesia is a bothersome cliché but just role with it, If I actually manage to make more chapters and complete this, you make like where I'm going with it. And about Takumi being Takumi, I just want to say that I've seen the Birthright CD Drama videos about him and I sympathize with him completely and get where he's coming from and feel that his wrath against Corrin is okay, not warranted but okay, however I always saw him as an antihero material due to his willingness to burn Nohr to the ground unlike Ryoma who shows more restraint about his need for revenge due to him agreeing to help Nohr after the war once he saw firsthand the state Windmire was in Birthright so I intend to keep Takumi as someone who hides his true emotions by being an asshole most of the time and remain hostile towards his lost sister, but Corrin will have none of it, due to her short temper, and having received constant mocking and bullying from his other younger brother, since both Leo and Takumi are alike and have an inferiority complex with a reasonably childish grudge against Corrin for all the attention she gets and I want them to be more direct about their hostility with our Silver Princess being more confrontational. And yes, I will be addressing the common joke about Takumi's hair making him look like a pineapple head and Ryoma's armor like a lobster. Personally, I don't see the resemblance but I'm not good at making comparisons and this is all fun and games. As for the Throne of Hoshido, I ignored that all together because it was just a lame plot devise to make Garon a boss fight even though Corrin was on his side in Conquest, as unfortunate as that was, though that does not mean that it still won't be relevant.**

**Robin will have a major role, obviously due to being the Deuteragonist, while Azura is instead the Tritagonist and will serve as a moral compass and mentor, guardian and tactician for Corrin, following her with whatever she chooses. And in terms of romance, let's wait and keep going through the chapters until the end because Corrin will have more important things to worry about. And about the Blight Dragon, I had to come up with something to burn the Capital of Hoshido to the ground since Garon couldn't give Corrin that ridiculously evil sword since Robin gave her the Yato after he got it from the Rainbow Sage. More on that later. Furthermore the Blight Dragon is not the same as the Birthright Endgame. And let's just say that I have a twisted mind out of inspiration from disturbing mangas like Berserk. No, I'm not going to go THAT far but my ideal of moral gray and evil are… let's call it volatile.**

**Also that Tome, the one Robin is using with the infinity symbol, that tome is fanmade, my Tome, it's mine! Capable of performing many spells. More on that next time. Maybe…**


	4. Chapter 4: Scourge of Nohr

**Chapter 4: Scourge of Nohr**

"Mother! Brother and Sisters! Are you all alright?!" Ryoma cried out for anyone around, the Dragon's attack struck everyone by surprise, the High Prince actually saw his life flash before his eyes and could do nothing but get down and use himself as a shield to protect his youngest sister, however meaningless it may seem, but to his tremendous relief, they all survived.

"Somehow." Takumi muttered as they look at their surroundings and discover that the reason they survived is because a magical barrier, smaller and more visible than the one Mikoto created is protecting them from the Dragon's flames. It is big enough to cover up the center of Suzanoh and probably more but either way, they are safe, and the one who made this barrier is none other than Robin, his hands pointing upwards, his tome floating in front of him, open with the words in its pages glowing purple. Odd though, where has he kept his magic book all this time? There is nothing in his clothing that can hold on the Tome while not having a need for it, there aren't even any visible pockets in him to carry smaller things.

"R-Robin…?" Sakura muttered.

"All of you have better get ready to make a run for it, because it's not over yet." Robin warned, fatigue plainly noticeable in his voice as he is putting a lot of effort into this barrier. And he may soon be put to his limits, as the Dragon responsible for this calamity comes crashing down on top the barrier, causing some kind of shockwave that forces Robin to his knees while everyone else does it mainly out of fear. The cries of horror can be heard coming from Sakura and few other civilians, the panic gets worse as the Dragon continuously slams his left fist on the barrier in its attempt to break it, each hit seems to put a strain on Robin, because the magic creating the barrier is coming out of him, each blow causes a feedback of intense pressure on him.

"I can't hold for much longer, you have to leave now, into that hole, behind Ryoma! GO!" The White Mage demanded, as everyone looks to the High Prince's back and see that Robin makes a hole in the barrier big enough for all of them to pass through, and quickly they begin to run through without hesitation.

"Wait! We can't leave Corrin!" Mikoto shouted, staring down at her still unconscious daughter.

"I got her!" Ryoma shouted back as he rushes to his sister and carries her bridal style and makes a run for it, briefly looking back at Robin, reluctant to leave him behind but does so for Corrin's sake. The Dragon doesn't seem to notice all the survivors leave the barrier, focus on dealing with Robin first and once outside they noticed that while so much of the Capital has been devastated, with so many people burned alive, there are plenty of survivors and the collateral damage is not as severe as they had assume judging by how much magic the Dragon's fire breath had packed in it.

"I can hardly believe that the city is not as bad as we feared, those flames felt strong enough to spread and burn a great majority of the Capital." Ryoma uttered in disbelief.

"No doubt because of Robin's barrier, it must have the capability to absorb the flames to minimizing whatever damages it takes to a favorable extent." Mikoto concluded.

"We can't leave him!" Sakura cried.

"We have no choice! There is too much riding on all of us staying alive!" Takumi shouted, though while the rest of the citizens continue to run, the Royal Family and Azura soon stop once they are at a safe distance and turn back to the Dragon.

"It can't be helped brother, we can entrust our soldiers to aid the survivors and take them to a secure location. The Nohrians have finally made their move and we need to strike now! Starting with this wretched beast!" Ryoma commanded, raising his Sacred Katana, Raijinto after gently placing Corrin on the ground.

"How exactly do you proposed we do that against that horrid thing?" Takumi questioned, staring down at the Dragon that remains trying to break the barrier and get to Robin.

"We can strike it now while its distracted, it seems more interested in the Rogue Nohrian and he is doing fine." Hinoka stated. Only for seconds later for the Dragon to deliver one final blow with its claws that finally manage to break the barrier, forcing Robin to lie down on the ground while the monster lands on top of him, preparing to sink its teeth on him. "I stand corrected."

Robin manages to save himself as his Tome begins to shine with a green glow and a gust of wind manifest around the Mage, propelling him away from the Dragon's teeth as it instead leaves a hole where he was. As soon as Robin gets back up, his Tome begins sparking electricity as Robin prepares to attack.

"Arcthunder!" The Mage shouted as he releases a mighty thunderbolt at the Blight Dragon, directly at its face, making it roar as its whole body surges with violent electricity, though rather the roar was out of pain or rage is irrelevant since Robin's main objective is to focus its attention on him alone.

"Alright big fellow, let's see how much those wings work." Robin dared as more mana courses through him and he begins to levitate from the air and takes to the sky, flying away, with the Dragon chasing after him.

"That crazy bastard's actually trying to lure it away from Suzanoh, there's no way he can out fly it." Takumi protested as everyone watches the two fly away.

"Why is the Dragon even chasing after the Nohrian, I thought that thing was on their side." Hinoka questioned.

"It must think Robin is one of us and feels threatened by him, his unusual magic power does feel benevolent and some dragons are believed to be drawn to attack humans with strong magic." Mikoto concluded.

"Either way, he won't last long on his own, that monster can destroy all of Hoshido if left unchecked." Azura said.

"I-Is no one going to point out the fact that Robin is actually flying all on his own." Sakura pointed out but apparently goes ignored.

The Blight Dragon launches its fire breath at Robin, who narrowly dodges it and shoots back another thunder attack, a Thoron, right through the holes on its head, straight in the eye, now doing some damage as the Dragon stops chasing after him, placing its hand on its head, while roaring in pain.

"Can hardly believe that worked." Robin muttered as the Blight Dragon continues with its fire breath even though it can't momentarily see, spreading the black flames everywhere, practically setting the sky ablaze, while Robin manages to avoid the flames and they were far enough away from Suzanoh that he wouldn't have to worry about the flames reaching anyone, however, all the blackness from the flames darkens the sky that he can barely see where he's going and gets caught by the dragon's right hand, holding him tightly and moves him closer to its face as its eyesight returns sooner than Robin expected, and he begins to squish the life at of him with Robin barely struggling to resist the great beast's brutality.

However, Robin's Tome remains floating in the air, keeping it's distance from the two and starts to glow with a red aura, granting Robin the chance to perform another spell.

'There are many reasons why this will end badly but it's better than nothing.' Robin muttered as he prepares to make another spell.

"Valflame!" He howled, and from his body, he summons an insane amount of intense and smokeless fire that spreads to the Dragon with the purpose of incinerating it, the intense pain forces it to release Robin and once freed, he lets loose even more of his flames with the aim to kill it as fast as possible, creating what appears to be a miniature sun that traps the dragon inside in the sky for those below to see, and bright enough to cause those who look to avert their eyes.

Unfortunately the Dragon's resilience is superb and holds on long enough to fight back and furiously swings it's left arm out of the sun and hits Robin with enough force to toss him aside to crash back into Suzanoh, ending the spell and releases it from the Valflame. And to make sure he dies, it shoots a fireball directly at him, blasting Robin straight down, causing a blazing explosion at the center. Miraculously, Robin survives but is now seriously injured.

"Well… that could've gone better." Robin muttered weakly. Unsatisfied by his survival, the Dragon tries again to finish him up this time as it returns to the ground, right in front of Robin and is readying to deliver one final breath attack that should definitely kill him this time. It is stopped however as an arrow of light is shot right at its face, halting its attack, and knocks its face to turn to its left from the shock but this only irritates it and turns to see that the one who shot him was Takumi using his Fujin Yumi, pulling the greenish blue glowing string of the Sacred Treasure, with an ominously wind magic forming into a tangible arrow of the same light that Takumi shoots at it, that the Dragon is able to block by raising his right arm as a shield as the arrow hits the palm, though Takumi does manage to pierce it and leave a small hole in the palm that does hurt it.

Ryoma then steps forward making a mighty swing from his Raijinto that fires a wave of lightning at the Dragon, prompting the beast to attack the High Prince by swinging its right arm at him with Ryoma taking the hit head on with Raijinto as his only defense, and because of the divine power, he takes the hit rather well, Robin's efforts have weakened it so the blow wasn't delivered with all it's might but the impact was still painful for the next King of Hoshido. Still, he continues as he makes what just might be the greatest slash of his life by drawing more power from the Raijinto than he has so far as he successfully slashes off the Dragon's forearm. The roar it makes was one of agony, forced to back away from the two Princes as it gets on its knees from the pain but only briefly, while Ryoma gets on his knees from minor exhaustion. The Blight Dragon is not done yet as it continues its assault on the two princes, with Takumi ready to fire another arrow.

"~You are the Ocean's gray waves…~"

The two Princes and Dragon turn around to see the stolen Princess of Nohr step into the conflict, all around her, blue lights began to dance. The amulet around her neck glowed the brightest, seemingly hovering on its chain around her neck.

"Azura! Get away from here!" Ryoma yelled out to her, getting back on his feet.

"What is she doing?!" Takumi shouted. Despite their protest, Azura continued with her song.

"~Destined to seek life beyond the shore… just out of reach~."

The Evil Dragon starts to growl, feeling something strange. The song stirred something deep within it, something painful, and is not happy! It couldn't understand what was happening. The lights pulsed rhythmically, beginning to form a circle around Azura and the Dragon.

"~Yet, the waters ever change…~"

The Blight Dragon leapt forward, seeking to kill the lost princess to stop whatever pain its feeling, however, his remaining hand, which he uses to bash her instead hits Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka and Robin, who immediately rushed to her aid and use themselves as shields for Azura and are able to hold the attack off, despite the intense force they have to endure for her safety.

"Azura! Whatever you're doing… keep going. It seems to be working!" Robin pleaded because they are able to hold on a lot better than they initially thought, the Dragon's ungodly strength diminishing due to Azura's singing.

"Hurry!" Hinoka yelled as the four of them won't last for much longer. Azura clenches her amulet and continues to sing.

"~Flowing like time, the path is… yours to climb…~"

In the end, the Dragon couldn't take the song anymore, pulls it's arm away from the four who deny its kill and falls on the ground, screaming in further agony, red miasma comes out of its whole body as it begins to fade away into the air, with Azura falling to her knees and breathing heavily.

The Battle had ended with the Dragon's defeat, everyone can now rest and tend to the survivors. Robin, while in worse condition than the three Royals, still manages to stand back up first and walks towards Azura and offers her a helping hand.

"Are you alright, Azura." Robin asked with much concern.

"Yes… thank you." She replied accepting his aid to get back up but with her legs shaking, she needs him for support to keep herself steady at the moment.

"My Children!" Mikoto cried out to Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi and Azura, rushing to them along with Sakura, while she is carrying the still unconscious Corrin.

"I'll pull through." Ryoma assured his mother as he attempts to get on his feet but because of the blows he took he requires a bit of rest and nearly falls back on his knees, prompting him to use Raijinto as a cane for minor assistance to remain on his feet as he would prefer.

"Well… that all went better than expected." Robin muttered feeling worse for wear.

"You're hurt! Let me heal you." Sakura offered as she wastes no time in performing her healing magic on him, prompting the White Mage to lie down and get some rest with Azura beside him.

"Just what in the Gods' name was all that! First dragon seen in thousands of years and this happens!" Hinoka protested with complete frustration and horror over what has become of their home.

"That monster didn't look anything like the dragon-like Grimm Nohr have." Sakura pointed out.

"I don't think they were really in control of that thing." Mikoto said as the Blight Dragon brings more confusion over the situation, as well as distraught while patting the head of her returned daughter who may very well be the biggest victim of the day.

"What kind of magic was that, the Dragon completely evaporated to nothing?" Robin asked Azura, quite surprise that she was able to stop it. "That kind of magic is not common, especially ones that involve singing of all things."

"I've known that song ever since I was a child. My mother gave it to me, along with this amulet. When I sing it with passion, it has been known to cleanse the soul, refresh the mind. If often puts people's minds at ease, calms tensions." Azura explained clenching her amulet again. "I initially wanted to make the Dragon docile and apathetic towards its own wellbeing, allowing you all to finish it off unhindered, however the way it died was a happy accident as I had no idea I could do that, though I suspect that it was not really a living entity, just like the Grimm, though I've never once used it against them so I wouldn't know if that is the case just yet."

"So it's a magic song." Sakura concluded as this is the first time any of them have actually seen her perform her magical capabilities to such an extent. They are familiar with the song at least.

Azura rolled her eyes. "Yes, if you wish to put it bluntly. There is power in its words. It is ancient, and I don't fully understand it myself. Still, I suppose today has shown that it can be useful on the battlefield." She looked back to Robin. "I supposed we owe you once again, taking almost all the hits and burns for us."

"Don't mention it, and in reality you are technically the actual dragon slayer of the day." Robin shrugged off.

"You've all done spectacularly in the service of Hoshido." Mikoto congratulated with relief.

"Hinoka barely did squat." Takumi pointed out.

"Fuck you, Takumi." The High Princess hissed.

"Language, you two!" Ryoma scolded in disapproval but could not help but chuckle at the sudden change in atmosphere to a more satisfying one.

"Your Grace!" The Royals turn around and see each of their Retainers, along with Yukimura, Kaze, Rinkah and several other soldiers. Both of Mikoto's Retainers, Reina and Orochi cried out for their Queen. Reina being a much older woman than anyone in the group with blue hair and an X shape scar on her face and is riding a bird-like large animal to ride on. A Kinshi.

"Lord Takumi!" Oboro and Hinata cried out to their Prince at once.

"Lord Ryoma! Are you alright!" Saizo asked, alongside him is a female ninja with long black hair, her left eyes cover in a long bang, Ryoma's second retainer, Kagero!

"Sakura! Please tell me you're okay!" Hana, one of Sakura's retainers, a long light brown haired samurai rushes to the Princess and gives her a warming hug of desperation while she continues to heal Robin.

"Hana! I'm alright." Sakura tried to assured her retainer and friend but her constant shaking and crying did not help her claim.

"Glory to the Dawn Dragon." Said the red head Pegasus Rider Subaki, Sakura's other Retainer.

"Oh good, you're still alive, we were worried that monster fried you or something." Setsuna, Hinoka's Bluenette female, lazy archer retainer with a bandana said sounding casual but her face said that she was just calming down from a shock of the attack and is truly concern.

"You're nothing if not too stubborn to die Milady, I supposed there really are benefits to being a hothead after all." Azama, the large and spiky brown haired monk added also pleased to see the Royal Family safe but has a hint of smugness in his voice.

"I really don't have time for either of you right now." Hinoka hissed.

"Thank the Heavens you are all safe from this devastation." Yukimura said with great relief.

"What's the status of Suzanoh?" Ryoma commanded to the retainers.

"Only the square has been devastated but the damage isn't as bad as it seems and the number of survivors are promising." Saizo reported to his Lord.

"We've already began rounding up the survivors, taking them to the south of the Capital, they are being healed of any injuries as we speak and will recover in no time." Kagero added.

"All and all, things looks fine for the most of it." Oboro concluded.

"I'm afraid things are much worse than they appear." Mikoto said most grimly. "My barrier, it's gone."

"WHAT?!" Ryoma screamed in horror, as is everyone else over this revelation. Without the barrier, Nohr's entire army both men and beast alike are free to invade their lands with minor interference.

"How can that be!" Takumi yelled.

"I… I don't know. That Dragon must've generated some sort of magical blight that spreads through the air and infected the barrier and diminished it." Mikoto guessed, more horrified than anyone else.

"The Mana in the city's atmosphere does feel unusually thick and unsettling but it doesn't seem to affect living beings." Orochi, who's an expert when it comes to the mystic arts concluded as she does feel something 'toxic' in the air.

"And since Suzanoh is the focal point, just being here was all it took to destroy it." Robin added.

"B-But… but, you can reforge it, right, mother." Sakura desperately asked.

"I can't, this Blight is too strong, and while I could make another focal point elsewhere, it's likely that the blight will eventually keep spreading everywhere in Hoshido, making it pointless to try." Mikoto regrettably admitted.

"NO!" Sakura cried.

"The War has finally begun." Rinkah cursed.

"Our army is ready nonetheless, though I don't think we stand a chance against an all-out assault against a whole army of Grimm." Kaze said, expressing his doubts.

"We don't have a choice!" Takumi growled.

It was only then that Corrin finally wakes up while in her mother's arms, screaming out of pure shock and hysteria, shaking madly, with Mikoto trying to keep her under control, holding her as tightly as possible.

"What's happening! What is this! Where am I!" The Lost Princess cried out from pure shock.

"It's okay! You're okay! Baby, you're alright." Mikoto tried to assure her daughter, comforting her as best she can, only for Corrin to push her aside as she starts to vomit again, but this time only the black substance, much to the horrors, shocks and disgusts of the rest.

"It hurts… it hurts so much!" Corrin sobbed intensely as her entire body feels like it wants her to just give in and die.

"My poor girl." Mikoto hugged her daughter and rocked her back and forth, while also beginning to use her magic of healing, as she, unlike other Maidens and Monks has no need of a magic-conduit to use Heal and uses all the power she can muster to strip her daughter of all her suffering but at the moment she can only dull it.

"Where did that abomination even come from?! No beast as ever made it pass Suzanoh's defenses and that thing didn't even look like a Grimm." Reina asked.

"Where else, it came out of this walking disaster." Takumi scornfully pointed at Corrin.

"Wait… what?" Hinata muttered.

"Enough! Takumi! Your wrath is unwanted!" Mikoto snapped at her wayward son, causing him to stutter at his mother's harsh words towards him.

"Saizo, I need to verify, was the report you gave me in the incident at the borders thorough!" Ryoma asked his most loyal servant.

"I gave what I could best describe, Milord. Your sister was attacked by a giant humanoid being with long twisted horns that could pass up for a demon, wounded her and slaughtered all of our troops in the fort that was also destroyed before vanishing to the depths of the canyon. All the burn marks indicate that it could use powerful fire magic." Saizo confirmed. "Do you believe that the two monsters are connected?"

"That atrocity came out of my sister, the black liquid she vomited along with the black flames, this all reeks of ancient lost magic of the dark arts that have not been used in so long." Ryoma said. "This was all a set up."

"Milord, are you suggesting that the Nohrians planned for Lady Corrin to be captured by us just so that Dragon could take down the barrier from the inside." Kagero asked incredulously.

"That is exactly what I'm saying!" Ryoma snapped out of pure hatred for how his sister has been treated.

"That Fire Demon must've implanted the Dragon inside her somehow, where it was waiting for the right time to come out. Meaning that the Nohrians have their army line and ready for an assault on us." Kaze added bitterly.

"No…" Corrin barely whispered, taking every horrible word she just heard hard, as if they were blows, with tears coming out. The dark revelation of betrayal finally sinking into her heart as it lies in pieces, both mentally, and because of the evil dragon that was just inside her, possibly literally that it's a wonder she's still alive.

"Then this makes the following news all the worse. A massive Nohrian force is gathering on our border, near the Kurosaki Plains. They are armed for war." Yukimura gives further bad news.

Ryoma stamped on the ground, fury visible on his face. "This is the last straw. Both me and my mother have worked hard to avoid an all-out war, but now…" He stabbed his holy katana into the ground angrily. "Death is too good for them. Who is with me?"

The Hoshidan soldiers gathered around him all yelled in anger and hate, raising their weapons in violence. Hinoka stood from to her brother's side, a great fury rising up inside her. "I am with you too, brother. Let us show those Nohrian dogs that we are not a weak country to be bullied into submission! I will get revenge for Corrin!"

"I'm going to kill all those Nohrian Scums." Takumi also took his place at Ryoma's side as they all marched away, Sakura also following once she was done healing Robin, not that he is fully healed, not wanting the rest of her siblings and comrades to go without all their healers at their side, with Corrin, Mikoto, Robin, Azura and Yukimura being the only ones left at the square.

Corrin frees herself from her mother's embrace and struggles to remain on her feet, still weaken from what she had endured.

"Corrin? You aren't planning on going too, are you?" Mikoto asked dreadfully.

"I have to go… I…" Corrin uttered, moving but is stopped by Robin who grabs her by her left arm.

"Corrin, enough. You are not ready for something this massive." He pleaded.

"Xander has to be there, leading the charge, I have to see him… I… need to know the truth." Corrin sobbed, her tears falling like a waterfall in her eyes, the defiling of her body still not enough to make her have a clear view of the reality that has fallen before her. "Or at the very least, Leo. Someone I can talk to make sense of all this."

"Corrin! If you go there, and if your Brothers from Nohr are really there then you will be force to make a horrible decision that no person should ever be forced to make and rather you choose the right path or not, either choice will bring you more pain." Robin warned her, having a better understanding on all of this and knows that what comes next will scar the tormented Princess to no end.

"Corrin, please listen to him, regardless of my own hatred for Nohr, I cannot allow you to make such a choice, your heart is already destroyed." Mikoto also pleaded, fearing for Corrin's already tortured soul. "Please, my darling, you aren't meant to fight a war."

"I HAVE TO KNOW!" The Princess screamed, refusing to relent from her ordeal.

"Fine, fine! Dammit! But don't say we didn't warn you, and do not leave my side." Robin sighed heavily and grudgingly relents to Corrin's decision as, holding on to her and take to the sky.

"Corrin! Please come back to me, don't let our family remain impaired." Mikoto pleaded to her but the Princess gives no reply, now melancholic, as they fly off on to war.

"Nothing but pain and regret awaits us, and Corrin will be at the center of it all." Azura said with much sadness in her voice as she watches the two white heads fly off to possibly their doom.

"Yukimura, please go as well, I'll be fine." Mikoto insisted to her Chief Tactician.

"Forgive me, Milady, I was still baffle by the fact that you're still alive, when I saw the horrid black flames from Shirasagi I thought the end you spoke up towards you had finally come." Yukimura said with such relief in his voice.

"What…?" Azura uttered.

"Today was supposed to be my end but not anymore, and we can discuss it later, for now, my children need you more than me." Mikoto commanded, though typically it sounded more like her pleading. Fitting given the situation.

"It shall be as you command." Yukimura bowed in respect before leaving for their army's aid.

"Lady Mikoto, what did you mean by you were supposed to meet your end today?" Azura questioned with much confusion, while feeling more distress but does well in maintaining calm. The Queen sighs seeing no reason to hide the truth any longer.

"You know of my unique ability to make prophecies and see the future, just like Orochi but more accurately put. But like all fortune tellers I can only see fractions of the endless Storm of Destiny, there is always so much to see at the same time that if I look for much longer I will be beset with insanity. They come to me, I don't look for them, and last year I gain another vision, that Corrin would return to us but our family reunion would be short lived as she will have unknowingly brought a great evil with her that would claim my life and the war would begin." Mikoto confessed. "I could not tell Ryoma and the others about this because I knew how they would all react, Yukimura was the only one I felt I could confide in and he would swear a vow of silence, just as he's always have and have been preparing for the inevitable war against the darkness that has corrupted Nohr."

"But you survived." Azura replied.

"That's the part that I cannot fathom, when I saw the Dragon I knew what I had to do to stop it, I initially planned to channel all the barrier's power to focus only on Suzanoh and the Dragon, getting it to cease its assault by making it completely docile, force it to leave." Mikoto revealed.

"But the barrier is spread all over Hoshido, to get something so massive to shrink and focus all its power on one location, especially in such a short time would've put your body through ungodly amounts of stress." Azura concluded.

"It was clear that I would die right then and there, I was prepared for it, as long as Corrin remained with her siblings I would have no regrets, and as awful as it may sound, my sacrifice would've fully open Corrin's eyes to Nohr's evil." Mikoto continued. "But Robin reacted first and his magic exceeded my own to an extent that he unintentionally cancelled my spell."

"He saved you from your fate."

"HE is the biggest anomaly of all, all the visions I kept having regarding Corrin's return and afterwards, all the hardships she will endure, my first family dinner with her after so long. Robin… Robin wasn't supposed to be there, for any of this. He doesn't belong with neither Hoshido or Nohr, or this world. He's nobody, and yet his presence is so strong, Destiny has been defiled." Mikoto said with a mix of extreme relief and dread.

"Isn't denying Destiny her chosen course for the best, your survival is for the best for all of us, none more than Corrin." Azura argued with a hint of anger over Mikoto's choices. "You should've told us the truth and done more."

"Every time I tried to deny fate I end up making things worse, all the animosity I've received from my own people because of poor decisions I made because I try to prevent bad events that were supposed to happen but I continued to make mistakes. Again and again." Mikoto said now more bitterly than Azura had ever seen her behave. "I'm not strong enough to change Fate, I'm chained to a life I can never truly control, not even for the sake of my family. And now Corrin will be dragged by the same chains as well and there is no way out, even if that sword she has truly is the Sword of Salvation. My beautiful daughter is not strong at all for what's coming."

"She has to be, we've run away from our troubles long enough. The Yato is the key to Mankind's freedom towards all oppression. And Kaze and Rinkah have seen her wield the blade to slay Grimm, if she wasn't chosen by the sword than the blade wouldn't be able to cut anything." Azura remarked. "And if Corrin really can't do it then perhaps Robin can lead the charge. The Yato also chose him, I've seen it come to him back in Notre Sagesse."

"Then why isn't he wielding the Yato now then! Why is Corrin still following the cruel course set out for her still." Mikoto demanded.

"I don't know, but though the answer may elude us it is not lost to us yet." Azura stated.

* * *

The Day of Fate has finally come as Corrin stares at the plains known as Kurosaki that is wide open and situated near the border between the two great warring nations, vast as far as the eye could see, only stopped by the mountain range border in the far distance, green, rolling hills swept outwards, with a river that flows through it with several bridges that allow safe passage. Corrin can feel several Dragon Veins around, each with different capabilities. She is now above in the sky with Robin who continues to hold her by wrapping his arm around her waist, able to see everything in Kurosaki, such as the Hoshidan army preparing for the long awaited showdown with their dark counterparts, Ryoma leading the thousands of strong men and women, Takumi and Hinoka beside him, along with all their respective retainers. There are so many types of soldiers that make up their forces, the ones that catches Corrin's attention the most are the Sky Knights divided between the Riders of Pegasus and Kinshi with Hinoka no doubt leading them.

Advancing towards them in strict, regimented units was the Nohrian army, stretching from one end of the plains to the other. Try as Hoshido might, they could never match the military force of a country bred from war. Legions of cavalry advanced with spears held aloft, berserkers stomped out war beats, the Wyvern Brigade danced their intricate and ritualistic battle ceremony in the sky, and the Dark Mages scattered throughout the army were busy casting dark hexes of power over their allies. There was no doubt; Nohr was the power to Hoshido's elegance. But that is not what catches Corrin's attention, but the other forces of the army, which are the Grimm.

There are so many of them, Beowolves, Ursai, Titanboas and Creeps right beside the humans of Nohr, and they are not hostile towards them, they stand with the Nohrians as allies, just as she was told. So it's all true then.

And there are other types of those monsters that she hasn't seen yet, like ones that are boar-like with cloven-feet, a line of hair sprouting from their spines, snub snout, and tusks, four eyes and a bone-like masks that seem to be strapped to their faces by a black vein-like organic tether. They have a series of plates along its back and on its thighs, and two extra sets of tusks, including two large curving tusks. However, their underside is comparatively under-protected and vulnerable, with little to no body armor or shielding. Boarbatusks.

Up next are gorilla-like Grimm. Like many of the other Grimm in the deadly army, they are covered in black skin, with bone-like plates covering their bodies at certain places like armor. A red pattern or symbol resembling an eye is present on their back, and also all appear to have "burnt" skin, with an internal red glow visible from within, where the skin is thinnest. They have well-developed hands with opposable thumbs. They are quite large, at almost twice the height of a human. Beringels.

Then there is the giant scorpion-like Grimm that unlike most of its kin instead have jet-black exoskeleton underneath several white, bonelike plates upon their backs, which are adorned with red markings. The more prominent attributes of these Grimm are the glowing golden stingers on their tails that look like they can glow in the dark to lure greedy pray because of it seemingly being made of gold. They also each have a pair of large pincers that they can use to defend themselves and grab/cut into their targets. Finally, they have ten red eyes and unique markings. Death Stalkers.

The most massive Grimm that have to be twenty stories tall at the shoulder resemble Elephants, black bodies, with giant, white tusks, and white and red patch on their foreheads. Like most Grimm, they have bony, white protrusions on their bodies, with a massive row of them going down their spines. Goliaths.

Flying alongside the Wyvern Riders are Nevermores, accompanied by other flying Grimm, like hornet-like Grimm that have three-segmented black bodies with three sets of legs. They have white armored mask and armor along their backs. On the back of their abdomens, the armor is in four overlapping plates. They have jagged pincers, antenna, four red transparent wings and a stinger. Lancers.

Next are another bird-like Grimm that have the heads, wings and talons of large predatory bird and the rear legs, tail and bodies of a lion, black fur and feathers, with white bone-like spines on their bodies, including a row of bony spikes on their wings, as well as a white birdlike skulls. On their heads, they have bone-white beaks and four red eyes, along with gray webbing on the sides of their beaks. Griffons.

Two more types of flying Grimm, One that have the bodies and heads of lions, wings of predatory birds and scorpion tails. They also have black fur and feathers, with white bone-like spines on their bodies, including white lion skulls and large, crown-like manes of bone. Each have a pair of bull horns also protrudes from the skulls. Manticores.

The final type of Grimm so far strongly resembles the lion-like grimms but have more slender, furry, feline bodies and large feathered wings, with four-crested bone masks, and white snakes for tails. Sphinxes.

But what really bothers her the most is that even from her distance she can see them, her family from Nohr, Xander, Camilla, Leo, and even Elise of all people are with their army as well. Brothers Xander and Leo riding their armored steeds with their Sacred Treasures in hand. Camilla is standing beside them, along with her favorite and most loyal Wyvern. The winged creatures that are believed to be the sister species to the long thought extinct dragon race have always been of great fascination to Nohrians, Camilla being their best rider so far that holds a lot of compassion for them, her personal wyvern; Escanor being the main example. Elise is next to them, her healing staff in hand as she is a gifted prodigy in the healing arts of magic, credited as Nohr's best healer, and she is riding on top one of those Griffons that remains on the ground, and she's even petting it, though it looks apathetic towards her contagious affections but at least it's not hostile because the Royal Family of Nohr really have power over them, they would never harm them, only protect them. And yet… they didn't hesitate to try and kill her. Corrin was still in denial of not really being blood related to them, but now it's all so painfully clear.

"How did they even managed to get so many of their forces pass the Bottomless Canyon and avoid the Corrupted Dragon Veins unharmed. They don't look like they've lost much of their forces." Corrin wondered.

"They must've used Warp Tomes, powerful spellbooks that allow one to teleport into locations the caster has personally been to." Robin explained. "To be able to send so many of their forces here must've taken a lot of casters so they clearly didn't bring all their Mages, that's where the Grimm come in."

"Odd how Leo never mentioned such magic to me." Corrin wondered.

"That's a mystery for another day."

"Is there really no way to stop this without violence?" Corrin asked bitterly, the answer so obvious but unacceptable in her heart.

"Not for the Hoshidans at this very moment. In their eyes clouded by wrath every life they take, every yard they gain they will be avenging years of oppression and insults to their sovereignty. For them to refuse to fight now and resolve things peacefully will torment many of them internally for not being able to let all their frustration and rage out. It may damage some of them mentally." Robin explained as best he can about what he has witnessed and heard of their antagonistic rivalry against Nohr. And Corrin remains silent by that statement, not sure how to respond yet. "Both sides are ready and will strike in no time and these beautiful plains will be bathed in blood. I sure hope you know what you're doing because this is really the most regrettable thing I have ever seen so far, and I have little understanding of regret."

"I can't just sit in the sidelines while these people begin to slaughter each other, and look at all those monsters, the Hoshidans don't stand a chance." Corrin argued.

"I know, but even if we do manage to stop them now, they will start again another day and we may not be there to stop it. Whatever happens today will change the route of our lives." Robin predicted.

Their debate is halted as the white duo are caught up by the roaring sounds below as both armies at last attack, the plains about to be drenched in the cries of anger, resentment, and pain. Both sides believed, fanatically, in their cause, one side are desperate for resources after so long and have reached their breaking point while another want to preserve their way of living and continue to not get involve in the troubles of outsiders, regardless of how dire the situation. To Corrin's horror, the one that Ryoma is setting his sights on first is none other than her other elder brother of Nohr, leading the dark army; Xander, also aiming towards Ryoma. Both have fought before, both are viewed as the strongest of their respective kingdoms, both are the heir to their respective thrones, the idols of their respective families. Their rivalry will only fuel the fires of hate.

"Take me down there now! Having me in the middle of all this should stop them!" Corrin pleaded.

"Yeah! Briefly!" Robin hissed as he does so by flying down as fast as he can, landing right between both armies and the first one to notice are Xander and Ryoma, and as Corrin hoped, the sight of their sister in the middle of all this forced them to stop and they both simultaneously raise their Sacred Swords in the air, firing bolts of lightning and dark energy for their respective armies to see.

"HALT!" At once the two Heirs screamed everyone to stop, and they almost don't but quickly they all do so and remain on standby, so close to sink their blades, arrows, magic, and for the Nohrians, beasts into each other.

"CORRIN! What are you doing here!" Ryoma demanded. "You should be recovering from what was done to you."

"Sister! You're alive!" Xander cried in relief to finally reunite with his young sister after so many days of worry. "They haven't hurt you, have they?"

"Big brother." Corrin spoke up next so relief to see him again after so long apart. "I'm… not sure how to respond to that yet but how I feel doesn't matter now. Why are you here Xander?"

"Iago and his Dark Mages assured us that today is the day to strike against Hoshido, and I wasn't going to wait any longer while you remained here rotting by Hoshidan hands." Xander informed.

"Iago said that…?" Corrin repeated in confusion.

"What's more, father wants us to show our true strength. If we can conquer Hoshido here and now, we can avoid unnecessary bloodshed." Xander continued.

"You can't…" Corrin stops her words as she looks to see the rest of her siblings moving forward to greet their sister.

"Dear! I was so worried about you. Don't ever wander away from me again." Camilla greeted as motherly as usual, while on top of Escanor.

"There you are, sister. I'm glad you're okay. After what we heard happened, you must have the devil's own luck to have lasted this long on your own." Leo said also relief.

"I told you she would be okay! Big sister is the best!" Elise cheered with an ecstatic grin.

"Camilla, Leo, Elise!" Corrin uttered, a whirlpool of emotions going wild inside her, not sure how to respond to all this and the need to ask if Garon kidnapping her, much less about Wrath being planned was all true have both been buried into her mind.

"Keep your distance Corrin! These four are the Underworld's Princes and Princesses!" Ryoma warned his sister before turning to Robin. "Robin! Get her out of here, now!"

"I…" Robin is left in silence with Hinoka rushing to the scene with her Pegasus, with Takumi and Sakura not far behind.

"Nohrian Scum! First you kidnap her, now you lie to her? Corrin is MY sister, not yours! How dare you!" The Oldest Princess of Hoshido scoffed, years of venom and hate sowing in her voice, finally the perfect chance to express them presented before her.

"Hinoka…" Corrin barely whispered, visibly shaking as the moment Robin dreaded is now here, and it's too late now.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken. Corrin is my sweet little sister, and you may not have her. Not that she would want you, anyway." Camilla remarked, her kind expression now gone and replace with animosity mainly at Hinoka for her audacious words while she strokes her Wyvern. If Corrin recalls correctly, whenever someone angers Camilla, she would often try to calm herself by seeking Escanor's surprisingly gentle presence, stroking him is a sign that she is trying her best to show restraint apart from typically showing him her affections. And at this very moment it is a remarkable thing to do considering they are in a battlefield.

"Camilla… don't." Corrin pleaded, getting worse. "Brothers. Sisters. Please, it doesn't have to be this way. War here will only mean bloodshed and sorrow. There must be… there is a way to settle all this without using our blades."

"Ah… Little Princess, it both saddens and pleases me to see that even now you remain a light of Nohr alongside Elise, however such thoughts are also ill and can still bring more harm than good in certain moments, like right now." Xander said, sadness in his voice, likely because he is the only one besides Robin so far that is noticing her distraught state before becoming more serious. "Those days are gone now, Nohr tried negotiating, we have pleaded with our Brethren of the Light to give us aid and received only hollow words in the end. Words gets us nowhere but deeper into a hunger crisis. Do you propose we return to our father and mother, King Garon and Queen Arete empty handed with nothing to feed their people? Our will, our mercy has been taken for granted long enough!"

"Who are you to speak of mercy!" Ryoma's own inner hatred reaching the surface as he steps forward to Xander and takes an attacking stance. "Nohr has bullied our borders, slain our countrymen, and sent horrific beasts to rape our lands, all while deeming us the evil ones! It is our good will that has been taken for granted and now the day of reckoning has finally come!"

"As if anything can be expected of those blinded by so much light. This is the true nature of the world you have dreamt of seeing with your own eyes for so long, Corrin. What father, mother and I have strived to prepare you for. War cannot be solved easily. Words cannot fix scars." Xander declared. "This is how things must be."

Ryoma scoffs at what he views as hypocritical nonsense and lies as he turns to Corrin and holds up a hand out for her.

"Corrin, cease this vain effort for your make belief peace. Do not try to shoulder the burden of all this evil on your own anymore. I have accepted the horrors of today, tomorrow and forward. Made peace with the fact that I am leading my country into a war that will claim thousands of lives. All that I ask today is that I don't lose you."

Corrin stepped back. "Wh… What are you saying?"

"Leave now my sister, return to Suzanoh, to mother, where it will be safe for now. I don't want you to see what's coming next." Ryoma pleaded with her, apparently he also realized what all of this is doing to her, as if a dragon of disease coming out of her womb wasn't traumatic enough. "If your heart still holds a place for these four then you must not see what must be done."

Xander shook his head violently. "Do not listen to him, Corrin! I am your brother! I… I Confess, I have always known of your true lineage. But blood ties do not decide who your family is. Love and loyalty do, and I have given my all for you, just as mother, Camilla, Leo and Elise have." The Crown Prince felt anxious for confessing that bombshell but does not relent as he too extends his hand to her. "Come back to me, Little Princess and let me be your shield once again. We're your family!"

"You knew…" Corrin gasped, his words doing more harm but the positive effect was still received.

"No, don't listen to him Corrin! Nohr isn't your home, Hoshido is!" Hinoka pleaded with her.

Takumi and Sakura have remained silent upon reaching the front line and watching the entire scene unfold and stood behind Ryoma. Takumi simply stared at Corrin, waiting for her to decide. Sakura took a shaky step forward, mustering all her confidence.

"B-big sister…!" Was all Sakura could muster, not sure of what she can really say to convince Corrin, mainly because Corrin's broken state of mind is more visible now. What's worse is that Sakura's words had a negative impact on another young princess in the group of ten.

"SHE'S MY SISTER!" Elise yelled in a tone of anger that no one has ever seen her show before, and it seems like her Griffon can feel her jealous anger as it turns to Sakura and makes a furious roar, threatening to strike her down, forcing Takumi to pull her sister behind him for her protections. "MINE!"

Corrin can do nothing but look back and forth between her two families, the tears streaming down, pure despair in her face, combined with a massive headache as she places both her hands on her face.

"My sweet sister, what's wrong?!" Camilla asked with concern, only now noticing her condition and can only worry while wishing she could go and hug her tightly and never let go.

"STOP CALLING HER THAT!" Hinoka screamed in respond to her counterpart's words, not sure if she can restraint herself anymore, worsening things more for Corrin.

"What's the hold off Corrin?" Leo demanded. "Let's finish this nightmare already so we can take you back home all the sooner."

"Quit stalling and decide already!" Takumi is harsher than anyone and seemed to have the biggest impact as Corrin begins to growl and her body surges with a red aura that erupts from her like a shockwave, though it does nothing to Robin it does startle all eight siblings, presumably doing them harm, and causes all the nearby Grimm to become agitated, Elise's Griffon looking ready to attack and almost knocks the Princess off it.

"Easy, easy!" Elise pleaded with the monster as she pets it again, and it immediately relaxes.

"Shit! She's pulling something out of her again!" Takumi is the most agitated, looking ready to attack.

"No, she's not!" Hinoka shouted at him.

"I swear, if another bastard comes out of her, I will shoot her before it does!" Takumi warned, fearful of another Dragon coming out again, readying his Fujin Yumi to fire.

"Brother! What are you doing?!" Sakura cried in horror.

"Takumi put your yumi down now!" Ryoma commanded furiously. Takumi is stopped by Leo with Brynhildr in retaliation but only as a warning as he uses the dark magic from the tome to create or summon a tree, one with a missing top to come up from on top of Takumi, causing his Hoshidan Counterpart to trip and fall to the ground but his Sacred Treasure never left his hand.

"Just try it, you raging dog!" Leo scoffed in defense of Corrin.

"You claim to love her and still you point your weapons at her like some animal! Worthless Fiends!" Xander shouted with malice.

"You be quiet! You have no business with the situations with my family!" Ryoma snapped with his own malice. "Your father has done enough when he murdered ours in cold blood!"

"Again with that false accusation against my family! The Light will do anything to burn those who do not stand with it, it seems." Xander scoffed.

"Please… Please no more! Don't make me choose. There's a better way to solve this! There has to be." Corrin pleaded with them to stop as she's only getting worse to the point that she can't even breathe.

"Corrin!" Robin can do nothing but hold her tightly, giving her as much comfort as he possibly can as he has no idea how to stop this madness either.

The two heir cease their argument and see how worse it has gotten for their sister and can only feel regret.

"There is no other way out of this, Little Princess, it has to be this way."

"I'm so sorry it has to come to this, Corrin. But I trust you can make the right decision."

She's dead. That's the only thing that makes sense, she died and did something in her past that she can't remember that landed her in Hell. Or at the very least is in the process of dying, her life slipping pass the mortal coil, with her broken mind showing her nightmares for no reason that is perhaps giving an accurate depiction of the horror of dying she feels. Anything other than this reality. Her reality! But it's real, all of it and there is no getting out. How can she possibly choose between two families? What sane person could find a logical answer in such a disaster?

On one hand, it seems so simple, choose the family you've known your whole life, her Nohrian siblings have made it clear that they love her, bloodlines be damned and they are all she knows and really has left besides for Robin. But… Garon, her father… all of her doubts are pointed towards him. She wants so badly to believe that he didn't do it, that he didn't planned for that dragon to be put inside her just to take out Mikoto's barrier but the Grimm, the chaos they can bring, all this darkness.

On the other hand, Mikoto, Ryoma, Hinoka, Sakura, Azura, hell, even Takumi to some extent, are all wonderful who love their people and don't really want to go to war. They're so kind but based on everything she learned they don't understand what is going on outside of their borders and can't seem to comprehend why the Nohrians are doing this, not that they ever gave a proper explanation. Too much Light and Too much Darkness, there's no Balance. Everything is falling apart. There's no clear right answer to any of this at all.

One thing is clear though, the next words that come out of Corrin's mouth will not be coming out of a sound mind.

"Xander… withdraw your troops." The choice has been made, with the Nohrian siblings looking at Corrin with confusion, shock, sadness and betrayal.

"Corrin! What are you saying? Do you really mean to stand against us after everything we've been through?" Xander demanded, looking the most betrayed.

"NOOOO! I just… I just… I can't stand for any of this! I never believed in Nohr's cause, I never wanted to fight!" Corrin cried out as she faces the Crown Prince. "I don't want to leave Nohr's people behind to starve but I can't let you hurt Hoshido either! These lands aren't yours to take!"

"Sweetheart, you're just confuse. You're under a lot of stress after being with these cowards for so long." Camilla spoke up next, trying to make sense of this new unforeseen outcome.

"Yes! That has to be it. I don't know what horrors you've endured after being with these fiends but it's painfully obvious that your heart has been torn in two and can no longer see right from wrong anymore. Very well, Little Princess, as your 'True' Older Brother, it is my duty to make you whole again." Xander declared as he points his sword at the Hoshidan Siblings, who are the true source of his newfound hatred. "You're coming back home with us even if you think you don't want to, and once this is over you will find clarity!"

"Over my dead body, my foolish blind dusk counterpart!" Ryoma shouted. "I will put an end to all this once and for all!"

"No!" Corrin cried out.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Xander scorned. "When we last fought, I spared you to focus my efforts on saving my retainers. I shall now retract my kindness for your unforgivable act against my family by bathing my dark blade with your blood!"

"Time to see where your true loyalty lies." Takumi said, more ready than ever for this.

"I'll be your shield, Corrin! They won't take you from us again!" Hinoka declared, her resolve now strengthen.

"I'm r-ready. I won't let them hurt you, Corrin."

"NO! NO! STOP!" Corrin pleaded for them to stop but they fall on deaf ears once again and both armies, the ones in the front at least heard most of the argument and ready themselves to fight with those behind them doing the same.

"Corrin! We got to move now." Robin shouted to her, ready to fly them away from this fight, though Robin plans on coming back to try and force the Nohrians to fall back.

How… Why? Corrin's mind raced, unable to comprehend why the Gods had seen fit to put her in the center of all this chaos. WHY? WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WWHHYYYYYYY?!

Corrin did not remember much after that. The world became a blur of red and blue, pain and destruction. But everyone could see, and what they saw brought terror. Corrin became enveloped in a burning red aura, starting at her hands and spreading all over her. It glows so white hot that Robin and the warring siblings are forced to look away before the shockwaves blast them all away from the now truly broken Princess. When next they looked back, it was not their friend and middle sister that stood over at the center of this carnage.

There now stood a huge monster with four pointed legs, like the delicate legs of a deer, ending with black feet that looked like human hands. Pure white plated skin, stooped over onto all fours, and with a long neck ending in a head with seemingly no eyes. An ancient dragon. Corrin had transformed into an ancient dragon. The beast stood, shaky on its legs, standing for the first time.

"CORRIN!" Elise and Sakura cried out in horror of what's become of their big sister.

"How can this be!" Hinoka gasped horrified.

"Oh, great, instead of a dragon coming out of her again, she instead becomes one!" Takumi protested but is still equally horrified.

"Mother spoke the truth." Ryoma looks at his transformed sister more in awe than horror, as he also knew about this hidden power inside Corrin.

"All this misery has awaken the monster inside her once again." Xander cursed also aware of Corrin's inner power and has seen her in this form before.

"NO!" Camilla cried.

"What have they done to you, Corrin!" Leo shouted, rashly holding the Hoshidans responsible for what's become of her.

"She's the Manakete the Sage warned me about." Robin gasped.

Both armies stand still once again, fear holding them steady. All the kingdoms know of the legendary Dragon Race, and their tremendous power, but have long been thought extinct, and here now one stands before them, though it lacks the common lizard-like traits they are so accustom to, they know that not all dragons have the same features and that this monster truly is a Dragon.

The Ancient Dragon lay there silent looking down on all before she paws the ground with her feet and makes a truly terrifying and ferocious roar of pure anguish that can be heard across all of Kurosaki before what looks like water and blue glowing energy starts to manifest around her, and this causes all the Grimm to turn completely hostile, and without receiving any orders, they all attack, to strike down the Ancient Dragon, except for the Griffon Elise is riding on who lowers itself on its knees to use itself as a shield for the still knocked down Princess to keep her safe as Corrin releases a geyser of water from her mouth, perhaps, that strikes at all the nearby Grimm, vaporizing them instantly, and also strikes at so many of Nohr's soldiers and dark mages but did not hit any of the Nohrian Siblings.

"Corrin! STOP THIS!" Xander cried out to her but she will not listen, she's too far gone. However, not even Hoshido is spared as she also attacks the army of her birthright, catching them off guard and strikes down so many. Both sides have received the first set of casualties. Now the War has truly begun.

"She's lost her sanity! ATTACK!" Takumi screamed loudly for all the Hoshidans to hear and immediately they all charge, the Nohrians do so as well, finally letting their fury out in the open.

The Grimm make the first move with Nevermores, firing their razor sharp feathers, Lancers by firing their stingers while they are still visibly attached to its body even though they each release so many, while the Sphinxes and Manticores shoot fireballs from their mouth, and Griffons instead release gusts of wind.

The Hoshidan Mages, the Diviners counterattack as they each hold scrolls that they use as conduits for their magic just like regular mages use books and from the scrolls they summon spirits of animals that range from rats, ox, tigers, rabbits, snakes, horses, sheep, monkeys, birds, and even dragons, some of which are made of elements and aim them after the enemy projectiles, creating a series of explosions in the air, most of them manage to hit the Grimm but they hardly face them, while the Diviners who took the hits were not as fortunate with few of them die on impact, fewer got injured while the rest manage to avoid the hit and continue their barrages.

A Beringel begins a berserk assault on Samurais, pounding on them without mercy, bashing their skulls and breaking every bone in their bodies with just one hit of its large arms, some of them managed to hold their own but only for a brief moment, as they are killed regardless. The Beringel then sets its sights on a new prey, which is Takumi's samurai retainer, Hinata. It picks up one of the samurai corpses and throws it straight at Hinata, as the Retainer charges forward towards the demon gorilla. Hinata does not halt and makes a swift slip and slide as the body of his fallen samurai brother flies pass him with him dead set on eliminating the monster, making a quick leap to sink its sword at it from above, with the Beringel ready to easily break the katana with its fist. However, Hinata receives assistance from his partner, Oboro, Hoshido's best spear fighter, as she wields a special spear specifically design to slay creatures with animal traits, like the Grimm, a Beast Killer. Stabbing the spear through the right abdomen, the Beringel screams in pain, losing its focus as Hinata delivers the finishing blow by stabbing his katana into its mouth, pinning it to the ground, killing it as it disintegrates.

The two Retainers exchange looks over their kill, but it is short lived as a Creep bursts out of the ground behind Hinata, about to sink its teeth at him, luckily a quick arrow moves pass him and hits the Creep through the right eye hard enough that it knocks it back and it instead lands on the Samurai's left side, Oboro not wasting the opportunity to strike it down.

"WHOA! That was a close one, thanks Lord Takumi." Hinata turns to meet his savior in gratitude but to his surprise, it was really Hinoka's retainer, Setsuna.

"No problem. It really sucks to be mistaken for someone else, but oh well." Setsuna said with her usual tired and unconcern tone, even in the midst of all this chaos, while Hinata remains baffled over his mistake. Takumi shoots arrows made of tangible wind magic, how did he mistake that for a regular arrow made of steel. The distraction, leaves Setsuna unprepared to defend herself against a Knight of Nohr about to impale her with his spear but she is saved by two shurikens that hit the knight in his unprotected armpit and neck, slowly killing him as he hits the ground. And only now does the Archer notice the danger she was in.

"Oh, thank you Saizo." She turns to her savior in gratitude, however she too made a mistake as it was actually Saizo's twin brother, Kaze who is now busy trying to avoid fireballs being shot at him by a Dark Mage with Sakura's retainer Hana assisting him. "Oh, my mistake, guess today is not our day."

"Yeah…" Hinata muttered.

"You're both idiots!" Oboro shouted as she goes to face off against a Paladin, using a different spear surging with electricity.

Corrin rampages through the battlefield, attacking members of both armies, making no discrimination between them with none able to defend themselves. Her desire for both sides to stop fighting perverted by her anguish and now wants to stop them by ending their lives, stomping on any soldier beneath her might. A Nevermore aims to stop her by stomping on her with its talons, but the dragon is faster and swiftly dodges and with a mighty and swift swing from her long tail, the Feral Corrin slices the Nevermore's legs, causing it to fall down and on top of Nohrians and Hoshidans fighting. She then jumps on top of it, landing close to its neck, and with her bare hands swiftly tears off the demon bird's head off its body, with the crushed men and women critically injured or dead.

Robin fights his way through the battlefield, trying to reach Corrin as the waves from her transformation pushed him pretty far and he couldn't reach her because of all the carnage and her rushing randomly everywhere but repeatedly he is forced to stop, being attacked by both sides of this war, either because none recognized him, with Nohr is more understandable since he spend most of his time in the Northern Fortress with Corrin or because they saw him as the one who brought Corrin here in the first place and started her carnage, regardless the Great Mage has no time for them.

A Spear Fighter attempts to stab him but Robin catches the weapon with his bare hand and with impressive strength he lifts and throws both the spear and its wielder aside, sending him crashing into a nearby cavalier, knocking both men and horse to the ground. He then narrowly avoids an axe wielder slamming his weapon on the ground instead, Robin then stomps his foot on the back side of the axe, forcing it to go deeper on the ground to the point where the Fighter couldn't lift it anymore, with Robin summoning his Tome out of thin air and uses it as a blunt weapon, hitting the Fighter in the face so hard, his nose breaks.

Robin then summons a bolt of lightning from his hands and uses it to blast a hole through a Beowolf that nearly gets him from behind but he noticed on time. Facing off next against a Death Stalker, the Demon thrusts its stinger at the Mage that he blocks by generating flames from his left palm that takes the form of a tangible lance that easily blocks the golden stinger and pushes it away from him, only to quickly throw the fire lance, cutting the stinger off the tail for it to land on the Death Stalker's head, stopping it on its tracks. Robin then flies off but not before firing a wind blast at the stinger, forcing it to go deeper into the head, killing the scorpion monster. Robin continues to pursue Corrin only to be stopped by a Goliath that hits him with its trunk, sending him crashing into a rather bulky Oni Chieftain.

Both try to get up, however another Goliath next to where they landed raises it's foot to stomp down on them, starting with the Oni Chieftain, who is incapable of moving out of the way in time and fruitlessly tries to defend himself by holding on to the Goliath's foot with his muscular bare hands but fails and gets squashed, his blood splattering on the ground and on the back of Robin who only now notices the Goliath as it stomps on him next but unlike the Oni Chieftain, Robin is physically stronger and succeeds in catching the foot with his hands alone and struggles to prevent himself from being squashed.

"Thoron!" Robin shouted and his Tome responds to his command, empowering his arms with magical electricity and from both palms he fires a mighty straight lined lightning bolt that not only pushes the Goliath's foot away, it vaporizes it completely, along with its head, killing the giant Grimm, freeing Robin with him now breathing heavily and forces himself to stand up.

'I'm still worn out from all the magic I used off fighting that Dragon. But… I can't stop now.' Robin mused as he continues to get to Corrin.

Up above, there is another fierce battle going on, mainly between the Wyvern Knights and flying Grimm led by Princess Camilla versus the Sky Knights led by Princess Hinoka, with the two Princesses only concern with each other. The two newly rivals clash with their axe and naginata respectively that are both magical and sparking with electricity.

"You will take nothing more from me!" Hinoka shouted enraged as she lifts her Bolt Naginata and shoots a bolt of lightning at Camilla, only for her Nohrian Counterpart to block with her Bolt Axe, that absorbs the lightning into it.

"You're the only thief here and none of you are getting Corrin! She's ours!" Camilla howled as she opens up her tome, as she too can use magic as a Malig Knight and fires a bullet-like stream of fire, directly at Hinoka, that the Sky Princess narrowly avoids, only to be then intercepted by a Manticore, that she faces head on by jumping out of her Pegasus and towards the demon and succeeds in striking first and slices the lionhead in two with her weapon. Her victory is short lived as Camilla charges at her again, aiming to maim her with her axe that Hinoka manages to also block.

Camilla's stunt ended up blowing Hinoka further in the air and miraculously lands on top of Escanor and behind Camilla, and she will not waste this opportunity as she swings her naginata only to hit the axe instead. Camilla parries it off but cannot evade Hinoka's next move as she places her lance around Camilla's neck with the aim to strangle her. Camilla is physically stronger than her so she should have no trouble getting out of this mess but Hinoka is able to keep things in her favor by kicking Camilla on her back, pushing her neck back under the naginata's hold. Sensing his master in danger, Escanor makes a risky move by flying upwards, forcing the two princesses off of him, and sending them falling from the sky, which allows Camilla to free herself from Hinoka's hold and in spite of the situation they're in the two stubborn Sisters continue to clash with their weapons while falling.

"MILADY!" The nearby Riders of both kingdoms cried out in unison, watching their princesses fall to their deaths and without thinking, they hastily fly down to save them, along with the nearest Manticores, Sphinxes and Lancers.

"Big Sister!" Elise cried as she and her Griffon fly towards the two, using her own magic tome, she summons a small tornado in the air, that does not touch the ground that catches the two Princess and hurls them back up and Camilla lands on a Lancer that saves her while Sakura's second retainer, Subaki catches Hinoka by her hand and throws her to a nearby unmounted Pegasus that just so happens to be Hinoka's personal Pegasus, Rukia. Escanor also makes it back to Camilla as she jumps off the Lancer and back to the only creature she ever wants to be her mount.

"Are you okay? Holds still as I make you feel better." Elise asked as she gets closer to Camilla, quickly noticing how exhausted and hurt her eldest sister is and begins to heal her using her staff. While she does this, both Grimm and Wyvern Knights form a defensive circle around the two Princesses, keeping all enemies at bay long enough for Elise to finish her work and they don't have to hold on for long as Camilla feels all better.

"Aw… thank you darling. Now fly along, these pigeons are all mine." Camilla instructed her baby sister before turning to an agitated Hinoka as she and her knights are ready for another round. Elise makes no arguments as she takes off with both sides resuming their conflict.

Elise's Griffon keeps a fair distance from both battles above and below as she searches around for allies that need healing, so far the Hoshidans are preoccupied with Grimm, saving her human forces much trouble to dirtying their hands entirely but are still at the front. She eventually spots two Dark Mages injured after fighting off a Swordmaster and plans to aid them next, however she fails to notice some of the Hoshidan Archers aiming their bows at her and do not hesitate to shoot the Princess down but she is saved by a Sphinx who takes all the arrows that don't even faze it. Afterwards it makes a feline-like yet monstrous howling that draws the attention of a lot of Lancers that focus their attention on the same archers that dare attack their young princess and shoot their stingers at them without them noticing, killing them all each painfully. Those same Lancers then surround Elise, acting as shields for her with the Sphinx close as well. Elise never noticed the arrows and just assumes that the Grimm are only guarding her because it is their purpose.

Before Elise could reach the dark mages she also notices Robin as he tries to make it to Corrin only to be attacked by more Grimm.

"Hey! What are they doing, Robin's on our side." Elise protested before turning to the Sphinx. "Mr. Tinkles, tell your siblings to leave Robin alone. The Whitehead Mage with the white coat."

The Sphinx does as it is told and flies off towards Robin, about to face four Boarbatusks, but Elise's Sphinx makes its command howling again, and all the nearby Grimm stop attacking Robin and turn away, focusing on the Hoshidans.

"Well this is curious but not really important right now." Robin said curious before resuming his chase.

"This can't go on!" Leo protested as he uses his magic to summon tree branches from the ground with enough force that they impale fourteen Diviners that were about to overpower some Dark Mages, killing them instantly while his gaze are focus on his feral sister's senseless rampage on both sides.

"She'll kill everyone if we don't take her down now." Takumi shouted as he fires a mighty arrow that instantly penetrates the heavy armor of a General, killing him as the majestic arrow leaves a huge hole on him but the Arrow doesn't stop there as it also hits three Boarbatusks at a farther distance in a straight line. The Prince then turns to Saizo, the stern and faithful ninja throwing some shurikens at some knights who are no more than an inconvenience to his master, Ryoma as they charge to fight him but are cut down by him instead. "Saizo, get some Dragon Scroll users here, if they can penetrate through Wyverns they will certainly work on an actual dragon, even if it's to a minor extent."

"I fear we have no choice." Ryoma regrettably admitted, as Corrin needs to be put down for her own good, as well for his soldiers, but definitely not out. "Be quick about it, Saizo!"

"Right!" The Redhead Ninja replied as he leaves the scene in a hurry to make it back just as fast.

Ryoma confronts several Grimm, seven Ursai, one Titanboa, three Manticores and one Death Stalker on his own, the divine lightning of his Holy Sword surges through him, and with seemingly lightning speed he swiftly cuts down all monsters who come his way, saving the Death Stalker for last, narrowly avoiding the scorpion's pincer-like arm by leaping passed it and lands on top of the Death Stalker, forcing it to try and stab him with the stinger of its tail but Ryoma acts first, swiftly cutting off the tail entirely before returning to the top of its head and impales his sword, through the exoskeleton and into its brain, if these demons really have any, considering their lack of will.

As Ryoma jumps off the dead Grimm, he ends up parrying against Siegfried with Raijinto as Xander attacks and the two Princes begin their long awaited rematch.

Leo sets his sights on Takumi, choosing him as his main target, him being is own dawn counterpart but first has to worry about Corrin who is still rampaging through the plains. In the nick of time, a Manticore that has been knocked out of the sky due to the aerial battle lands next to the Dark Knight Prince and is about to fly back up but halts when Leo raises his right arm, earning its attention.

"We need to fully ensure our troops maintain the advantage in numbers, get that dragon's attention and lure her to Hoshido's side, in particular where their healers are." Leo instructed and the Manticore obeys and flies off straight towards where Corrin is while Leo focuses on Takumi, who too notices him. "Now then… let see how sharp those arrows really are."

"Nohrian Scum!" Takumi shouted as he fires one mighty arrow while Takumi fires a lance-like attack of dark energy, the clash of both attacks, releases a mighty shockwave that blew everyone nearby away, including Xander and Ryoma but the two younger Princes remain standing.

A Great Knight and Master of Arms both scream in agony simultaneously as Corrin grabs both of them with her hands and is about to crack their heads open but is stopped by the Manticore Leo send after her, ramming itself over Corrin's head, almost knocking her to the ground but that doesn't happen and she releases her two latest preys to focus on this foolish demon. The Manticore flies off from her and fires a fireball at her face but it only agitates her enough to completely focus on the flying lion flying off to the Hoshidan side and Corrin mindlessly flies after it, firing another stream of water but the beast managed to dodge each blow, trying to stay alive until it brings her towards Leo's chosen target and they make it to where Sakura is with the other Shrine Maidens and Monks are about to heal recently injured soldiers.

"Look out!" One of the monks cried out as they turn to see the Feral Dragon fire a mightier water breath that the Manticore could not evade and gets hit, along with several injured Hoshidans that were brought in, able to make it out of the front line now all dead without mercy, so close to salvation. Sakura cries out in horror with Kagero dragging her out of the way before they can get hit. Corrin's water attacks are so thick that they can probably cut through iron, Sakura had better not seen what it does to human flesh.

With her current target now gone, Corrin looks for another with lots of Hoshidans to choose from, and tragically sets her sights on Sakura with Kagero, Orochi and Azama stepping in front of her for defense.

"Big Sister! Stop this! You're not in your right mind!" Sakura pleaded with her big sister to stop her madness but it falls on deaf ears as Corrin steps forward to attack with Sakura's current defenders not backing down.

"Ah, what a pity that this is how it must end, and no Nirvana either, instead I get stuck with three violent women with no real class." Azama said rudely.

"You better hope we die today or you won't see tomorrow anyway." Orochi said with a scowl.

Orochi's may get the chance to fulfill her threat as Robin arrives at the scene, using his wind magic to strongly propel himself like an arrow towards Corrin and manages to knock her to the ground, while he lands on the other side. The two get up at the same time with Robin as Corrin's new target.

"Corrin! I get where you're coming from, you're in a place where you see no way out but with Death but there IS another path." Robin said as he places his hand on one of the pages of his tome and from all the magic swirling in it he picks up a blue round stone that comes out of it. "I can show you the way."

His words also fall on deaf ears as Corrin attacks him, with him taking to the sky and her in hot pursuit, subsequently leading her to the middle of all this carnage again with her firing a powerful water ball and he counters with a wind spell with icy properties.

"Fimbulvetr!" He shouted as the two attacks clash, making a shockwave like the one Leo and Takumi caused but much stronger as it spreads further, knocking many more above and below with few of the fliers managing to keep themselves in the air. Robin and Corrin end up crash landing, and what can be best described as a coincidence or fate, Corrin now stands exactly where she first transformed, and as she stands back up, she remains still, breathing heavily, the exhaustion of her rampage finally getting to her, and her finally remaining silent causes everyone around to stare at her not sure what to do after that last attack, except ready themselves for what comes next as the Diviners wielding Scrolls with the power to kill dragon-like lifeforms are at the scene, ready for the worse.

Robin walks forward, again attempting to reach out to her.

"Corrin…" He began but again Corrin attacks, raising her left hand to grab him and Robin raises his right hand to block, both hands touch and hold each other tightly, much tighter for Corrin since she's trying to tear it off his body but still the White Mage persists.

"You're only bringing harm everywhere you go Corrin! You need to calm down and let us help you, before you truly lose yourself to the Dragon inside." Robin pleaded for her to listen as he is force to his knees.

"I… I…" Corrin's voice is heard coming from the Dragon but it is now deeper and distorted and it seems like she is struggling to speak. "I… I don't know what to do! I just want them to stop. I… just want to give in to the darkness, go back to my fortress where everything was… Silent. I want Silent."

"I can help you find it. All you have to do is take both my hands." Robin offered her his other hand that carries the blue round stone for her to take, and while at first hesitant, Corrin complies and reaches out for his other arm and upon touching the stone, both it and her shines in a brilliant blue light that illuminates Kurosaki, forcing everyone to avert their eyes and to the horror of the Nohrians and relief of the Hoshidans, the light causes a negative effect to the Grimm and wipes them all out. By the end of it, Corrin reverts back to normal and is now in Robin's arms.

The whole Plains of Kurosaki remains completely silent, again, unable to react to the sudden events, except for the Royals, as Corrin's adoptive and step siblings gather, each on the side of their respective armies.

"Big sister?" Elise and Sakura spoke up simultaneously.

"Has she found peace with the wrath of her true self?" Ryoma wondered.

Corrin slowly opens her eyes, finding herself being carried bridal style by Robin, and he can easily tell that she only has enough strength left in her to whisper.

"Corrin, I'm sorry for bringing this up yet again but you have to decide now, which side do you stand for." Robin whispered to her so only she can hear him. "But know that there is a third option; Choose neither. We can make a run for it now, both sides are heavily exhausted even if Hoshido now has the advantage at the moment. Run and we'll be hunted by both sides and you may lose everything but you won't betray anyone, not really. We can find another way." Corrin gives no reply but understands him completely.

"Robin." Xander spoke up next, getting the Mage's attention, the Crown Prince extending his hand, asking for his sister. "Bring her here, it's time for our family to become whole again."

"NO, Robin, you've seen for yourself that she belongs with us." Ryoma argued, extending his hand for the same reason. The rest of the siblings remaining quiet and waiting anxiously.

"Corrin?" Robin turns to her for an answer instead, whatever she decides, he will follow. The Broken Princess can only stare at her only friend left with a dead expression on her face as she makes her choice and whispers in his ears.

"So be it." Robin replied as his body begins to surge with pinkish flames that radiate magic so intense, the oxygen in the air feels like it will burn the lungs of anyone who breathes it forcing the royals to step away as Robin makes one final spell.

"BOLGANONE!" Robin roared and an earthquake occurs so strongly that a fissure opens up in the ground that spreads far and wide, both armies might mistake it for reaching two miles or more and from the fissure, comes out a massive wall of magma, reaching the sky, a farther altitude than any wyvern and pegasus has ever been able to reach, and worse of all, keeping the Nohrians away from Corrin.

"What are you doing Robin?!" Xander demanded in outrage.

"I'm so sorry, Prince Xander but Corrin has made her choice and doesn't have the will to go back now that she knows the truth." Robin declared, regret ever present in his face. "Thank you for everything you've done for us but this is where we part ways."

"YOU TRAITOR!" Xander roared out of hatred and betrayal.

"You're no longer in your homefield, Xander, your forces may be stronger but the Hoshidans are many and reinforcements should be on their way any moment to smite you all." Robin boasted, while turning to Ryoma, with the High Prince quickly knowing what he's referring to, recovering from the initial shock of Robin had just pulled off and develops new found confidence with Robin and Corrin siding with them.

"That's right! More of our army is coming and it won't be long now, and you got no more abominations left at the moment to save you. Consider this our final act of mercy, return to your Demon King and savor what's left of your humanity, Prince of Hell. Next time, I really will end you all." Ryoma declared boastfully.

"Xander, we can't stand up to so many without the Grimm to help us, we need to leave." Elise said, tears in her eyes for losing Corrin and their numbers are much smaller than when they arrived. Corrin took out so many in her feral state and they heavily relied on the Grimm for this invasion but there are none left.

"This Firewall is too intense and the altitude it's covering is higher than any Wyvern or Grimm is able to reach, by the time we come up with a new plan, their forces will have increased and we can't waste our warp magic on passing through either." Leo regrettably concluded. "We've lost this battle and have been betrayed twice."

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS ROBIN!" Camilla swore vengeance on the Mage they have foolishly brought into their lives, worse, into Corrin's life.

"RETREAT! EVERYONE FALL BACK TO THE CANYON!" Xander gave the order to retreat as they have no choice but to fall back, with the Nohrians wasting no time to run. This fight was a failure, and as they run they can hear the Hoshidans from the Bolganone wall cheer over their first victory in against their sworn enemies and it's a good thing that they did retreat because Robin and Ryoma were bluffing, there were no reinforcements coming, the amount they brought to fight is all they could call out at a moment's notice and the Nohrians were actually the ones who still had the higher numbers.

"AND DON'T COME BACK!" Takumi roared in triumph.

"My, what a spectacular battle that was, I can't wait for the next one." Reina said eagerly for more conflict as she, like the rest of the retainers go to regroup with the Royals.

"Now we rest Reina, but most of all, we prepare for when those battles do come." Ryoma decreed, having a heavy sigh of relief before turning to Robin and the now silent Corrin who had finally fallen into unconsciousness after everything that has been done. "Thank you, Robin, for bringing my sister back to me. We won't forget this."

"Don't thank me yet, there is still so much to do." Robin said as he walks back to Suzanoh with everyone following.

The long awaited War between Dawn and Dusk has begun, Hoshido's lost Princess has truly returned and the Scourge of Nohr had been born.

* * *

**The Choice has been made and more future heart breaks should be expected. We can all agree that while Xander in his supports make him easily the most likable character in Fates, the events in the story make him unbearably naïve and completely dumb, especially since Garon was plainly evil but since my version of Garon will be more reasonable and anti-villainous, Xander's reasons for defending him will make much more sense, and I feel like I played his reaction to Corrin siding with Hoshido much better because while the Crown Prince understands why Corrin would leave them he is still not ready to let her go, after all family is his everything. Like I said before I'm not yet good with fight scenes but I like to think by skipping from one fight to another due to there being so many characters I can do a better job at flushing out the war. In regards to Elise being able to perform anima magic, well while upgrading units too early in the game may be a bad idea due to all the missed out experience it is perfectly okay for storytelling, all the royals are at (What I strongly believe to be) their true final classes, Elise a Strategist, or Valkyrie as they are actually called in other games but they will be called Rod Knights in this story. Takumi a Sniper, Hinoka a Falcon Knight, Sakura a Priestess, and you already know what Xander, Camilla, Leo and Ryoma are already, same with their respective Retainers being at their peak, for the most part. For the record, I know that Wyvern Riders and Wyvern Knights are different classes of wyverns but knights are kind of my thing so let's think of the Wyvern Riders of Nohr as Knights.**

**Robin and Corrin did seem pretty OP in this chapter, even though I said there weren't going to be any among the "heroes" but next time there will be a valid reason why they'll both be much weaker from here on out. Mikoto's alive! I always hated the anime mother syndrome thing and since Fire Emblem originated from Japan, Mikoto has that same issue, well not on my watch. She'll be sticking around and will have a bigger impact on the story, and if you haven't figured it out already, Arete is still alive too. Ain't that a drama kick to Azura's heart since she'll be fighting against her own mother for Hoshido's sake. The Nohrian Siblings are more furious towards Robin than Corrin and will be gunning for him big time.**


	5. Chapter 5: Long Gone Friendship

**Chapter 5: Long gone Friendship**

The Royal Siblings and their Retainers return to Shirasagi, along with Kaze, Rinkah, Robin and a still unconscious Corrin, each of them exhausted, glooming the bright mood that the castle frequently brings to all who enter, despite their victory. Yukimura entered as well, before shutting the doors behind them.

"The Nohrian forces have retreated back into the Bottomless Canyon. We have diviners on constant standby and have begun to reinforce several key points on our border. Overall, I would say that from a strategic perspective the battle went rather well."

"Rather well? We were the ones who suffered the most losses." Rinkah objected.

"How many casualties exactly, Yukimura?" Ryoma asked.

The Tactician hesitated before answering. "Probably seventy five percent of our soldiers were either killed or died of their injuries. More than half of the survivors are injured in some way. The majority was because of Lady Corrin losing control and rampaging on both sides, Nohr suffered the least losses because they kept using the Grimm as meat shields to hold her off while they focus on those she wasn't attacking. Eye witnesses even reported that Prince Leo had one of the Manticores attack Corrin to lure her into attacking our healers."

"That sounds like Leo, no sense in feeling guilty about sacrificing your units when they aren't even alive to begin with and you are a true believer that the ends justify the means." Robin said, familiar with Leo's combat prowess as one of Nohr's top Tacticians.

"Our Sky Knights have been devastated as well, while their own Fliers have only been cut down by less than half." Hinoka added. "Devils. All of them."

"Strength my siblings, my friends, our forces in Suzanoh may be down but our army is still strong, maybe stronger." Ryoma said before briefly looking at Robin, no doubt everyone thinking the same thing over the fact that their new turncoat ally is ridiculously strong, being able to use up so much magic reserve in the two massive battles that happen today, even holding his own against Corrin's Dragon Form. His assistance should be able to turn the tide of war in their favor against the Grimm at least, a whole bunch of people did notice him nearly lift the foot of a Goliath of all giant Grimm and even vaporize it with one spell, it takes a lot of magic to take out the bigger ones, so much magic.

"Nohr may have the advantages thanks to their endless swarm of demons but regarding their main army we still have time to prepare." Yukimura suggested.

"That may be true but it's still no reason to rest Yukimura, I must tend to our soldiers and ease their troubles." Ryoma declined. "After what had unfolded with Corrin's rampage, seeds of doubt will spread that may complicate our newfound dynamic. Something some of you already feel towards her. Takumi, Saizo."

"You really want to bring this up now!" Takumi protested, not in the mood for another lecture from his siblings, but Ryoma will not let him get out of this like all those other times as he harshly grabs Takumi's right arm and pulls him over to him.

"You will listen to me and not speak a word!" Ryoma's voice filled with fury, silencing Takumi and everyone in the vicinity. "Corrin is our sister, and you brother, nearly crossed a line! You have every right to be furious and want to scream out what your heart feels for the horrors that have happened to us but holding her responsible like she was in on it of her own volition will not be tolerated by neither I nor mother! Of all the times for you to be your usual brash, impulsive, insubordinate and out of control self it had to be at the worse time imaginable! You could've compelled Corrin to runaway back to our worst enemies! This! Will! Not! Stand! You will honor our father and focus your wrath only on those who choose to be our enemies and not the ones who stand with us!"

The lecturing is halted as they hear a set of doors open and see both Mikoto and Azura enter the scene both relief to see all of them safe.

"This discussion is far from over." Ryoma warned lowly for Mikoto not to hear as he releases a now distraught Takumi. He's used to being lectured by his family for being reckless but it has never occurred in front of their subordinates, who can do nothing but remain quiet and try not to look troubled as their queen approaches and bow before her.

"You're all okay." Mikoto said with joy as she goes and gives Sakura a tight and warming hug that the youngest Princess really needed after the horror she had endured to help her people.

"Today was a victory, however the losses were unbearable, we can no longer stay on the defensive." Ryoma said, addressing his stepmother.

"I feared as much, what happen to Corrin." Mikoto asked with worry as she walks to her, placing her hand on her face while Robin is still carrying her.

"She's alright and needs rest over anything else. Robin, can you please take her to her room, you both have earned a moment's rest." Ryoma requested.

"Of course. Excuse us, your Grace." Robin said politely as he escorts Corrin away.

"What exactly happened out there, Ryoma?" Mikoto asked now with dread.

"What we both feared the most. You were right, mother, Corrin has been blessed by the Precursors more than anyone in our family has since the foundation of Hoshido. Corrin can transform into a dragon." Ryoma informed, making Mikoto gasps in horror.

"What…"

"In spite of everything that has transpired today, Corrin still loves the Nohrian Royal Family dearly and being forced to choose between us and them was her breaking point and transformed, which corrupted her desire to bring peace to both kingdoms by bringing devastation to both armies. There was no discrimination in her killings, only Robin was able to help her see reason but it was her out of control power that gave us a fighting chance by eliminating all the Grimm." Ryoma continued. Mikoto does not take the news well as she sits down on a nearby chair and places both her hands on her head.

"How many were lost to this madness?"

"Of the ten thousand brave men and women that we could bring forth in time, barely two thousand are left. We've never fought the Grimm in an all-out assault before, we were fools to think poorly of demons." Hinoka tighten her fists in frustration for her carelessness, and despite her best efforts, if not for the shock of Robin and Corrin earning everyone's attention while he managed to calm her sister down, she would've lost to Camilla. Her Dusk Counterpart is the stronger of the two, something Ryoma and Takumi will have a harder time admitting as well as they didn't fair too well against Xander and Leo either. "No one will argue that Corrin is largely to blame for our losses, the Nohrians were the lucky ones even though they lost."

"When word gets out no one will stand for her returning. All those people had families that they were fighting for too, not just their fellow comrades in arms and now they're lost to them." Mikoto muttered now distraught. "How can I calm the anguish of all those grieving families and keep them from hating and harming Corrin?"

"You can't, mother, Corrin will have to earn their trust, for now all that can be done is keep those we can trust at her side until then. And while we both would prefer to keep her out of this mess, I am confident that she will want to fight, this is too personal for her to remain in the sidelines." Ryoma continued.

"Dire moments, indeed." Azura said sadly.

"I can't think about this now, Suzanoh still needs our undivided attention." Mikoto tries to brush it off.

* * *

Robin takes his Princess to her room and gently places her on her bed, once that is done and he closes the door, Robin finally collapses from exhaustion, the constant overuse of his magic was more than he could bear. So many powerful spells in just a short time, he cannot fathom why he bothered to keep his composure in front of everyone, they would've definitely helped him after what he had accomplished for them. Breathing heavily he crawls to Corrin's bed, lying down on the floor next to her.

"Well… I guess this is it. The choice has been made, there's no turning back now." Robin muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Xander and the rest will no doubt still be adamant about getting you back and will focus their wrath on me instead due to what I've done, so that's something at least for you anyway. Getting involved in a war between two superpower nations that have a profound influence on not just Horus was not in the plan but I guess I'll have to hold off on my plans for a while longer. Still… I got you back Cor, so hang in there. We'll get through this together, somehow."

He knows Corrin can make no replies but he still feels the need to say these things to her and assure her in a way that he's not going anywhere. Yet.

* * *

Three days passed after the first true battle of this war and Hoshido is doing its best to maintain order, word of what had happen in Suzanoh and Kurosaki spread and so many are in a panic, knowing that nothing can keep Nohr from sending the Grimm everywhere with their Sorcerers freed to travel in their homes unopposed and it did not take long for them to gather their forces and resume their assaults, Grimm have been spotted nearly everywhere in the White Night Kingdom, but the actual Nohrians themselves, they've been keeping a low profile and have not been spotted yet. Whatever they are plotting, it's nothing good.

And for three days, Corrin and Robin have not been seen, both still resting with the Princess only now awakening from her long slumber with the first thing she sees upon awakening is Mikoto, who is sitting next to her, patiently waiting for the past few days for her to awaken.

"Corrin? Thank Sephiroth." Mikoto said warmly, relief to see her finally up.

"Where am I?" Corrin asked still tired.

"Home, where you belong." Her mother said as she moves in to kiss her on her forehead. "I'm so relief to see you are well."

"I'm not well at all, I'm dead inside." Corrin corrected, still tormented by what had transpired.

"That's understandable considering what you went through but find solace Corrin for you are safe now." Her mother assured her.

"How is everyone else?" Corrin asked.

"Your older siblings are out fighting off the hordes of Grimm that now infest our lands while your younger siblings and Azura are at Fort Jinya that is currently acting as a makeshift hospital helping the wounded of the battles going on everywhere." Mikoto explained.

"I wasn't talking about them, I'm sure those four made it out scot free." Corrin corrected with Mikoto requiring a few seconds to realize what she is referring to.

"Oh… I was… so sure that you would've blacked out upon awakening to your true potential." Mikoto dreaded this conversation.

"How many did I…"

"Stop! Corrin, please don't do this to yourself!" Mikoto pleaded as she lifts her daughter up to give her a tight hug. "My precious child, my sorrow burns as much as you do, please believe me. Longed have I wanted to tell you of your untapped potential, find a way to help you achieve balance with your humanity and dragonic selves somehow but there just wasn't enough time but now there is, sweetheart. We can start all over again."

"But… all those people had families too."

"Their pain is our pain, you're too selfless to not want to bear the burden of their sorrow, and I love you for that even more but Corrin, even Dragons have their moments of weakness and you need to learn when to close your heart to the suffering around you and not give in to the grip of failure."

"I don't think I have a heart anymore." Corrin muttered with her tears resurfacing.

"Let it all out Corrin, pain should not be kept buried, it will only hurt you more." Mikoto assured her that it is okay and while hesitant, the Princess began to properly cry, all her grief and regret out in the open as she cries loudly in her mother's arms after so long apart.

Did she do the right thing? Siding with Hoshido and turning against Nohr? She's not ready to hear the answer, worse, accepting that she made her choice while not thinking clearly and that it was all a spur of the moment.

After half an hour, mother and daughter exit the room and begin walking through the corridors with Mikoto holding her daughter close, as she is still not well but refused to remain in her room all day, wanting to get out, and eventually walk to the royal garden where Robin is, standing before the cherry blossom tree.

"Robin." Corrin calls out to him who quickly notices them walking closer and she goes to hug him tightly. "Thank you. For staying with me." She said with such relief. Robin can tell she has been crying for a while due to how red the rims of her eyes are, something she sorely needed.

"Don't mention it." He replied warmly but does not hug her back.

"I've been so caught up with everything that has happened that I never got the chance to properly thank you for all that you've done, Sir Robin, you are a true friend to Hoshido." Mikoto said with gratitude to the White Mage.

"I'm just paying off a debt I owe." Robin shrugged.

"What are you talking about, I'm the one who owes you more than I can bear to admit." Corrin argued.

"I see things differently." Robin gives a sheepish smile, causing Corrin to pout while playfully punching him in his shoulder, which still hurt but not enough for him to complain. "Now that you're almost all better, what's next."

"I want to go to Fort Jinya, I need to see the state of the war so far. I know the both of you want to keep me out for this as much as possible but we both know that I can't ignore what's going on." Corrin declared.

"I figured as much." Robin sighed, knowing how pointless it is to urge her to reconsider, something Mikoto also understands.

"I best come as well, I'm not too comfortable being away from Sakura this long and Takumi hasn't been himself lately." Mikoto said, sounding concern as she's noticed that Takumi has been more melancholic and his two retainers are working extra hard to please him, granted Hinata and Oboro especially always seem overzealous to her stepson but something's changed, not that she has noticed, more worried about Corrin. Mikoto also fails to notice Robin rolling his eyes at the mention of the young Prince, because apparently she doesn't know yet of the harsh words Ryoma snapped at Takumi, even though Azura already knows about it. Child Neglection happens wherever you go it seems. Corrin becomes sore at the mention of her stepbrother, still ticked off by his attitude and the fact that he was the only one unconcern by her emotional breakdown.

"At any rate, Corrin before we set off there is one thing we need to address, as you know it is tradition for each member of the royal families to have two Royal Retainers at their beck and call, you've already met them, Ryoma has Saizo and Kagero, Hinoka has Azama and Setsuna, Takumi has Oboro and Hinata, Sakura has Subaki and Hana and I have Reina and Orochi but you're one Retainer short."

"One Retainer short? But I don't have any left." Corrin muttered, her bitter thoughts returning to that wretched day when she lost Jakob, Felicia and Gunter.

"So I've heard, but given your chemistry, Robin has agreed to be an official member of our Royal Guard at Ryoma's request, as such he is requested to serve directly to the Royal Family as your Retainer, if you will have him." Mikoto continued.

"Yes!" Corrin replied rather quick as she pulls Robin closer to her.

"Saw that coming." Mikoto smiled. "And about your second Retainer, I have one in mind that Ryoma and I harbor no doubt will also serve you well. Kaze, if you will."

By her word the ninja Kaze arrives at the scene, seemingly coming out of the cherry blossom tree and lies on his knees between the Queen and Princess.

"I'm at your service, your Grace." He replied with the highest respect.

"Kaze comes from the same clan of ninja like his twin brother Saizo, long have their family served Sumeragi's well for about five generations now and Kaze long served as a royal guard member but has never pledged an allegiance to a single lord, or lady, acting mostly solo or working alongside those assign to him by usually either Ryoma or Hinoka. His loyalty is unconditional like his brother but is much kinder and more tolerable to talk to. I trust no one else to remain at your side in our dire times." Mikoto said.

"P-Please, your Grace, I have yet to perform a single feat to earn such faith." Kaze muttered, not sure how to take such praise.

"Well… if you trust him this much, then he has mine, though I tend to make a poor impression with newcomers so baby steps are in order." Corrin said accepting Kaze.

"Worry not for me, Milady, for I hereby vow to serve you faithfully and tend to your every need, no matter how dire or tedious until my time of dying." Kaze vowed solemnly.

"I'll be looking forward to it, provided we agree to work extra hard to avoid that last part." Corrin replied.

"That be most appreciative for Saizo." Mikoto smiled before turning to Robin. "Robin, in the short time that we've known you, you have provided much for my family, and Hoshido, and now I must ask more of you. Look after my child until this is all over. Both of you."

"I'll do what I must to the best of my abilities, your Grace." Robin gives a respectful bow.

"I just hope we don't run into another crisis where I end up transforming into… that thing again. I don't think I can handle another breakdown." Corrin muttered, fearful of becoming a dragon again. She then turns to Robin, remembering that he was the one who changed her back. "How did you changed me back?"

"With this." Robin introduces to her the same stone he used to make her human again. "It's called a Dragonstone, according to really old text I found and read during my time in Izumo I learned that in ancient times, while some dragons like the Precursors chose to keep themselves from degenerating by abandoning their bodies and ascend as spirits the none-divine dragons created these stones to diminish their powers and take on human forms to keep themselves sane. This subspecies of both human and dragon called themselves Manaketes."

"I've never heard of these Manaketes." Mikoto said most confused and intrigued.

"One of many legends lost to the ages, especially since they seemed to have all died off or chose to keep themselves hidden from human societies all together. At any rate, when I met the Rainbow Sage, he gave me the Dragonstone, he seemed certain that the current generation of Nohrian and Hoshidan Royalty would be the strongest to date." Robin continued.

"As in, one of us could actually turn into a dragon. Does the Rainbow Sage know about me?" Corrin wondered.

"He was being vague in his explanation when he instructed me to hold on to this and give to whoever can transform. But what he was very cleared about is that he wanted you to have the Yato, didn't say why, though." Robin explained.

"Well, that would've been nice to know months ago." Corrin hissed.

"An immortal sage with connections to ancient dragon gods wants to give the ultimate weapon to a Princess locked in a fortress with zero understanding of the world. Sure, that would've made you more calm and collective when you finally got out." Robin replied sarcastically.

"Okay, I see your point." Corrin muttered as she takes the Dragonstone into her hands. "So this thing is supposed to keep me under control?"

"As long as you hold on to it, you can change into a dragon with your humanity in control, change without it, and we have a feral beast to slay and bear in mind that while you are in full control of yourself you won't be as powerful as you are feral, so don't go facing danger without a plan." Robin advised.

"I rather not transform at all." Corrin muttered.

"Please, Milady, don't let what happened that faithful day weigh you down, we all saw what you were going through, I and many others don't hold it against you, and in spite of the calamity it was your power that saved Suzanoh from the first wave of Nohr's onslaught." Kaze said wanting to reassure his new master but Corrin stays silent.

"Come, let's not dwell on dark thoughts, we must be off." Mikoto said as the four of them make their way to Fort Jinya but first come across Reina.

"Ah, your Grace, and where my you be off to today?" She asked her Queen while bowing.

"To Fort Jinya, to visit my children and see what I can do to the injured station there. I don't feel comfortable leaving the Capital and have the citizens worry but everything in here is stable for the moment so I rather be where I am truly needed." Mikoto explained.

"Wherever you go I must follow, Milady, I can't accept any objections." Reina said, adamant on following her mistress.

"Do as you will, my friend." Mikoto replied.

"Where's your other retainer?" Corrin asked.

"I asked her to assist your older brother in his pursuit of Grimm, as our strongest Diviner and head of the rest of them, I feel more comfortable with her at his side." Mikoto explained.

It did not take long to reach the fort that is outside of the Capital half a mile away. And what a grand fortress it is, the kind of place you expect to find soldiers preparing for war but the numbers are few due to the Hoshidan Army stretched thin. On the way inside they meet up with Azura first.

"Azura, how are you?" Mikoto greeted the Songstress.

"Lady Mikoto, this is an unexpected surprise." Azura smiled at the arrival of the newcomers. "I am pleased to see you back on your feet, Corrin."

"Yeah, I'm fine all things considered." Corrin's smile is genuine but hints of sadness remain that Azura can see easily.

"Where are Takumi and Sakura?" Mikoto asked.

"Inside, doing all they can. Poor Sakura has been working herself hard and overusing all our healing rods to help those in need but we could only afford few maidens to assist with the fort." Azura explained.

"I feared as much." Mikoto sighed as they enter the fort and once inside the main thing they find are many injured soldiers and citizens from the destroyed towns and villages closest to Suzanoh who've suffered from the constant Grimm attacks.

"With how short staff we are the best we've been able to do is make sure everyone's injuries are none threatening with very few we managed to heal completely and of course those we did managed to heal entirely have agreed to stay and help as best they can." Azura explained mostly to Corrin since the rest should know already.

"That's good." Corrin said as she examines more of the places and notices one or more soldiers looking at her with wary, some even glaring, while some of the citizens are instead afraid, no doubt that word of her rampage spread across much, if not all of Hoshido. She expected this and doubts that everyone will trust her after all the lives she took. However, she also suspects that there are plenty who do appreciate her being at their side due to her dragon powers giving them a major advantage, though as she is now that means very little to her. Noticing her distress, Kaze places his hand on her shoulder and encourages her to look forward, mostly because the group finally find Sakura and Takumi, both carrying boxes with medicines to pass to doctors for other injured, and Hana and Subaki are right behind them.

"Takumi, Sakura." Mikoto called out to the siblings who are quick to respond to her call.

"Mother, hello." Sakura smiled blissfully, the four walking to them and the next thing she notices is Corrin up and about. "Big sister! Are you okay?"

"Hey… Sakura, I'm alright." Corrin replied softly, accepting the hug the youngest Princess gives her while ignoring Takumi, who does the same. Calling them her siblings still feels wrong but she can't bring herself to reject them either.

"Lady Corrin, it's a pleasure to see you again, we are pleased to see you are of sound mind as well." Subaki greeted respectfully.

"I'm more of a constant working progress but I'll get there." Corrin replied with a genuine smile, embracing Sakura briefly before they separate.

"Ah, always striving to be better than yesterday, you are truly Lady Sakura's big sister." Subaki praised.

"No kidding, I hope we can be fast friends." Hana said kindly.

"I hope so as well." Corrin replied.

"It's a relief you're all here because we're really short staffed." Sakura said.

"I had the impression that there were more Maidens and Monks here helping put the soldiers back into fighting shape at least." Robin said examining more of the place, in particular the nearby soldiers lying down on medical cots.

"There were more yesterday but high-level Grimm like the Goliaths and Fafnirs have been spotted all-over, making a real mess wherever they go." Takumi explained. "Sure, Grimm have managed to break through the border in large packs before but they seem stronger and more resilient than usual. Our Diviners are being overworked in summoning so many spirits to combat them but they're existence are short-lived like most spells so the casualties are growing and the healers are more needed out there than here."

"It was no doubt because of my barrier, it was design to make enemies of Hoshido docile, though the Grimm have no will of their own, my magic could still affect them to a certain degree that their strength would diminish while inside." Mikoto concluded.

"The fights against them always seem more enjoyable when I faced them in the Bottomless Canyon." Reina said reminiscing on more thrilling conflicts against the Grimm.

"I wish I could do more for these people but we're running out of healing rods." Sakura said feeling like a failure. Poor girl really needs to work on her self-esteem, she's already doing the work of ten healers. Corrin is certain that if she was the only healer in this fort and managed to get everyone back into top condition all on her own and in one day, she still feel insignificant.

"Why not use the two Dragon Veins here and see if they can make healing grounds." Robin asked, earning him surprise glances from everyone in the conversation, minus for Corrin.

"What are you talking about, there are no Dragon Veins in Fort Jinya." Takumi protested, sounding like it should be the most obvious thing ever.

"Yes there is, you're just not sensing them right." Corrin said confirming Robin's words.

"What, you know something I don't." Takumi dared.

"Follow me, you idiot." Corrin hissed as she heads outside with the group curiously following the Princess and she makes her way to the training grounds located in the Fort and stands at the center, where the Dragon Vein lies and she quickly gets to work on activating it, already feeling the radiant white light course through her, surprising everyone else, minus Robin.

"You have got to be kidding me." Takumi gasped as they watch the ground glow with a dim green light and just standing on it radiates them with a blissful feeling of healing magic at work.

"Incredible." Mikoto spoke in awe at what Corrin had done.

"This damn fort has been standing guard of our Capital for three hundred years and not once have anyone made mention of this being here." Takumi protested just as awestruck.

"Dragon Veins are just focal points for massive amounts of mana mixed together into one energy source, some are harder to spot then most for various reasons, two of them being that they haven't been used in so long and have gone dormant while the other is that they aren't as strong as the rest and have less energy to sense, who normally only those with Dragon Blood can pull off." Robin explained. "Though, those of the Dusk Dragon Bloodline never had this issue because their keen senses have always been subhuman when it comes to locating them, I'm guessing those of the Dawn Dragon Bloodline aren't as keen."

"What's your excuse then?" Takumi questioned.

"Well, as you no doubt saw three days ago, I am VERY gifted when it comes to magic and channeling mana through my body for a variety of effects. Tracking external mana is second nature." Robin explained.

"Sensing Divine Magic takes more than being a true prodigy or veteran of the Mystic Arts." Azura claimed suspiciously. "You're something else entirely."

"I guess he and I are equals in that department because my tutors in Nohr seemed convinced that I'm abnormal by the standards of those with dragon blood." Corrin said walking to the group.

"So we've noticed." Takumi grumbled in irritation.

"Truly remarkable, Lady Corrin. With this Healing Ground, and hopefully the other one for the same effect, we should be able to heal everyone in no time." Kaze praised in amazement.

"You're amazing, big sister." Sakura cheered with relief.

"Well done, sweetheart." Mikoto smiled at her daughter with pride, making Corrin look away with her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Let's just get the people in here and back on their feet properly." She shrugged.

"Lord Takumi! Lord Takumi!" Hinata cried out to his Prince with Oboro and Rinkah and surprisingly Saizo and Orochi beside him as they rush to the training ground. "We got trouble." The Samurai began before tripping on something and slips down, his head falling flap on the training grounds, leaving everyone briefly baffled.

"What a moron." Rinkah hissed, with Oboro looking away in embarrassment, however, Takumi, who should be the most embarrass of all as the actions of his retainers reflects back to him because being royalty has way too many downsides, is more concern for the fool and helps him back on his feet.

"Hey, the fall wasn't as painful this time." Hinata smiled as he felt nothing when he hit his face thanks to the healing magic of the Dragon Vein.

"Focus." Takumi insisted.

"Saizo, Orochi…What happened to you? You're both wounded!" Mikoto asked with concern for the retainers, only now noticing their wounds as the two step closer and begin to feel the healing effects of the Dragon Vein, to their surprise but Mikoto is more concern about another matter. "You're both supposed to be with Ryoma, what happened?"

"Please… forgive us, my Queen." Saizo begged with a heavy voice filled with shame as he and an equally shameful Orochi bow before Mikoto, their heads focus on the ground. "We were with Lord Ryoma hunting down a Fafnir nearing the borders of Izumo when we were ambushed by more Grimm. They had a trap waiting for us and in the carnage we got separated from the High Prince. Now we don't know where he is."

"What…?" The Queen gasped in horror, along with everyone.

"Are you both kidding us!" Takumi protested in disbelief.

"No! No, no, no, no…" Sakura starts to become quickly hysterical with the possible loss of her eldest brother.

"Lady Sakura, please take a deep breath." Kaze pleaded with the Princess, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Saizo, Orochi… Please tell me you're joking."

"Yes, I'm well known for my japes, aren't I?" Saizo scoffed at his brother for even thinking he would joke when regarding to the wellbeing of his master. "I blame myself. I should have been at Lord Ryoma's side every step of the way. Even Kagero is missing as well."

"We got more troubles than that, Nohrian forces are approaching Fort Jinya!" Hinata informed, bringing more bad news and alarming everyone.

"Seriously? We've barely been here ten minutes." Corrin protested.

"Not really their problem and they haven't wasted any time surrounding us, these two were lucky to make it inside unnoticed by them." Rinkah added. "But there's no sign of Grimm among them so we might have a chance unless they are just messing with us."

"I can't believe they'd attack at a time like this… We're using most of the fort as a makeshift hospital, there's no military target here! Finding big brother should be our main concern but now…" Sakura cried, already having enough of this madness.

"Don't worry, milady. I can handle this." Hana assured her master confidently.

"With my help, of course. If you'd like, Lady Sakura, you may remain with the wounded while we resolve this." Subaki added, each of the Retainers and Rinkah seem confident that they can hold off whatever comes their way that isn't Grimm.

"I'll consider it. Thank you. Both of you." Sakura said reluctant to just sit in the sidelines and not be beside everyone.

"Well then. I guess we'll be getting to know each other much better while feeling rushed." Corrin said.

"Nothing like a life-or-death situation to cut right through the small talk." Takumi added, eager to fight.

"You said it, Milord, and I'm always ready to slice open Nohrian Scum." Oboro remarked, with Hinata nodding in agreement.

"We sure could use a strategist at a time like this, too bad Yukimura is all the way back in Suzanoh." Mikoto muttered, not completely liking their options.

"Robin is the only Tactician we need." Corrin boasted confidently.

"Hey now, let's not get everyone's hopes up." Robin said not sure about that option.

"I'll tell you what you shouldn't fill anyone with; doubt. And you're the best out of everyone here." Corrin persisted with her boast.

"We'll take what we can get, and there aren't that many able soldiers here to guard the fort against so many enemy troops, we're everyone here's best chance." Takumi claimed.

"It's settled then, lead the way Robin." Mikoto declared, making the White Mage sigh, not feeling confident about it for some reason.

'It was a hard enough decision to allow myself to get caught in a war of such scales for just one friend, but leading an army? I don't…'

"As Lady Sakura's lead retainer, it will be my pleasure to take your orders." Hana declared gleefully, bringing Robin out of his negative thoughts.

"And as Lady Sakura's supervising retainer, I, too, welcome your leadership." Subaki also declared before making a small laugh that sounded perfect, which made it so weird at the same time.

"Supervising retainer? That's not a thing." Hana argued.

"Well, neither is a lead retainer. I don't remember you getting a promotion." Subaki said sternly.

"Lady Sakura and I have been best friends since childhood! I've ALWAYS been her lead retainer." Hana shouted.

"I'm not sure this is the time or place for such a discussion, but… I believe my results on the battlefield speak for themselves."

"Oh, so is that why you neglect all your nonbattle duties? Is that why I'm the one maintaining all of your gear and scouting the enemy?"

The two Retainers are silenced by Reina who grabs both of them by the backs of their heads and rams them both by their foreheads, making them shout in pain and now have minor headaches.

"You are in the presence of her Majesty and her children. Knock it off or prepare for the spear." Reina lectured, though the smug look on her face indicates that she is being playful about it. Sakura can only moan in embarrassment from the argument of her Retainers, as if she wasn't feeling stress enough.

"As enlightening as this all is, I rather be somewhere else." Corrin sighed. While she enjoys that most of them can remain upbeat even at a time like this, she wants to get this over with. "Take me to the front Robin, I want to talk to their leader first."

Robin complies and takes the Princess to the entrance/exit of Fort Jinya through flight and once there, they are welcomed by a platoon of cavaliers and four Dark Mages at the front, and while in the air, they saw no Grimm like Rinkah said, maybe they're hiding out somewhere or there really aren't any. If it's the latter, they probably know the status of this fort and don't see a point in using such force to capture a place filled with injured people. Overconfidence with merit, and considerate since they have a fair amount of soldiers, exactly fifty in total which should be more than enough for them.

Once they reach the ground, the white duo are greeted by the Cavalier in the middle of the rest, a man in his early twenties, perhaps one year older than Corrin with the unruliest hair Corrin has ever seen that is grey in color and wears sleek black armor.

"Ho, Corrin! Is that really you?" The young knight called out to the Princess.

"Who's asking?" Corrin asked as demanding and stern as she could muster, the high pitch of her tone seem a tiny bit excessive.

"Yes, that's the voice I remember! It really is you!" The Knight confirmed with a genuine smile.

"Please, drop the act. We don't know each other." Corrin insisted.

"You honestly don't remember? It's me, Silas! We were best friends as children." He introduced himself, now hurt in his eyes and a bit of desperation. The name Silas does seem familiar to Robin as he's heard Felicia and Jakob mention him before.

"Silas? Silas?" Corrin repeated that name, trying to remember as she's definitely heard it before, and his face is very familiar. She does not notice as the rest of the group make it to them.

"Corrin, please be careful. This could be a trap of some sort." Azura warned, the Hoshidans keeping their guard up, assuming the worse, however Corrin ignores her, still trying to remember.

"Silas… Silas…" She then makes a very exaggerated gasp that concerns all of them, while she finally remembers. "SILAS! My Silas!"

"So you do remember me!" Silas smiled at her response.

"It's been so long! You'd finally become a Knight like you always wanted." Corrin asked incredulously.

"A Knight of the Royal Guard." Silas corrected with pride before getting sad. "It's been too long, Milady. I never imagined we'd reunite under these circumstances. I became a knight in hopes of seeing you again, after all."

"Silas…" The Treacherous Princess muttered not sure on what to say on that matter.

"But it's not too late, you can still come back home. In spite of your past actions, Queen Arete has ordered you be captured alive. There's still a chance to fix things." Silas said anxiously, wishing not to fight Corrin.

"Mother…" Corrin whispered with sadness, remembering her Nohrian mother very fondly.

"Corrin is home, you fool!" Mikoto snapped spitefully at Silas while wrapping her arms around her returned daughter defensively and defiantly. Something that Corrin did not appreciate right now.

"Please, let me speak for myself." Corrin pleaded with her as she gently removes her mother's arms off and refocuses on Silas. "I'm sorry Silas, but I've made my choice, I can't go back to Nohr, not now when I don't belong there anymore." She declared, disappointing Silas.

"Has it really come to this, friendships destroyed and divided by two nations with only the clash of blades and spilled blood remaining?" He asked bitterly.

"I'm not ready to answer that but what I do know for sure is that every land your army takes from Hoshido I will take back no matter the cost to my wellbeing." Corrin avowed, bringing a smile to Mikoto and Sakura while Takumi remains neutral. The only ones not being fooled are Robin and Azura who can tell how affected she is by this, given her apparent attachment to Silas. The Cavalier on the other hand becomes hardened in his resolve, seeing no other way but to take Corrin by force.

"So be it then, by order of my King and Queen, I take this fortress under the rule of Nohr and you, Princess Corrin are coming back home with us no matter what it takes." He declared, with his forces readying to attack.

"It's going to take a brigade of Grimm for you to even set one foot in here, pal!" Takumi finally spoke up in defiance, readying to fire at Silas with his Fujin Yumi.

"There are no Grimm among my troops, Hoshidan Prince, so perhaps you may now prove to be a proper challenge for me." Silas said more boastfully to match Takumi's tough talk.

"His demeanor changed from sad to straight up Takumi." Sakura said, showing concern for Silas, mainly because of his history with Corrin.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Prince in question demanded, offended by his baby sister's surprising rude comment, causing a few snickers in the group.

"S-S-So… Sorry!" Sakura cried in embarrassment.

"Commence the assault." Silas ordered as his troops charge. And in a panic, Mikoto unleashes her magic and creates a barrier around Fort Jinya, nothing like the one she put above her whole kingdom and it's visible with an aquamarine glow with the Nohrian Mages quickly firing magical bolts of energy, that the barrier manages to block but its glow becomes dimmer upon impact, indicating that it's largely weak.

"Take the barrier down!" Silas commanded, with his mages wasting no time in unleashing their power the barrier quickly dropping.

"I won't be able to hold them off for much longer, that Blight Nohr's Dragon spread is affecting all manner of Magic meant for protections that Hoshidans create." Mikoto breathed heavily as trying to cast a spell that shouldn't be done in infested areas can do a lot of physical damage to a caster. Orochi and Azura each place their hand on the Queen and help her move as the group falls back away from the Nohrians and retreat to the Training Grounds.

"Any bright idea would be appreciated, Robin." Corrin said in a rush.

"I counted exactly fifty troop members outside while in the air. Nineteen in the front, sixteen on our right and fifteen on the left. No Wyvern Knights among them so we have the aerial advantage with Reina and Subaki but there's a chance that reinforcements will arrive soon so caution is vital, and there are four archers on the right side, there are more mages on the right, while the left have knights and Fighters with at least two of the former possessing javelins, and I bet they have astonishing aim, same with the front with three of them, as well as axe and lance wielders." Robin calculated. "They're more prepare for an aerial assault but without one of their own they have to make it through the walls which seem thick enough to resist sufficient magical attacks to buy us time to lay counterattacks."

"Someone's been taking archery and ninja classes to improve their eyesight." Reina commented, impressed so far with Robin's perception, as is everyone else.

"As such we're going to divide and conquer, we're a smaller group and its risky but we need to keep their attention on us and not those inside the fort, which shouldn't be impossible since we're no pushovers, the majority are Royal Retainers and we didn't just get chosen just because we're in good terms with the royals, followed by the heir to a tribe of fierce warriors." Robin began, earning a lot of nods of approval and pride from his allies. "Takumi, you take the ones in the left with Hinata, Oboro, Rinkah and Subaki. I've seen how Subaki fights back in Kurosaki, his Pegasus was the fastest from Hinoka's unit and his swings with the naginata are swift that it's difficult to parry against him. Keep their attention away from him to give him a chance to strike down from above. With the Fujin Yumi and your proficiency as a Sniper, I'm sure you'll have an easier time"

"Fine." Takumi replied with no objections, neither did the rest.

"Expect perfection, and you will not be disappointed." Subaki swore with a perfect smile that is both charming but creepy, to Robin and Corrin at least.

"We'll hold you to that. Reina will take the right group with Kaze, Hana, Saizo, Orochi and Azura. You six will no doubt have a harder time, but with Kaze and Saizo I'm sure you'll pull through and Reina easily has the most battle experience among you, if looks could kill that is, and she'll be your aerial support, and while it's very risky I would like for her to go in first to get everyone's attention away from Kaze and Saizo long enough for them to strike by surprise and make things easier, a Kinshi is faster than a Pegasus and Wyvern after all so she should be fine." Robin continued. "Azura uses a naginata so I assume she knows her way around a fight against at least swordsmen, however she's your trump card because of her pendant which can make those she targets with her singing docile, like with Mikoto's Grand Barrier, as she was able to kill the Blight Dragon back in Suzanoh, so she's the one you need to cover long enough for her to affect the enemy troops and make them easier targets."

"That's barbaric, taking down enemies who have no will to fight." Hana said somewhat bothered with this side of the plan, none more than Azura.

"What are you complaining about, those raging dogs brought this war upon themselves so we should treat them as such." Saizo lectured seeing no fault in this part of the plan.

"I never said I was a great tactician and I never said you should shoot to kill but we got a makeshift hospital to defend so if you have a problem with this, then don't aim to kill, incapacitate and hold them as prisoners of war." Robin suggested, making his tactic more humane.

"Yes, I like that, let's go with that." Corrin replied hastily.

"Hey, you never mentioned me or my skills." Hana protested to Robin.

"I've never seen you fight; I can only assume that you're an expert swordswoman because of your position in the Royal Guard. Same with Orochi as a top-tier Diviner." Robin apologized.

"Darn right I am."

"What about those in the front?" Corrin asked, regarding Silas.

"That's where things get complicated. You and I will deal with them." Robin ordered, worrying Corrin.

"Just the two of you? That is incredibly risky and will put Lady Corrin in danger against so many enemies at once." Kaze objected to this part.

"Corrin's only concern is their Leader, Silas, I'll deal with the rest of the knights and mages myself." Robin declared.

"Okay, now this is you being reckless." Corrin is next to object.

"No, this is you being a worrywart but trust me when I say I can handle myself just fine." The newly appointed Tactician assured his Mistress.

"Wait, what about me? I want to help too." Sakura remarked.

"Your healing magic could come in handy to recover those injured but we need more than that from you." Robin said.

"We have Rescue Rods that she can use, they are perfect for pulling out those back inside the fort if they are in a position where they can't pull back on their own." Azura suggested.

"Excellent. It will be difficult for her to help all three sides, much less heal everyone so we better activate the last Dragon Vein to ensure we have the upper hand in health. For now Sakura can remain with Reina's group since they have the highest risk of damage because of the larger number of Dark Mages." Robin concluded. "I ask for any objections but I rather not keep the Queen in her stressful position."

"No… don't mind me, I'm very resilient when it comes to… magic overuse…" Mikoto insisted, keeping up a strong face but she's not fooling anyone.

"Alright everyone, break!" Corrin declared as everyone splits up, getting into position as fast as they can, Robin and Corrin being the last one as they first go to activate the last Dragon Vein of Fort Jinya before making it to the front, just as Mikoto turns off her barrier due to exhaustion, and so the battle begins and Takumi delivers the first kill, achieving a perfect headshot to one of the archers.

"Feel the sting of decades worth of hellish hate, Hellspawns!" Takumi yelled out as he jumps off the fort's walls and goes left while shooting another holy arrow that the Nohrians barely managed to avoid.

"It's one of Hoshido's two Princes! Get him!" The Paladin leading this group shouted recognizing Takumi and as the hothead Prince expected, the Nohrians cannot resist the chance to hunt down a higher up of Hoshido and focus their attention on him, ignoring the wall, mainly due to Takumi constantly shooting arrows their way, while succeeding in avoiding every shot thrown at him, giving his team the chance to sneak in undetected for the moment.

"Time to burn!" Rinkah shouted as her club infuses with her fire magic and strikes at one of the Cavaliers, burning his face while the force knocks him and his mount to the ground.

Oboro and Hinata move in next, getting the drop on a Knight and a Fighter respectively, Oboro having an easier time than Hinata, as she moved in faster and stabs her Steel Naginata on the Knight's right abdomen, making him drop his sword and pins him to the ground before removing her spear and then stabs him on his forehead, mercilessly while showing off her demonic glare that she is known so well for. The Fighter Hinata faces is lucky enough to notice the Samurai and parry his first strike and the two begin to clash with their sword and axe briefly before Hinata gets a fatal blow as he seemingly trips to the floor after barely dodging a horizontal slash from the axe but it was done on purpose to lure him closer and Hinata can finish him off by stabbing his katana through his neck.

Rinkah makes the biggest impact in the assault, already slaughtering three of the knights and two of the remaining Archers but one of the Fighters is better than the rest and holds his own, briefly pushing her to her knees before she can get the upper hand thanks to Oboro getting in close and slicing open the back of his neck, allowing Rinkah the chance to push him away from her.

Focusing on those in front of her, Oboro fails to notice a knight throwing a javelin at her but she is saved by Takumi, who noticed the danger from his distance and shot the javelin away with his holy arrow before shooting down the knight who threw it in retaliation. His heroic nearly cost him as the last remaining archer shoots a silver arrow at him that while it did not hit him directly but the Fujin Yumi off his hands, leaving him defenseless as the Paladin leader rushes forward with the aim to maim him, with Takumi managing to avoid the first hit by jumping out of the way, though the rush he is in, left him falling to the ground. There is still one archer left and the two remaining fighters look like they can make mighty throws with their axes that will instantly kill a Pegasus but he's desperate.

"SUBAKI!" The Prince roared and almost immediately, the Pegasus Knight rushes to the scene with incredible speed from his Pegasus, first charging towards the Paladin assaulting the Prince and makes a mighty swing that the Paladin barely manages to parry and the force from Subaki knocks him off his mount. The Pegasus Knight then moves forward to assist his other allies, making short work of the last archer himself without him having a chance to land a hit. Subaki and the rest can make short work of the rest without Takumi as he deals with the Paladin himself who charges at the Prince on foot and Takumi does the same.

"Milord!" Hinata shouted as he throws his Katana for Takumi to use as he can already tell that his stubborn master plans to deal with the Paladin without his bow, said Prince graciously catches the sword in midair while running and soon clashes with the Paladin.

At the same time that this is all happening, Reina's group also moves in to face their Nohrian targets, with the Kinshi Knight going in first, rather recklessly as she is seemingly about to ram through the Dark Mages, forcing them to try and strike her down first, only for her to quickly go skyward, all of them missing their target. Reina picks up her bow and fires two arrows at once that hits the tomes of two Dark Mages, dropping them on the ground with arrows on them, rendering them useless. And the distraction of these two allowed the Ninja Brothers to strike, shooting their shuriken simultaneously on their necks, leaving them to their slow deaths.

Saizo and Kaze then split up, throwing their Shurikens at the Mages, and forcing them to attack them with their dark magic attacks that the duo are able to easily evade, and only few of the Dark Mages notice Orochi and Hana rush towards them, the Diviner raising one of her scrolls and summons a Tiger Spirit, sending to maul one of them, while also electrocuting the body.

Hana manages to strike at another Dark Mage before he could fire a spell, cutting open a gash on his chest, spilling a lot of blood on the ground as he falls down. One of the only none magic users among these Nohrians, a Mercenary rushes to Hana with the aim to decapitate her but Hana sees it coming and avoids it by making a high jump while back flipping behind the mercenary and literally stabs him in the back upon landing.

"Time for you Hoshidan dogs to burn!" One of the Dark Mages shouted with him and a female partner preparing to unleash two powerful fire spells at the Ninja Brothers who've regroup to face one Berserker but are stopped by Reina as she lands her Kinshi on top of them, their heads cracking open by both the landing and the weight of the Kinshi as it also grabs them with its feet. Afterwards the Knight jumps off her sky mount to charge against the Berserker, the two brothers back away to let her have him to herself as the two briefly clash with intense ferocity but the spear user is superior as Reina effortlessly chops off both the Berserker's arms, making him scream in agony before she puts him out of his misery by stabbing him through his mouth.

"Ah, how glorious. I can't think of anything more relishing than the sweet embrace of death, and right now she hungers for all of you." Reina said feeling radiant and completely blood mad, scaring the remaining Mages, and her comrades, in all honesty, minus Saizo. How does a peacekeeper like Mikoto put up with someone who craves war as her bodyguard, is one of the biggest wonders of Hoshido.

"You freaking psychopath!" The Sorcerer in the group shouted enraged as he prepares a powerful spell but requires time to cast it while the remaining dark mages form a protective circle around him to buy him time as they fire a barrage of magic against the Hoshidans, who are forced to try and evade all the random attacks, not having much time to make a counter attack. In the panic, Hana trips while also dropping her sword in the process and about to get hit by a fireball, to her fortune, Kaze makes it to her in time and manages to get her out of the way, doing so unfortunately left him open to get hit from the fireball but he too is rescued as he is instantly warped away from the spot and is now at the top of the fort's wall beside Sakura who used her Rescue Rod to get him out of the danger in time.

"Milady! I am in your debt." Kaze said with immense gratitude.

"D-Don't mention it." The youngest Princess said timidly as usual.

"I have just about enough of this! It's high time or all of you to burn" The Sorcerer yelled, about to cast his powerful fire spell. "Now! Rex…"

"~You are the Ocean's gray waves…~" Azura finally steps up and sings, her song reaching the remaining seven dark mages and quickly makes them docile, the Sorcerer in particular, loses the will to use his spell as his flames are extinguished. This battle is all but won.

The Remaining Nohrians in the front lead by Silas are left to face off with their Treacherous Princess with only her Tactician to back her up.

"You really mean to face us with just one Mage to back you up, Corrin?" Silas questioned. "He may be strong but I expect more from someone mentored by Nohr's greatest Battle Commander, Gunter."

"I be more worry about your own, because like it or not, this Fort will not fall." Corrin continued as she raises her sword to challenge the Cavalier.

"Very well, onward!" Silas ordered as his troops charge in but it is Robin who makes the first move, summoning his tome and creates a large firewall to block the entrance behind them as the Whiteheads meet their foes head on.

"Celica's Gale!" Robin called out a wind spell, with flurries of pink-colored wind surrounding three knights and one of the Dark Mages and bombard them by engulfing them momentarily before dissipating, blowing them far from their unit, once they crash into the ground they remain down, already out.

Corrin and Silas clash with their swords while the latter remains on his mount and has an advantage over her despite her higher strength. Silas swings his blade faster and harder, though he does not want to harm her he can't hold back otherwise he'll put everything in jeopardy, though Corrin does well to avoid, performing a summersault to dodge the slash as she makes her own attack and thrusts the Yato on to Silas' horse.

"I think not!" The Cavalier countered with a faster swing to parry her holy sword, and then he makes his steed quickly move away from Corrin, with her chasing after him, picking up a lance from one of the knights Robin knocked down and with great strength, throws it towards Silas, that while it does catch up to him, the Knight shows no fear as he jumps off his steed to catch the spear while making a flip before landing and throws the spear back at her. Corrin barely managed to evade the spear herself as she turns right and falls to the ground, and as if it wasn't bad enough, the moment she gets back up Silas comes in and kicks her in the face, forcing her back to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, old friend, but you have left me no choice, and the Throne's orders are absolute." Silas said while Corrin quickly gets back up, ignoring the pain.

"Don't be sorry, there's nothing to apologize about, it's all on me." She muttered raising her sword to confront him one on one. And the two clash with their swords, Corrin at first has the upper hand, each blow she delivers making Silas lose his grip on his sword but the Knight stands strong and acts quicker, going to grab her sword arm with his free arm to trap her, holding her tightly by her bicep near the under pits tightly to prevent movement. Corrin shouts in pain as Silas slightly raises her arm like attempting to break it but instead Silas uses his hand that holds his sword, flicks his wrist and uses the sword's pommel to hit her temple instead of the blade, forcing her on the ground again. That should've knocked her out, or at least give her a concussion, regardless, Corrin does not relent and swings the Yato horizontally but from her position it is easy for Silas to block with his sword.

"You're as stubborn as ever." Silas commented as Corrin gets back up, the two locked in a stalemate, the Princess only using one hand while Silas is forced to use both. "Most don't put up much of a fight with a concussion to deal with at the same time."

"Well… it was only recently that I learned that I'm not like most." Corrin stated.

"I know. I was there in Kurosaki when the truth of your birth was revealed and you turned into that Dragon." Silas explained. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that but for the sake of familiarity, your home is with us in Nohr!"

"I wish I could agree with you Silas, but after all the darkness I had to endured…" Corrin began as she prepares to punch Silas with her left fist but unbeknownst to her, the hand changes again into that monstrous mouth hand like it did back in the Bottomless Canyon. "I am in need of some Light!" As she goes to deliver her punch, Silas managed to leap out of the way as he noticed the change in her arm first, with said monster fist only an inch away from hitting him, but the Knight does end up falling down.

Corrin is just as shocked as Silas, falling to her knees, drops her sword and holds on to her left forearm with her right hand and struggles to change her arm back to normal, due to strongly resenting her dragonic powers.

"No… NO!" Corrin cried out as her arm remains in its current state with the mouth opening by itself and from it, it fires a beam of dark energy at Silas that he is able to dodge but the blast hits the wall of Fort Jinya, obliterating half of it entirely.

"The blood of the Gods flowing through your veins truly is astonishing." Silas gasped, still at awe by the power his childhood friend wields but still harbors doubts about something. "But is this gift truly that of the Hoshidan God?"

Robin faces the remaining members of Silas' troops on his own, releasing three magic spheres to blast three cavaliers down at once, then summons four more spheres around him as he spins to reflect two lightning strikes from Dark Mages, then counters by creating a magic circle below one of the dark mages that releases a shockwave that blows her and two other knights into the air likely sixty feet high and once they land back down, they don't get back up. Afterwards he turns the those that remains and fires six more magic spheres that gather above them and merge together into one bigger sphere and crash down on them, blowing the rest of them to the ground, finishing things up on his end and none are dead as Corrin would prefer.

Robin turns his attention back to Corrin once he hears the damage she had done to Fort Jinya and notices her struggle to keep herself human.

"Corrin, your Dragonstone! It's your only chance!" He shouted at her, reminding her that he gave her the only means to stay in control and quickly reaches out to it with her right hand. "Focus your thoughts on it and your desire to stay human, it will do the rest." The Princess does as instructed, her said desires overflowing in her thoughts and the Dragonstones shines in a brilliant blue light that spreads and covers up the beastly arm, returning it to normal, while also coursing Corrin with a blissful sensation that restores her wayward mind, breathing a sigh of relief.

Once that is done, the White Mage creates ropes of white magic to wrap around a distracted Silas and pulls him away from Corrin and pins him down right next to his defeated comrades.

"Stand down, Silas, you and your forces are done, this fort is currently under the protection of Hoshido's Royal Guard, you never stood a chance." Robin advised him.

"Dammit… how could I have been so careless." Silas cursed himself for this defeat, seeing no way for victory with his comrades down for the count and him alone against the white duo now. Corrin makes her way to Robin.

"You okay?" He asked her.

"I am now, but only by half." Corrin said at first only focus on her Dragonstone, something she will NEVER go anywhere without at her side from now on, before turning to Silas. "It's over Silas."

"Go on then. Kill me." Silas demanded.

"Never!" Corrin declined loudly and with some authority, confusing Silas. "I may lack foresight for the most parts but what I know for sure is that being stronger than my opponent doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to be the winner without skill, and it was easy to tell that you're the better swordsman of the two of us. You were holding back during our fight, even though you didn't hesitate to try and take this fortress by force."

"I guess I'm not much of a knight after all, considering that I didn't have the heart to fight you with my all and risk hurting you further." Silas admitted shamefully.

"Silas…"

"Do with me what you will old friend, I yield." Silas submitted.

"I can't allow him to be taken captive, especially if ninjas of all soldiers are the ones watching them." Corrin said reluctant to allow Silas to be a prisoner of war for Hoshido.

"We let them go they perhaps won't make it very far, unless one of them has a Warp Tome that I can use to take them back to a place in Nohr I am familiar with." Robin replied.

"Wait, you're letting us go?" Silas asked incredulously.

"I may have turned against my home but I won't kill anyone if I can avoid it." Corrin stated firmly.

"That's a noble quality to have regarding a view of the world, Corrin, but in war that will only bring you more harm." Silas advised.

"Perhaps, but I'll stand by for what I believe in, for however long I can pull it off." Corrin shrugged while Robin searches for the belongings and tomes among the four Dark Mages for the one he seeks and spots the Tome he is looking for.

"Got it, this is definitely a warp tome but I damaged it quite a lot during the fight, if it is used once again it will be completely unusable in the long run." Robin said examining the damage spellbook and prepares to channel what power it has left to send all nineteen Nohrians back to their home.

"Where are you sending them?" Corrin asked.

"Somewhere I know they'll be treated kindly and restored back to full health." Robin assured her. "No point in trying to look for the others, Takumi obviously has a no mercy policy and Saizo and Reina are radiating with bloodlust so these nineteen are surely the only ones remaining.

"I know."

"Wait! Before you send us away, tell me why, Corrin. What was it that made you leave us behind for Hoshido, knowing full well why we have to take these lands for our people? I need to know." Silas pleaded with Corrin for the truth, the hurt in his eyes more eminent. Corrin stays silent for a few seconds as the whirlpool of emotions become weighted by anger and sadness, the words that come out of her mouth based on what she has come to believe.

"I can't give you all the details because of how much it hurts but… someone, the biggest suspect being Garon planned for me to be kidnapped by the Hoshidans without my consent by setting me up in the Bottomless Canyon where a horrible being was waiting to put an equal horror in me and when Nohr's army was ready to invade that thing would come out of me, with I none the wiser and could've killed just to assassinate the Hoshidan Royals and take down Queen Mikoto's Barrier so that Nohr could take advantage of the situation and spread their demons everywhere with disturbances to a minimum."

"What…?" Silas gasped in shock over this news, none the wiser about the circumstances regarding why they were able to invade Hoshido only recently as Corrin expected, and judging by the expressions of the other Nohrians who've heard this as well they are just as surprise by the length their King took to start this war. Silas for one is in denial of such a heartless tactic. "No… no, no, no! The King is wrathful but he's not a monster! You are being deceived, Corrin! Something else is going on that you're just not seeing."

"I hope that's true and that I am able to find it but it will be under my terms as I end this war my way." Corrin said sounding adamant with her words.

"Then I pray to Qliphoth that when we next meet, your resolve will be worth all this anguish you've wrought. Scourge of Nohr." Silas said more firmly himself, remaining faithful to his King.

"Goodbye Silas, I hope… you'll one day find it in your heart to forgive me. Same with my mother, brothers and sisters back home." Corrin bid her farewells as Robin cast the warp spell and sends the Nohrians back to their Kingdom.

With the fight over, Corrin can now try to relax, taking a heavy sigh as she walks back to the fort but due to the stress she nearly loses her balance that Robin has to hold on to her.

"Am I to assume that we'll begin the search for Ryoma immediately." Robin asked the bigger question, not bothering with asking about her health.

"Let's consult with the others first." Corrin shrugged as they regroup with the others who've made their way back to Queen Mikoto inside with the injured as they begin to take them to the Dragon Veins inside.

"Corrin, I'm not surprised to see you are well." Mikoto said deeply pleased, not taking the frown on her daughter's face into consideration that something is wrong.

"A flawless victory against those parasites of shadows." Oboro said smugly regarding their fight against the Nohrians.

"Yeah, the fight went almost too well, I forgot that Yukimura wasn't the one who came up with the plan." Hinata cheered. "Nice going Robin, you're pretty good in this whole planning thing."

"This was a conflict against chumps in over their heads, better to be safe than sorry when I say that we should continue to overestimate the enemy and never let our guards down." Robin warned.

"I know, I know, I'm just saying, you're pretty awesome. Still though, with all that mojo you have in you, I think you could've taken on all of today's attack force on your own." Hinata pointed out.

"I can't pull off as much magic as I used before, my body is still recovering from all the mana I used up."

"Ah, the missteps of Magic Overuse, it will take time before you can be considered one of our trump cards against the main force of our enemies." Orochi said, understanding his predicament.

"Now we can focus on finding Lord Ryoma, I will atone for my failure by bringing him back home safely." Saizo vowed.

"Yes, we were forced to retreat because of our injuries and came here to get backup, and thanks to Lady Corrin, we're prepped and ready to go." Orochi cheered.

"Do not push yourselves, you two. You're bodies have been through enough." Mikoto said concern for their wellbeing in spite of their failure to protect her stepson. "Ryoma is powerful so long as he has Raijinto so there's no need to rush ourselves into a trap instead of a solution."

"We know, and regardless of how we feel, we must focus our efforts on Fort Jinya and ready it for another invasion. Nohr is everywhere now." Azura pointed out.

"Yes, I'm afraid if we head out now we'll only cause more harm to ourselves." Kaze said regrettably.

"Dammit all!" Saizo cursed.

"Ryoma." Takumi muttered with much concern for his big brother, with Sakura being the most concerned of the group, her worries getting her to shed tears with her two retainers reassuring her that the High Prince is alright.

"If that's how it is then rest up. We're heading out where he was last seen once we and everyone else is in better shape and perfectly secured." Corrin ordered as she heads back inside the fort. "I need to catch my breath and have breakfast already."

"Most people remain outside when they're doing the former." Takumi reminded her.

"I ain't like most people." Corrin countered tiresomely.

"You know Orochi can warp you back to Shirasagi if you want a proper rest and meal." Mikoto suggested.

"I'm perfectly fine with any kind of bed, thanks for the offer either way, Milady." Corrin shrugged, ignoring, or unaware of the impact her final words meant for her mother.

"M-Milady?" Mikoto gasped, dishearten.

'Oh dear.' Robin, Azura and Kaze muttered in their thoughts at once, not so surprise by this newer pressing issue.

* * *

**It's been almost a month since I started this story and already having 12 favorites, 24 followers and 12 reviews, I'm feeling rather proud of myself and feel lucky to have made a good first impression for a beginner, though I must confess that I was expecting more reviews at least than the former two. I don't mean to sound petty or ungrateful, I am neither and I just felt like getting that out.**

**Anyway, I'm very proud of this chapter, granted I doubt it's my best but I enjoyed writing it. I admit I went too far when I wrote that harsh scolding to Takumi but given his reaction to the thought of another Dragon coming out of Corrin really is a cause for concern so reasonably no one should hold it against him but since this is their conflicted lost sister, Ryoma isn't going to think twice on who to side with in this scenario. So The second Prince has more of a reason to resent Corrin but he has standards so he won't lash out when they have bigger fish to fry. I didn't allow Silas to join Corrin because it never seemed right to me for him to go against his Kingdom over the word of a friend he hasn't seen in years. Same with Kaze in Conquest, these two are my most favorites in Fates and their loyalty for those they care for is something I admire but the notion that they would betray their respective countries for Corrin is something I can't accept so Silas will remain with his people all the way through. In regard to Azura's abilities, I'm well aware on how they work but I will also make some changes to suit my taste on her role in my story. This is the first time I ever wrote an actual scene with a full blown strategy so I had to think more than twice when writing this but I like to think I did alright, the obvious flaws were done on purpose to raise the stakes and make sure everyone had something to do.**


	6. Chapter 6: A Tragic Start

**Chapter 6: A Tragic Start**

Eight hours after the fight in Fort Jinya, Corrin set out to find Ryoma, alongside Takumi, Sakura, their respective retainers, Azura, Saizo, Orochi, Reina and Rinkah, marching southeast of Hoshido and into the borders where the High Prince was last seen, near the Kingdom of Izumo. Most of them were against Sakura coming along for this treacherous journey, Mikoto included, however they youngest Princess was adamant on wanting to help find her missing big brother and despite her shy nature, she can be surprisingly stubborn, something few of them assume she inherited from spending too much time with Takumi, who's always made more time for her unlike Ryoma who's always keeping busy with his troops and keeping the borders secure but still tried his best to make time for them, and Hinoka who's always been fixated on rescuing Corrin, unintentionally ignoring her younger siblings. Strange how said High Princess hasn't made it her personal mission to be as overbearing with Corrin as possible now that she's back but she's a warrior at heart before anything else and is now out there keeping her people safe from the Grimm.

Right now the rescue team are making their way through a forest of cherry blossom trees, something Hoshido is famous for having more than one forest like this, as they make their way to the region in the south of Hoshido at the coast where Izumo lies. Saizo and Kaze were asked to go ahead of the group by Robin to scout for danger while Subaki and Reina do the same from the air.

"So, level with me, this Stairway we're heading towards, it's not really eternal, is it?" Corrin asked Robin as they travel while she is already sweating and panting after walking for two and a half hours. For such an amazing fighter, she is actually really out of shape, unlike Robin and the rest of the group, someone never ran laps during her training to be a general of her adoptive nation. Though she's in better shape than Sakura and Azura, the little princess will soon need to be carried by someone, no doubt the ever present Hana who will happily give her a piggyback ride, while the other former Princess of Nohr, is sweating the most of the three. How much water did the girl drink to be that sweaty? She's wearing white, which reflects heat. Corrin at least is wearing dark cloth and silver armor, which is likely cooking her.

"Nah, that's just a rumor made up by religious folks of Hoshido who were convinced that through Dragon Veins the top could lead them to Heaven and closer to the Dawn Dragon." Robin corrected. "But it is almost seven miles longer, so we have a long walk ahead of us."

"SEVEN MILES?! I'm already tired." Corrin cried in anguish.

"You're the one who agreed to march ahead sooner than it was wise." Robin reminded.

"Yeah, but I thought you would fly us towards our destination." Corrin complained. "Or at the very least Orochi could teleport us to the top already."

"No can do, Milady, I didn't bring my Warp Scroll along because I had to lend them all to those among my troops who arguably have the more important task of escorting people to safe zones." Orochi explained with a sheepish smile, both apologetically and playfully due to the Princess' reaction.

"Robin, your Morgenstern tome has dozens of different spells that most magic-conduits can only carry one, not a single one can make a warp?" Corrin questioned.

"Sorry, Corrin but I got nothing of the sort in my arsenal, Warp Magic is an overly complicated art, kind of like how tomes and scrolls are different in a way that one who masters one can barely master the other." Robin explained.

"A tome that possesses many spells unlike other tomes and scrolls is unheard of, let alone one that can vanish and reappear out of thin air into the owner's hands." Azura commented.

"Yeah, it's the one thing in my possession that holds close ties to my former life, since I had it with me in my arms when Corrin found me." Robin said while holding his Tome in both hands. "Sadly it hasn't given me any clues that can lead me to my home, like everywhere else in Horus. My only lead is in Mount Garou but even that is a huge mystery."

"Don't let it go to your head too much, we'll find something to help you on your way, I promise." Corrin swore to him.

"I know."

"Milady!" Kaze called out to Corrin as he and Saizo return and they look alarmed.

"Bad news?" Corrin asked.

"Enemy scouts of Grimm. Worse of the demonspawns, Nuckelavees, accompanied by a Seer and are coming in fast behind us." Saizo informed, alarming everyone, minus Corrin who has yet to encounter these types of Grimm.

"Crap, were not exactly in a position to be fighting such horrors!" Takumi cursed while staring at Sakura, not sure if they can fight such dangerous Grimm with her to protect.

"Everyone follow me." The Diviner instructed as they rush away from where Kaze and Saizo came from and she begins to use a yellow scroll and upon activation it creates a yellow dome that traps them inside. "We will remain invisible and difficult to track to everyone outside while in this dome but remain completely silent." She instructed while everyone else ready their weapons just in case they are spotted.

And there comes the Grimm that they are all so worried about, and this one is the very definition of a demon, a horse-like creature with an equine main body and a skinless humanoid creature that is fused with it. The horse part of it is larger than the average horse, with the trademark black color of all Grimm with a mane of black smoke coming out of the head. Every portion of it is menacing and seems slightly bulky when compare to actual horses and they have the typical white bone-like features of the Grimm around their face, ribcage and legs. Their forelegs have two-fingered claws and have hooved hind legs that leave a distinctive hoofprint. The other part of it has an emaciated, somewhat humanoid torso with rib-like protrusions and pectoral-like bone plates on its chest, as well as a series of bone spikes along its upper spine. Its two long, thin arms end in a hand with only two fingers. The shape of its head is similar to that of a Human head but with a longer, pointier chin. Its mask bears some resemblance to a Human skull, but the holes that serve as the eye sockets are elongated and slope downward. On its forehead, at the top of its mask, are two long, curved horns. Strips of flesh connect its upper and bottom lips.

Hana places one of her hands on Sakura's mouth, randomly assuming that she'll squill out of fear, as the Princess is already trembling nervously by the sight of it, while everyone else is alarmed, afraid even, surprisingly Saizo as well, though Robin knows it is not just because it is ferocious.

The human portion of this Grimm scours around, looking for prey, possibly because it somehow noticed the Ninja Brothers despite their best efforts, the duo seemed to be in a rush to get away. Things get worse for the group as the horrible monster makes an even more horrifying roar that makes them look away from it, while Robin, Rinkah and Orochi instead get headaches from it.

Accompanying this Grimm is another Nuckelavee along with a smaller, jellyfish like Grimm that can float in the air, possessing a spherical body that is covered with bone-like plates, along with red tentacles ending in white, bony spikes, and a single eye. This must be the one Saizo called a Seer.

The smaller Grimm moves ahead of the two Nuckelavees while making clicking sounds. After a minute of examining the area, the small Grimm turns to the bigger demons, it's clicking sound gets louder and the two turn their heads to the direction where the Hoshidans are hiding, which can only mean one thing.

'DAMMIT!' Robin cursed in his thoughts as the Grimm somehow know where they are, with the two Nuckelavees stretching both their arms ridiculously far, aiming straight towards all of them, causing Robin to rush out of Orochi's dome, exposing himself to the Grimm to halt their attack.

"Excalibur!" He roared and from both of his palms he fires a mighty gust of wind towards the Grimm, the smaller one is smart enough to evade the attack and flies away while the other two take the wind blast head on and are push back and knock to the ground, but the humanoid torsos of the Nuckelavees are quick to get up and make their roars at once, again somehow striking more fear into all of them, minus for Robin, Orochi and Rinkah who again only feel more painful headaches that causes Orochi to dispel her scroll, exposing all of them.

One of the Nuckelavees continues its assault on Robin by thrusting it's clawed hand at him, but the Tactician evades the arm, followed by slicing it off by channeling mana into his left arm, hardening it and while boosting its strength, to the horse-like Grimm's fury. This however, leaves him open for an attack from the other Nuckelavee who manages to hit him and slams the White Mage to a tree next to his allies who are already down, partially damaging it. Robin manages to force the Grimm's arm off him in time to evade another attack as the smaller Grimm enters the fray, its tentacles also stretchable, and, the barbs of which can be used as sharp weapons that Robin also manages to evade as it hits the tree instead, and as he gets back on his feet he is able to catch the next tentacle sent at him and pulls with enough force to harshly pull the jellyfish to the ground and without hesitation he stumps his foot down on the Grimm, shattering the spherical body with ease.

Robin turns too late to notice the Nuckelavee who's arm he cut off rush him and upon to stump on him with its front legs but Rinkah intercepts the coming attack as she rams herself at the Grimm while her whole body is engulf in flames, making her a living fireball as she pushes the beast away from Robin. She then continues her assault as she grabs it's humanoid torso with the aim to savagely pull it out from the horse part, forcing it to scream again, again somehow causing more fear and headaches to the Hoshidans but the Princess of Fire's will is strong and resists long enough to succeed in severing the Grimm in two. This unfortunately doesn't stop the horse portion as it forces Rinkah off it and into the ground. The Dark Horse goes completely feral after losing its other half and almost stumps on Rinkah but she manages to move out of the way.

Takumi tries to fight back, raising his Fujin Yumi to shoot the other Nuckelavee but his hands are shaking so uncontrollably, which causes him to miss rather pitifully, achieving only the Grimm's attention, who goes to attack him next, and The Prince relentlessly tries to finish it off, however, right in that moment, the tree that Robin was knocked into starts to crumble and fall, nearly hitting Sakura.

"Sakura!" Hana shouted as she pulls her Princess out of the way.

"Sakura…?" Takumi now becomes dreadful over his sister's wellbeing that he completely ignores the Grimm and accidentally shoots a wind arrow at the wrong direction, about to shoot Robin instead who barely notices the arrow on time and sets his own hand with thunder magic, that succeeds in blocking the arrow but the impact does knock him to the ground.

"ROBIN!" Corrin cried in horror, which turns into savage rage, as she focuses her attention on the Nuckelavee about to aim at a baffled Takumi and without her own knowledge, her face changes and gets covered by the same mask she wore during her battle with Wrath, and she roars with a massive blast of water coming out of her mouth that hits the Grimm and blasts it away, pulverizing it. Even after it's destruction, the water blast continues to go forward, destroying many cherry blossom trees for probably almost a mile.

Corrin is the most shock by her sudden attack, as she begins to scream, feeling a violent surge of dragon power preparing to go wild from her, already she desperately reaches for her Dragonstone to keep herself contain.

"Milady!" Kaze shouted as he quickly pushes Corrin out of the way as the Dark Horse goes to attack her, but instead rams over the ninja instead, who prepares to stump on him.

"KAZE!" Saizo shouted as he angrily goes for his brother's aid getting on top of the Dark Horse and shoves two shurikens into it's eyes. The monster howls painfully, backing away from Kaze while it rolls it's head around as fast and hard enough to knock Saizo off it, but the only reason why the red ninja let it go was because he jumped off willingly as he notices Reina descending from the sky at the nick of time and pins it to the ground with her Kinshi, afterwards she thrust her Venge Naginata into the horse's head, killing it finally.

"Is everyone alright?!" Subaki cried out as he too returns to the ground as the battle is all but over.

Corrin manages to calm down using her Dragonstone with her mask disappearing, but she is unable to relax as she hastily turns her attention to her allies, in particular her Retainers. "Robin! Kaze!"

"Worry not for me, Milady." Kaze assured her as Saizo helps him back on his feet.

"That could've gone better." Robin sighed tiredly as he stretches his arms, his headache now gone.

"Thank Iblis we're made sturdier of things than those wretched beast." Rinkah sighed, only now recovering from her headache as well but Orochi still looks worse for wear.

"I don't understand, my Scroll should've kept us safe, and it's not like Grimm can sense magic." Orochi said in contemplation, trying to make sense of what she might've done wrong.

"It seems that we still don't know much about the Grimm like we thought, though it might be even more likely that this is also a side effect of the Blight Nohr put all over Hoshido, making the magic that originated here become inconsistent." Robin assumed.

"That is most likely our latest predicament." Saizo said.

"A thousand apologies for not arriving sooner, Milords and ladies, but once the Nuckelavees were spotted neither my Yuzu nor Reina's Killua dared get close." Subaki said referring to his Pegasus while patting her.

"It's fine, Subaki, Pegasi and Kinshi have never been reliable when in a state of panic." Takumi said.

"That's racist."

"What was… what the hell were those things?!" Corrin gasped in horror, never feeling fear like that ever.

"Those were… Nuckelavee, they are among the high-tier level Grimm and among the most terrifying for they possess the magic power to spread fear upon others by just screaming, sapping away the courage of their victims, and makes some behave illogically with their attempts to stop the fear." Kaze explained, recovering from the said fear forced on him. "Though, those with high magical abilities are able to resist this curse but instead receive headaches."

"Yeah… I'm going to need a moment to recover from this." Orochi muttered weakly as her headache has only begun to fade.

Examining the rest of the group who were attacked, Robin, Rinkah, Saizo and Kaze are the only ones who are fine while the rest are still recovering, the worse of them being poor Sakura, who Hana is holding tightly in a tight hug while the Princess is crying uncontrollably.

"The worst part is that those things also act as true bad luck charms, cursing those they are hunting with misfortune, leading their prey to meet violent accidental deaths, friendly fire, tripping on nothing, hands suddenly become slippery, anything that shouldn't be possible happen in the current vicinity we are in." Takumi added. "What is fortunate is that they are so few in numbers that we typically have to put up with one at a time, though killing those parasites could never be considered easy, even for Ryoma. But this is the first time I have ever seen two of them together."

"Same. The Nohrians are getting bolder and more tenacious." Saizo cursed under his breath.

"What about that smaller Grimm? It look like it was the actual scout and was leading the two?" Corrin asked.

"That was a Seer, it possesses actual human intelligence than most Grimm and is capable of adapting to situations much quicker, those clicking sounds it makes are how they communicate with their brethren and give out orders." Robin spoke up next. "What's even more profound is that Two Seers can be used to allow long-distance communication between two parties, live depiction of the participants being able to be shown to the others via a red smoke-like substance that manifests in their heads. In addition, this method of connection between two Seers can allow either the Nohrian Royal Family or Dark Mages to directly manipulate the actions of the distant Seer. Their tentacles are stretchable, very powerful and prehensile, the barbs of which can be used as sharp weapons to kill and whatever they are made of, they can easily penetrate through even steel."

"Gods, how are we supposed to fight off an army that literally comes from Hell?" Corrin asked, not liking their options against such terrible monsters.

"Hell and the Underworld aren't exactly the same thing Corrin but to answer your question, to truly stop the Grimm, we need to dethrone King Garon." Azura explained. "Despite their allegiance to all members of the Royal Family, the Grimm are solely faithful to the King of Nohr, if we are to defeat him, either by killing him or better yet, destroy the Throne of Nohr in Castle Krakenburg which contains a unique Dragon Vein that allows him and his army to summon the Grimm in the first place, the demons will be forced out of our world and back to the Underworld where their true master resides." Azura explained. "Or at least that is what ancient text that document the lore of the Grimm explained, either way without the Royal Family at the core, the Grimm will lose all cohesion and be render useless without their hive minds, and the rest of the Nohrian Mages will too lose their power over them."

"What's more if we can push our army within Nohr the Grimm will be forced out of Hoshido, for their first priority is defending their homeland and its people, regardless of what their Demon King says on the matter." Takumi added.

"It sounds very risky, but I supposed it's better than them in Hoshido." Robin replied.

"Precisely."

The group lays low for almost ten minutes resting up and getting their spirits back up and the injuries are so minor that it took no effort at all for Sakura to heal those who were hurt at all.

"Nearly lost control again in that struggle." Corrin muttered, still depress over her dragonic powers.

"So we noticed but don't let it get to you, Cor, you'll get the hang of this power eventually, you just have to give it more time." Robin reassured her.

"I don't know, Rob, even if I do keep this power contain what are the odds that I can hold it for as long as I want?"

"You're asking the wrong guy, but what I can say for certain is that every power is a curse as well as a blessing. It's understandable to be afraid of your inner strength if you don't know how to handle it but sooner or later you'll have to let it loose once and a wild and start to get a handle on it before you're put in a position where you need it." Robin advised. "And considering what's become of the environment, that time will arrive a lot sooner than we've hoped."

"You just said that you're the wrong person to answer my question and you go and say that." Corrin protested playfully, making Robin wave his hand as he shrugs it off.

"I'm just saying the first thing that comes out of my mouth, I don't know."

"Really, because it seems to me that you always seem to know what you're saying." Azura commented.

"I have my moments."

"You two are at a nickname bases already?" Hinata asked kindly to the white duo.

"Rob and I are pretty tight, and I like to be playful about it, and there's something about nicknames that always makes me smile. Unless offensive nicknames are thrown in the mix." Corrin explained. "Considering how close all of you are, I'm a little surprise that some of you don't have any nicknames to give to each other."

"Hana is my nickname." Sakura's Samurai retainer revealed. "My name is actually Kazahana."

"That's a pretty name." Corrin commented.

"Thank you, it means wild flower."

"Oh, kind of like Sakura means cherry blossom." Robin said.

"Beautiful, I know, and it's not just me that goes by a nickname frequently, Kaze here is actually called Suzukaze." Hana revealed.

"Really, that would've been nice to know when you pledged yourself to me." Corrin said kindly to her newly ninja retainer.

"Apologies, Milady. I have gotten so used to everyone calling me Kaze that I can't help but dismiss my true name after a while." Kaze said innocently and with a light chuckle.

"Hate to break up this nice conversation but we got other problems." Reina said as she returns from the sky as she decided to continue scouring for more danger while Subaki remained on the ground this time to give more support.

"What did you find?" Takumi asked.

"I spotted smoke from afar and right in the direction we are headed, there's a village under attack." Reina informed, getting everyone serious.

"Grimm?" Takumi asked.

"None on sight, probably Nohrian soldiers, though I didn't bother to get any closer, but I am familiar with the village up ahead of us, it is Aikawa." Reina explained.

"Aikawa, huh." Takumi replied, as he also seems to be familiar with the place and his serious expression turns to a calm and unconcern one, almost apathetic.

"Let's not waste any more time, then." Corrin ordered.

"I know, regardless of our true mission, we can't afford to lose a single drop of land to the Nohrians." The Hoshidan Prince declared as the group march ahead, hoping to make it in time to save Aikawa.

They arrive in time to see many of the villagers running away from the doomed Aikawa while being chased by six men in black armor not like the ones worn by Nohrian Knights.

"Those are the bandit group of the Blackhounds!" Kaze said familiar with the invaders. Corrin has heard that name before, it's the group of mercenaries that Hans used to be a part of before his rehabilitation into the Nohrian Army.

"How dare they return!" Saizo shouted in anger, running ahead of the group, making the first kill by throwing shurikens at a cavalier about to swing his sword at a woman running away while carrying a child in her arms. The Shurikens pierced deep into his neck, sword arm and left eye, as well as the horse, forcing them both on the ground, and catching the attention of the Blackhounds, who the Hoshidans make short work of.

"There are still people fighting within the village." Oboro said, as they can hear the loud shouts of violence and death.

"The Blackhounds are mostly comprised of Mercenaries, Cavaliers, Fighters and Outlaws, and in each raid they are led by one Berserker. But despite their brutality they lack the combat experience of true warriors like those of our group." Saizo explained, mainly to Robin about the enemy their facing.

"Scoundrels like these typically attacked thinking they can come in and go whenever they want without any open defiance and giving the state of this place it seems that they weren't wrong to think so, however this also means that they are blissfully disorganized and have no concern for a plan, meaning that we have the advantage in more than just having them outmatched so this should be pretty primitive for us." Robin said as he begins to plan ahead. "Let's split into two groups, Takumi, you take the right side of the village accompanied by your Retainers, Hana, Saizo, Orochi and Reina, stick together and provide cover fire for them with Reina from the air, Outlaws made be amateur in comparison to Military Archers but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. And I'm confident you won't receive any serious injuries so if you find survivors offer them your vulneraries."

"The rest of you will be taking the left side then. I can tell from here that the stakes are higher over there." Takumi said.

"I like our odds." Robin shrugged. "Sakura, remain at my side as we pushed forward, Kaze remain with Corrin at all times while Rinkah pair up and watch over Azura. Subaki, take to the air but remain close, watch out for archers but not too much as I'll be covering for you as well."

The group split and go to face the invaders, Corrin's group are quick to find the Blackhounds as they rebel in the carnage they bring but are mostly stealing what they can, some ignoring the fleeing villagers, more concern with the belongings while others decide to just kill them off for a variety of reasons, mainly because they enjoy it, either way, they've earned Corrin's fury for their ruthlessness as she rushes ahead of the rest with Kaze right beside her as he throws more shurikens at two Blackhound members who notice her about to attack. His own attack at them provided the Princess the chance to strike uninterrupted, cutting the arm of one of them with the Yato, while she slices open the other in his chest from his left shoulder all the way to his right abdomen, leaving them both lying on the ground with grievous injuries.

Corrin briefly stops for a moment, surprise at herself for what she had done, granted she had every intention of fighting these men and punish them for their crimes, even if it means mortally wounding them but she struck too quickly without hesitation. Her previous rampage aside this was a first while human, and it feels wrong yet at the same time so natural.

She is snapped out of her trance as she hears the clash of metal as Kaze blocks the sword of a mercenary aiming for her and the Ninja pushes him aside before kicking him in the temple, knocking him to the ground before finishing him off with a shuriken right through the same temple. As gratitude, she assists him with a fighter that snuck up on them that they overpower easily.

Rinkah confronts a fighter, who barely last two seconds against her as they clash with their club and ax respectively but by their last clash, the Flame Warrior hits the fighter by his wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon, leaving him defenseless as she finishes him off by grabbing his face with her left hand, which ignites on fire, incinerating him alive but only the entirety of his upper torso. Azura remains behind her as she confronts a spear fighter and despite her skinning body in comparison to the muscular man, the Songstress' expertise with a spear enables her to hold her own as the two seem evenly matched until Azura gains an opening, getting behind him and slashes open the back of his knees, making the Blackhound scream in agony as he falls on his knees, and Rinkah takes the chance to end him as well the same way she did to her previous opponent.

Some of the villagers that remain caught in the crossfire take the chance to flee from the fighting only to be chased by one fighter who focuses on an old man who trips and is about to be killed by the Fighter only to be saved by Subaki who impales the fighter from the back with his naginata and with impressive strength, lifts him in the air with one arm and throws him away from the old man.

One Outlaw gets behind Subaki and aims to shoot the Pegasus down but Robin stops him by blowing him through the wooden wall of a house next to him with his wind magic. Sakura goes to assist the old man who looks wounded with fresh blood on his abdomen, Robin remains beside her, using his thunder magic next to electrocute three mercenaries getting close to either of them, with him and Subaki covering for the Princess as she begins to heal the old man.

Corrin cuts down one more mercenary, leaving him severely wounded on the ground, and the cut is deep and will probably die because of it but she did not even notice and she turns to focus on more foes as she and Kaze are about to face off against a Fighter but someone else gets to him as an arrow is shot, piercing right through his head from his left, killing him instantly. The two turn to see the one responsible who is neither Takumi or Reina but a grown man, who is probably between his late twenties to early thirties, messy white hair with a bit of black hair at the front, dress in a green and black outfit with brown accessories, brown boots, and a cape, nothing like the Blackhounds and looks more like a pirate and is holding a steel bow.

"Wait, I know this man, he's not with the Blackhounds." Kaze said familiar with the man.

"I could tell by the arrow he shot at another Blackhound." Corrin replied.

"SHURA!" Yelled a Berserker rushing towards them, particularly the Adventurer now named Shura. Saizo said that Blackhound raids are typically led by a Berserker so if they can take him down, they can end this fight all the quicker.

Shura confronts the Berserker, picking up a silver sword lying on the ground and clashes with the Berserker's mighty axe. The Berserker is seemingly the better of the two with Shura backing away with each blow but counters by making a mighty swing that forces the axe off the Berserker's hand. This doesn't stop him as he rams himself into Shura and knocks him into the wall of a wooden house. Shura retaliated by locking his hands together in a tight fist and slams at the Berserker's exposed back, forcing him to loosen his grip on him, allowing Shura to push his foe aside and rushes to get his bow that he was forced to drop during the clash of weapons but the Berserker grabs him by his cape to pull him back to him and delivers a punch to his face that knocks Shura to the ground.

"Black Bulls ain't shit after all." The Berserker smirked picking up his axe to finish Shura off but doesn't get the chance as Shura picks up an arrow that belong to the quiver of one Blackhound and impales it into the Berserker's feet, making him drop his axe again which the Adventurer picks up and uses it to decapitate the Berserker.

"Funny, I was about to say the same to you Blackhound Scumbags." Shura sighed, relief to have ended this fight. He briefly turns to look at Corrin and her group and notes that there doesn't seem to be any Blackhounds left, at least from this side of the Village. "Took you damn Hoshidans long enough to get here."

"Ah…" Corrin muttered not sure how to respond to that, since she didn't know how to explain that it was by mere chance that they've arrived here. Shura ignores them and turns his attention to the nearest house and calls out to someone inside.

"Mozu! It's safe to come out now." He called out and out comes out a diminutive girl who's probably the same age as Sakura, dressed in the garb of a poor villager, her cheeks dusted by both dark freckles, the flowers in her dark hair have wilted slightly, and she is holding a brass naginata while shaking nervously and fearful from all the violence. Poor girl.

"Is it… is it all over now?" Her question was more of a plead.

"Yeah, help has finally arrived so we'll be safe now." Shura assured the girl.

"B-But… but… my ma and pa…" Mozu began to shake, tears as her parents were among the casualties. All Shura can do on the matter is place his arm around her and hold her tight as she starts crying in anguish.

"I know kid, I know."

Hours pass and the Villagers return to their home and begin to mourn their losses and bury the dead while Corrin's group agree to spend the day here, delaying their search for Ryoma and help the wounded. Most were okay with this decision while few like Takumi and Saizo are agitated by the delay, understandable since this is their brother and lord respectively that they are looking for, Takumi's efforts to help the villagers also seems lacking, like he doesn't care about anyone here. What's gotten in to him? And as if the Gods themselves feel pity for Aikawa, it's starts getting cloudy above, the sun barely visible and it rains but not so much.

"All and all, the people of Aikawa will be alright, and there are monks living here as well so there is no need for Lady Sakura to overwork herself in helping them more." Kaze informed Corrin while she and Azura are sitting in chairs within a bar with both Robin and Kaze standing beside them and she is currently staring at the villagers mourning for their loved ones who are already all buried, all of them wearing black robes to avoid getting wet and Sakura is beside them, Takumi as well, the others are wherever they prefer.

"Try telling her that." Azura said worried for the little Priestess.

"If Saizo can't get her to take a break, and he has tried, nobody can, I'm afraid." The Green Ninja makes a light chuckle, that does brighten up the sour mood.

"These people were lucky that we got here but I am surprise that a bunch of bandits stormed this place while in the middle of a war and monsters everywhere." Corrin asked confused.

"Wow, you have all the telltale signs of a full fledgling rooky when it comes to this life." Shura said from another table with a weak chuckle before taking a sip on a glass of wine.

"Forgot you were there, you said your name was Shura, right?" Corrin said sounding more polite.

"Yep, and he's not your typical Adventurer, he's the leader of an infamous group of thieves named the Black Bulls who are rivals to the Blackhounds but nowhere near as immoral or at all. They mainly operate in Nohr but have been spotted all over Horus, smart enough to avoid detection from Hoshidan Ninjas." Robin informed her.

"Always a pleasure to hear how my reputation proceeds me." Shura said smugly.

"What are you doing here in Hoshido, I'd expect your group to keep your distance with the war having now begun?" Azura asked suspiciously.

"Got separated from my crew last week while evading one of the biggest Grimm around that was chasing us, managed to escape and made it here. No one in the Black Bulls is really loyal to Nohr and those blackhearts love expressing their disapproval of us by tearing us to pieces." Shura explained.

"Understandable, though for the past four years the Black Bulls have been showing up in Hoshido and stealing our resources to give to the Nohrians." Kaze said.

"You are aware of the state the Kingdom is in, right?"

"Yes, Nohr's always been lacking in food of their own lands, hence why they are always buying them from neighboring nations with their unmatched wealth or conquering them when diplomatic options become fruitless, this war against Hoshido was their breaking point to take it all." Kaze confirmed.

"Right, so while most of the nobles there are people in need of an arrow through the head, one of them actually understands that the word 'noble' is just a fancy word for good people and hired me to get some of the sweet Hoshidan dishes to give to his home town and he sure has a lot of money to spare, so I made him a frequent client for my services." Shura explained. "However I made sure he understood my desire for word of my activities don't make it to the prying eyes of Garon so that we Black Bulls don't end up being forced to work for him. Old man scares the hell out of me, he's a Demon King after all."

"Right." Corrin muttered, regarding that last part, as the thought of Garon being the leader of the Grimm really bothers her more than most, same with Arete, Xander, Camilla, Leo and Elise being in the same page.

"So, you two whiteheads turncoats as well judging by how you both dress?" Shura asked Corrin and Robin.

"Basically, but I have a feeling there's more to your question."

"You really are in the dark about all this, huh." Shura said. "Let me explain then, this diminutive little village, Aikawa is called an Anti-Nohr Zone, people from Nohr who've had enough of the hardships back home and managed to make a living in Hoshido, and because of how wary the actual Hoshidans are, they don't really care for this village, nor the other thirteen all around. They're treated fairly sure, but the lack of trust makes them go ignored by the rest of the world when there's trouble."

"The Villagers did seem a little too surprise and too grateful to see us arrive." Corrin said only now realizing the overreactions the people of Aikawa gave them when the Blackhounds have been dealt with, while others seemed very critical about their late arrival.

"Yes, I'm ashamed to admit that Aikawa has always had it rough, even before the creation of Lady Mikoto's barrier, we ninjas would always be sent to make daily checkups on all villages around Hoshido due to the lack of soldiers everywhere to make sure everything is alright but we were always told by our superiors to ignore all Anti-Nohr Zones." Kaze explained, regret eminent in his voice. "Despite her own resentment, the Queen has tried to watch over them either way but our forces would always obey reluctantly. I am sure you've noticed Lord Takumi's sudden change of behavior to one of apathy once he found out it was Aikawa in danger."

Corrin can't help but grow angry at this, tightening her fists and making a weak growl but did good to keep her emotions in check for a change.

"The only upside is that the Grimm haven't attacked this place, I've spotted several Grimm nearby the village for the past three days, even the overly aggressive and horrifying Nuckelavee but all they did was stare at Aikawa for a few seconds and run off someplace never to return, meaning that they know that the villagers are Nohrians, despite their desertion and leave them alone, and considering that Garon and Arete are finally able to lead their army to lay siege in Hoshido it might as well be their divine right to live here." Shura continued. "But of course, during times of war there are always opportunists who wish to take advantage of any situation no matter how dire to do as they please, then we have the other guys people love to hate, the Blackhounds, who are on Hoshido's must exterminate list behind Nohrians."

"I'm surprise that you would choose to stay and help Aikawa. A rare quality among thieves." Azura commented.

"It's called having standards, sweetheart, and we Black Bulls have more than Nobles these days, but it's nothing special to the eyes of most." Shura shrugged.

"What will you do now that the village will pull through?" Robin asked.

"Try to sneak my way back to Nohr, I guess, I've never been a fan of the place but Hoshido is typically sunshine and rainbows in appearance only, then the rainstorm of shuriken comes down on you for stepping out of line." Shura replied.

"You may not get the chance, Dark Mages and Grimm are guarding the borders of the Bottomless Canyon so the Port Towns in Mokushu is our best bet to ride to Nestra all the way back to Nohr but even then, entering Mokushu territory may not be easy." Azura warned.

"I'll take my chances, but first thing's first, I got to get to Izumo and meet up with an old associate who owes me a tool that will come in handy against Grimm." Shura said.

"We're heading to Izumo as well." Corrin pointed out, intrigued.

"Well ain't that a coincidence." Shura smirked, also intrigued. "Any chance if I make it to the top of the Eternal Stairway first I can get that sweet sword of yours as a trophy, whitehead?"

"No!" Corrin gave a quick and harsh reply, holding on to Yato tightly.

"Worth a shot."

"Why don't you travel with us, then, it's safer to move about with strength in numbers." Corrin suggested, feeling confident that Shura is trustworthy enough due to his valiant effort to save Aikawa.

"I wouldn't recommend it, Milady, this thief may be more honorable than most but there will be heavy objections from everyone else, especially Saizo due to having no love for the Black Bulls after all the repeated failed attempts by our ninjas to apprehend a single bull." Kaze objected.

"That's fine, I don't like fighting alongside those I don't have chemistry with, anyway." Shura said.

"You can't have chemistry without starting from scrap." Corrin pointed out.

"Point taken, so how about this, if we see each other again while on our way there and meet up with trouble, first one who needs saving owes the savior a debt in service." Shura gives a friendly wager.

"That won't end well for you, we have the higher numbers." Robin declined, of which Shura can only smug.

"We're in a warzone pal, anything can happen, especially the unlikely." He said before exiting the bar.

"He seems nicer than he appears." Kaze said warmly.

"Indeed, though he also has all the telltale signs of a man with a tragedy behind him." Azura noted.

"That seems to be a thing all whiteheads have in common, huh Robin?" Corrin asked lightheartedly.

"Apparently." He shrugged. After a few moments of silence, someone else enters the bar, the little girl Shura defended, Mozu.

"Ah… Hello." The girl greeted nervously.

"Oh, hello, Mozu, right? How are you?" Corrin greeted as she gets back on her feet to walk to her. "Wait, that's a dumb question, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'm… I'm calm for now." Mozu said more headstrong than they expected, though she is suffering from what she had to endure, she's strangely at least putting up a strong face.

"Anything you need, I be happy to lend a hand." Corrin offered.

"It's nothing, I'm just walking around with no destination, and thinking." Mozu muttered.

"About what?"

"About… what should I do next." She confessed nervously.

"Oh…" Corrin stays speechless for a moment, not sure what to say. "Well… Aikawa is safe and would likely thrive again. Bandits don't normally come back to the same place to rob after failure. Right Robin?"

"That depends on their intelligent level, and they all seemed really dumb but I doubt they'll want to keep risking their lives to attack a place where they lost so many men, this is a war zone after all." The Tactician replied in confirmation but this is just a thought and there is no way to really know what goes on in the minds of criminals they barely understand.

"There must be someone who can take you in, uncles, aunts, friends of your parents." Corrin suggested but she only succeeds in making Mozu feel worse.

"There's no one! Everyone I love is gone, and the rest who survived I barely know. I have nothing now!" Mozu cried, with Corrin getting on her knees and hugging the girl as tightly as she can to give her comfort, with the remaining three staying silent, not sure what to say.

"There, there." Corrin whispered in her ear, not letting go of her until she's able to calm herself. "What can we do, guys?"

"I'm not sure if there's a right answer that we can give. She wishes to strive and move forward despite her losses and pain, some will no doubt wish to leave Aikawa, not able to bear the pain that has become of this place, while others will want to stay and bring life back. I personally believe she should be the latter, however, now is not the time to fix villages or heal wounded hearts." Robin mediated. "I'm afraid Aikawa is no longer a safe place for her to be in, for none of them, sooner or later more fights will happen here, everyone needs to leave and go to the major cities and find shelter."

"It will be difficult if Pure Hoshidans discover their origin but because of the turmoil they might be mistaken for regular citizens." Azura remarked.

"I'm certain they will have it easy because of it but we can't turn back to help them make it to Suzanoh, finding Lord Ryoma is our top priority and even if Orochi had her warp scroll she wouldn't have been able to teleport so many people at once without succumbing to severe Magic Overuse." Kaze stated.

"Tomes and Scrolls are basically the same thing, the key difference is how the mana within is managed that makes those without experience using them have a harder time mastering but unnaturally high mana reserve should help me utilize the scroll faster." Robin offered.

"If it were a regular scroll you might pull it off in a day, however Magic regarding teleportation takes weeks to master and you have no experience harnessing the magic from scrolls so I doubt you'll be able to master it so soon anyway." Kaze objected. "As much as it pains me to say this, but these villagers are on their own making it to the safety of the major cities. We could offer to take them to Izumo since we're heading there but even with all the power we possess together; I don't like our odds."

"Me neither." Robin cursed their misfortune, while Corrin can only come up with one solution.

"What if we only bring one with us at least." She suggested, earning her a glance from everyone.

"You wish to bring Mozu along, Milady?" Kaze asked in confirmation.

"So many of the children here weren't spared from the senseless killing and there are more young ones suffering elsewhere, even though I accept that we can't save everyone, we have to do what we can for those who can be save." The Princess said focusing her gaze at Mozu. "Listen, Mozu, if you want, you can come with us. We could never even hope to replace those you loved and lost but we can take care of you."

"I can join your group?" The Village Girl asked to clarify while also baffled.

"Yes, but only until we find you a safe place to call home. Our group is bound by a dangerous cause. We go from one battle to the next. That's no life for you." Corrin said.

Mozu remained silent for a few seconds for a short contemplation before making her decision. "I'm not afraid. I can help. I might even save you or your friends. Let me join your cause, whatever it is."

"Alright." Corrin nodded in approval before turning to her comrades. "Any objections?"

"I can't speak for the rest of the group but you'll get none from me." Azura replied, okay with Corrin's decision, with both Robin and Kaze nodding in approval.

"I won't be asking for any of their permission." Corrin declared.

* * *

Corrin's group spend the night in Aikawa, resting in the houses that have not been left in ruins and are currently unoccupied by any of the villagers, Takumi and Sakura shared one house with their retainers, Reina and Orochi are in another, Corrin, Robin, Kaze, Azura and Mozu share another while Saizo and Rinkah chose to remain outside doing whatever they want. Shura had already left without saying goodbye to anyone, much to Corrin and Mozu's dismay.

"You know, I don't mean to be rude in any sort of regard, I mean, now seems the perfect time to be racist but I still abhor it but, I never gave these Anti-Nohr Zones any credit, this place has all the signs of a once prosperous place to call home before those lousy bandits showed up. The people are pretty nice." Hinata said relaxing in a kitchen, lying down on a chair with his feet on a table and is eating an apple.

"Apparently so, perhaps their time in Hoshido has made these people more humane unlike their time in Nohr." Takumi wondered while he is standing next to one of the windows of the front of the house, staring at the once lively neighborhood and noticing people passing by, doing whatever they feel like doing.

"Well, I guess Nohrians do have souls after all, they just needed a little light in their systems for them to stop behaving like animals." Oboro shrugged while she is lying down on a couch.

"Perhaps, either way they won't be our problem anymore as we set out tomorrow, first thing in the morning." Takumi instructed.

"Pardon the intrusion." Saizo spoke out appearing out of nowhere inside the living room the three are resting in. You think a ninja popping out of nowhere would startle anyone but the three of them, basically everyone in Shirasagi, even Sakura has gotten so used to it that they frequently expect one to show up but they never see it coming for real, which shows how amazing Ninjas are with stealth.

"Yo, Saizo." Hinata greeted.

"I've just come in to report. The Village is secured and free from danger at the moment." Saizo informed.

"Have any Grimm been spotted?" Takumi asked.

"Yes, Rinkah spotted a pack of Beowolves not far south, however all they did was stare down at Aikawa for a few seconds before leaving us alone and running off somewhere else. More Grimm showed up an hour later, a herd of Goliaths to the east but again all they did was stare before moving along." Saizo continued. "It seems our suspicions have been proven true, even though the Anti-Nohr Zones have deserted their true home, the Grimm still see them as their people and will not attack. I have little doubt when I say that we can all rest easy tonight without worrying about attacks. Same with the Blackhounds who know better than to attack the same place twice after suffering so many losses."

"Tsk! Using Foreigners as meat shields and protection charms to ward off monsters just so we can have one night's rest in our own lands, is that what we've come to." Takumi hissed at the bothersome dilemma they have right now.

"It is a necessary evil, Milord, this skirmish delayed us by a lot so it's only fitting that we use anything and anyone at our disposal to make it through the night." Saizo stated, rather coldly but still means well.

"How are you holding up, I know it can't be easy relaxing knowing Ryoma is out there without either of us assisting?" Takumi asked with concern regarding his brother's faithful retainer.

"How I feel should not be a priority of one such as yourself, Lord Takumi. Pay me no mind." Saizo insisted, but still appreciative.

"Don't be like that, we're all worried about the High Prince and Kagero, I can only imagine what Orochi is going through right now, she and Kagero have been best friends so long, I be concern if she put up a strong face frequently." Oboro insisted.

"Darn right, and besides, It's Ryoma we're talking about, even if he were to lose Raijinto, Nohrians would still have a hard time taking him down." Hinata boasted.

"I know, and I am sure he's not alone, there was another reason we were heading to Izumo beside hunting that Dragon Grimm, is was that we were to rendezvous with a Knight of Cheve, there is a rebellion in the Dukedom ready to take up arms against Nohr and they requested our aid." Saizo explained.

"That's great but doesn't it seem unnecessary and irresponsible of us to send a member of the Royal Family as envoy just to assure some rebels they have our support." Hinata wondered concern.

"Let me guess, Scarlet was this said knight?" Takumi asked with a sigh.

"Yes." Saizo nodded in conformation.

"Who's Scarlet?" Hinata and Oboro asked at the same time with curiosity.

"You two don't need to know." Takumi insisted as he returns to Saizo. "How is everyone else?"

"All of them are resting up, Rinkah and I will stay up a little while longer before resting, I am certain that they will all be ready to leave by morning. Also, there is one matter you need to know is that we will be traveling with a fifteenth member." Saizo informed.

"Fifteenth?" Takumi repeated.

"I couldn't help but eavesdrop on a conversation Corrin had with one of the villagers she rescued, a little girl named Mozu, and for some reason, mainly pity she has agreed to take her with us and find her a new home, since everyone she knows here is dead and the rest of the survivors she lacks any chemistry with."

"What the hell is she thinking, as if I don't have enough to worry about with watching over Sakura 24/7?" Takumi protested but there was no anger in his voice, only annoyance. "She just might be no different than mother, taking in strays left and right because she's fueled by pity."

"That is probably the case. And we have all noted that she has quite the temper so she too won't take no for an answer and we'll risk a completely pointless argument if we tried." Saizo added.

"Now I wish she had inherited some of that Nohrian cynicism." Takumi muttered but will relent, trying to avoid any fights with the new ''favorite'' as much as possible. "Let's just hope there aren't any more setbacks from here on out."

* * *

Morning came and Corrin's group resume their journey to Izumo at the same time the People of Aikawa all agreed to leave their village and find the safety of the major cities, and none paid mind to Mozu going with the other group. And there were objections to bringing Mozu along from the others but Corrin would hear none of it and all fifteen of them set out. Two hours later they make their way to the mountain region close to the border of Oldstrong, a particular region that the Hoshidans originally had no claim to, hence the foreign name and is made up one part mountainous, one part is a desert where the Wind Tribe reside in. First they make it to the long stairway made of the stone that they need to walk to make it to the Wind Tribe Village then to the grassy region where Izumo lies. Sounds easy enough.

"Hey, Robin, you've been on this path before, haven't you?" Corrin asked.

"Yep, if we're lucky and there aren't any setbacks we might make it to the top before noon." Robin explained, earning a groaning from Corrin, Hana, Takumi, Hinata and Oboro.

"Jogging and me do not get along." Corrin muttered.

"I'm aware." Robin shrugged.

"Oh, quit complaining and feel the burn you baby!" Rinkah lectured at the scene before her and patted the Princess in the back rather hard that Corrin nearly falls to the ground.

"HEY!" She cried.

"Wow, there sure are a lot of stairs, I can't even see the top." Mozu said in amazement as she stares at the top but sees no end. "It's almost as if we'll find Heaven at the top."

"You're not the first to assume that." Azura smiled at the girl kindly. "What we'll find at the top instead is a very windy desert, where the Sky Dragon that the Wind Tribe worship once resided."

"The people who can use Wind Magic with a mere thought because of the divine blood coursing through their veins." Corrin said with wonders before turning to Rinkah. "Hey, Rinkah, being from the Flame Tribe, how well do you know your windy counterparts?"

"Not as much as I should, the Elemental Tribes haven't had the best relationships in recent decades, with my tribe preferring to remain in isolation, the Ice Tribe working for Nohr, albeit reluctantly and the Wind Tribe preferring to stay neutral but still helpful to Hoshido." Rinkah explained. "The Ice Chieftain Kilma has been silent for a while and my old man and the Wind Chieftain had a huge falling out back when I was still in my mother's womb that nearly resulted in both tribes going into a war, not sure what it was about and my mother always told me not to concern myself with father whenever he behaves like a tantrum child, which is very frequent, so we're barely in speaking terms. Not sure if bringing me along is such a good idea."

'Wow, Elise was right about Rinkah not getting enough hugs from her dad, causing her to be so moody.' Corrin secretly thought. 'I was never hugged by my dad and I turned out alright. Then again Gunter and Xander have always been perfect substitutes.'

"P-Please don't think like that Rinkah, you're one of us now, so Chief Fuga has to take it easy in letting us pass." Sakura assured her.

"That's right so put that frown upside down, already." Hana cheered.

"Hey, trick question Rinkah, can everyone in your clan use the respective element of your Tribe's Dragon?" Corrin asked.

"Not exactly, only one family is descended from the Precursor the Tribe worships while the rest lack divine blood but we are able to transfer and share our powers with members of the tribe through special rituals known only amongst the Tribes but only 50% of our clan's population can harness my family's sacred power. And it's the same with all other tribes." Rinkah explained.

"Wow, that's impressive, wonder why I never learned that during my studies of Horus's cultures." Corrin wondered.

"Because everyone is convinced that we're all inbreeds and so the more delicate information concerning the tribes is considered 'classified' for young minds." Rinkah hissed with a lot of irritation, concerning this insulting rumor.

"That's disgusting." Corrin mumbled, with the rest of them sharing the same sentiment.

"This is the first time I ever heard about that." Takumi commented, equally disturbed.

"Well, I'm glad I can at least trust you people with what hold's truth in my life." Rinkah said with a faint smile.

"Anyway, we won't be stopping by the Wind Tribe unless we have to, so let's get this over with, I can already feel my legs wasting away just by staring at this thing." Takumi ordered.

"Oh, just staring makes me so nervous, I don't know if I can do this." Sakura muttered while trembling.

"Fear not, Milady, you can ride on Yuzu to make yourself comfortable." Subaki offered his Princess. "Reina and I will be walking alongside you all since it be best we all stick together when going up."

For a moment Sakura considered the offer but quickly went against it. "N-No, I can handle this, it's just a few hundred stairs, I'll probably won't sweat as much this time." She said feeling more determine to be less of a burden, as usual.

"That's the spirit!" Both her Retainers cheered in motivation for her.

"She's a determined soul." Robin commented with a smile regarding the young Princess' efforts to push herself.

"Indeed, she's always been overwhelm by being related to strong siblings like Ryoma and Hinoka that she can't help but feel left out and is always pushing herself harder." Azura explained with a smile as they began to travel up the Eternal Stairway.

"What about Takumi?"

"He's in the same boat as her but she instead feels more secured around him than inferior." She finished.

"Quite the family dynamic. Not that I would know."

"I'm sorry, I cannot imagine what it must be like not knowing who your own family are, much less the uncertainty that there might not be anyone waiting for you at all." Azura said raising concern regarding Robin's amnesia.

"I'm more calm about it than I was before, even if I won't like what I find in Mount Garou, It can't be any worse than not knowing, at least, that's what I like to think." Robin said with a sincere smile with small hints of sadness that Azura can plainly see.

"Those three years resting in Corrin's fortress must've made you restless, then." The Songstress wondered.

"Not because of my lack of memory, but because Corrin's butler was an unbearable perfectionist who lectured me at every turn I took, and when he found out how terrible I was at cooking when I tried to make myself dinner, let's just say he wasn't too keen on me staying any longer unless I learned how to at least be a quote-unquote 'partially semi-useful' butler and this was during my second day in the fortress. I myself wasn't too happy about being a freeloader in the fortress of a Princess, so I asked for a job in Nohr's Service Industry first chance I got in my third day, or at the very least their military since my muscle memories never left me and I apparently have battle experience from my previous life." Robin explained more about himself.

"Indeed." Azura noted, intrigued by Robin's use of magic.

"Although Corrin would always insist I not concern myself with a job and I could stay for as long as I wanted but everyone else disapproved with her offer."

"And I kept telling you to ignore everyone cause they're always so judgmental." Corrin said getting in on the conversation.

"And I appreciate your most generous hospitality as always but you know I can handle myself just fine, I could've scored a life of my own if I was given some pointers about how everything works in Nohr instead of crashing in with the royals." Robin insisted.

"And give you up when I conveniently ended up needing you for the darkest moments of my life, no way! I learned to dodge every arrow thrown at me with grace, and I dodged the most harmful arrow of all by not letting you go." Corrin argued adamantly.

"So I've noticed." Robin sighed, while Azura chuckles at how much Corrin cares and is dependent of Robin.

They resume their travel through the long stairs, stop to rest after fifty minutes to have lunch before walking again and just like before, Corrin, Azura and Sakura have begun to sweat a lot, even though the temperature within the region is pretty well balanced between heat and cold, however as they get closer to the top, it begins to heat up and closer to the desert part of Oldstrong, and by then the others like Takumi, Hinata, Oboro, Hana, Orochi and Reina also began to sweat while Robin, Kaze, Rinkah, Saizo, Subaki and Mozu remain in good shape with them never once giving in to the heat or exhaustion from all the walking, much less drop a single drop of sweat.

"Gods… these stairs seem to go on forever." Corrin breathed, stopping for a moment to catch a breather for the third time since they resume their walking.

"Indeed. But what did you expect? This is the Eternal Stairway." Azura pointed out as the main issue is easily noticeable. "Not to worry, we've almost reached the halfway point."

"How are you guys able to last this long without dropping a single drop of sweat?" Corrin turned to both her retainers who remain in tip top condition. "Seriously I stop to check out on everyone every five minutes and you both look like you could run a marathon and remain first or second place from the beginning no problem." Her statement earns her a chuckle from Kaze.

"Well, one of the benefits of being trained as a ninja at an early age is learning how to keep your body in top condition for as long as physically possible and avoiding sweating since even a single drop could proved fatal in missions." He explained, regarding himself and Saizo.

"I'm just used to constantly traveling without rest, it helps the magic inside to have a body that's physically endowed." Robin replied.

"Good for you." Orochi muttered, not being so endowed in terms of magic despite having such a perfectly shaped body, that she goes and hitches a ride on Reina's Kinshi to rest, and as for Sakura, she finally gives in and asked to take a break on Subaki's Pegasus, who has been unmounted the whole way up since the Knight chose to walk beside his Princess, same with Hana.

"Rinkah I get, cause she's constantly fired up but what's Mozu and Subaki's excuse?" Corrin asked.

"Expect perfection and you'll never be disappointed with me." The Pegasus Knight replied with a very charming smile, that made Corrin and Azura look away with their cheeks getting slightly pink.

"So annoying to hear him say that." Hana hissed, a little loudly, not caring who heard her.

"You don't have to worry about me, I grew up taking on manual labor such as crop cultivation and animal hunting for sustenance, I'm quite used to this sort of stress." Mozu replied casually as she has not once been bothered by walking up all these stairs despite not being as well trained as anyone here.

"Tragic how the Zoner is more robust than one of the two leading this rescue mission." Rinkah remarked referring to Corrin as one of the two co-leaders of the mission to find Ryoma, the other being Takumi.

"Explain to me exactly how someone who was originally trained to be a high commander of one of the biggest armies in the world and a deadly Hoshidan Hunter is so out of shape from something as primitive as walking some stairs?" Takumi questioned his sister with a hint of smugness in his voice while his face is melancholic.

"I hate jogging, shoot me." Corrin hissed.

'I'm waiting for you to give me the chance.' Takumi mused.

"Please, let's not argue, we still have the top to reach." Sakura pleaded, fearing that an argument will erupt between her siblings and she is still troubled by what Ryoma had said to Takumi four days ago.

"Relax, Lady Sakura, everyone here's just trying to stay in high spirit." Robin assured her while he gently and discreetly moves Corrin away from Takumi, as the two have been fairly close to each other since they started walking with Sakura originally in the middle.

"Seriously Rob, I don't see why you can't just fly us to the top one at a time since you seem to have so much magic reserve?" Corrin questioned Robin.

"And waste a good opportunity to get you to perform at least a semblance of jogging? Come now, Cor, your arms may be flawless but your legs are just for show, you and Azura look like you need the exercise." The Tactician smirked at the two Princesses, and he gets a pouting Corrin who also glares at him while Azura only makes an offended ''Hmph''.

"Mister Robin can fly?" Mozu asked with wonders getting in on the conversation.

"Yeah, that feels like something that needs to be addressed cause no Mage has ever been able to fly before." Orochi said. "I mean, there have been many theories made by Diviners to utilize one's internal Mana to make one's body completely weightless but none ever proved sound."

"Everyone ignored me when I brought the topic up." Sakura cut in upset.

"We had a dragon to fight Sakura, the topic was completely irrelevant at the time." Takumi specified.

"It's not something that I can say with total certainty if I've achieved it with ease or spent my whole life training for it because flight feels like second nature based on experience since all it takes is a thought for me to take to the skies, nor do I have to use too much mana at all but very little, unless I take flight at inhumane speeds that not even a Kinshi can keep up with." Robin explained as best he could over a power he doesn't really understand. "It's the best feeling in the world, of that I can say for a fact."

"I can attest to that." Corrin smiled as she enjoyed all those times Robin took her flying with him. Not sure if it's because of the flight part or that Robin always has to hold her close in his arms that she enjoys it too much. "Hold on, what if when we make it to the top there are Grimm there waiting for us to strike and I can't fight at my best when I'm tired from all this walking."

"You have dragon blood in your veins and you can turn into one, I'm sure the adrenaline pumping through your veins will lessen enough of your fatigue to hold your own, either way, Kaze and I can handle the rest." Robin shrugged.

"Your logic is irrefutable." Hinata praised.

"I can attest to that as well." Takumi said as he always feels this intense and sometimes violent rush whenever his adrenaline rises up in a way that he's sure no other human feels that has to do with his inhuman bloodline. "Though, Azura and Sakura clearly lack this dragonic trait." His statement unintentionally lowers Sakura's already weak self-esteem while Azura makes another offended ''Hmph''.

"He means it in a good way, Milady!" The two retainers hastily assure their little Princess as best they can to increase her self-esteem.

"I'll have you know that I'm well drilled when it comes to keeping myself in shape, I received training from Hinoka on how to managed a naginata." Azura claimed.

"Yes, and we all know how ''reliable'' my sister is when it comes to 'making time' for others." Takumi said sarcastically regarding Hinoka's sense of priorities. "Honestly, Azura, if you wanted to be an actual spear fighter, you should've received lessons from Oboro, rather than a second class chump." He lectured, unknowingly praising Oboro over being superior than the High Princess of Hoshido when it comes to using spears for combat, making his blue haired retainer blushed furiously, as if she wasn't flustered enough during her dinner with the royal family, that Takumi doesn't know about.

"Careful with your words Lord Takumi, our future Lady Oboro still hasn't recovered from the flushes she received from the Queen when she was invited to dinner to celebrate Lady Corrin's return." Subaki said smugly, probably in retaliation for accidentally hurting Sakura's feelings.

"WHAT?!" The Second Prince shouted in disbelief, turning to his female retainer. "Oboro!"

"I… I… I… I meant to tell you but getting the privilege to talk to the Queen so casually was so… was so…" Poor Oboro was hoping to avoid this conversation.

"WHAT DID YOU TELL HER ABOUT US?!" Takumi demanded, also flustered, earning him the laughter of everyone in the group as they stop to catch their breath, minus the no nonsense of Saizo and Rinkah who only get annoy by all the immaturity, while the actual adult in the group, Reina only gives a light chuckle to the infancy. Subaki and Hana hi-five each other for getting what they view as 'justice' for their Princess.

"Some rescue team we turned out to be." Saizo growled at even his own brother for getting caught off in this childishness.

Eventually, after another three hours after calming down from the fun they had, they finally make it to the top. They can see from a distance what looks to be buildings of a large village.

"Finally!" Corrin makes an exasperated sigh of relief upon making it this far but still have a long way to reach their destination.

"The Wind Tribe Village is pretty close now, once we passed through, our journey to Izumo will end all the quicker." Kaze said.

"Not quick enough, we still have almost a day and a half of walking before we can make it to Izumo." Robin claimed.

"And now I feel sad again." Corrin feels down about herself.

"Not necessarily, Saizo and I have come to the village many times before, Hoshidan and the Wind Tribalists used to have a few skirmishes four to six years ago due to a certain domestic dispute and my brother, I and a few others would escort several diplomats to settle things peacefully since half of the ownership of this region belongs to the Wind Tribe. At two occasions we escorted Queen Mikoto here to speak directly with Chief Fuga to properly seal the deal, and during our stay there my brother and I befriended a Diviner who possesses one of few Warp Scrolls that exist in the eastern half of Horus, and she often visits Izumo whenever she takes a vacation from her duties to her tribe." Kaze explained.

"Don't you mean you befriended her and your brother just stayed silent and ignored the both of you." Azura corrected as like everyone else, minus for three among them knows that Saizo is not one to socialize in any kind of conversation, even Ryoma has a hard time getting the red ninja to open up to him. All Saizo does in response to her rude comment is just make his own ''Hmph'' but not because he's offended but simply because he's harsh to everyone, minus for Ryoma.

"So… it's a she we're talking about, huh." Hana asked mischievously regarding Kaze's ''friend''.

"Please no." Kaze sighed, dreading where this conversation is heading to.

"You my friend are wasting your gifts with the ladies." Hinata remarked also mischievously as Kaze's dashing good looks and kind personality makes him a favorite of the ladies, something he prefers to avoid at all times.

"Can we not have this now, please." The green Ninja pleaded for mercy and embarrassment.

"I warned you to be more cynical and quiet to avoid these petty chats." Saizo lectured him.

"Unlike you I actually enjoy having friends." Kaze argued.

"Well, you do strike me as someone who can easily get with anyone, you're pretty astonishing." Corrin said kindly to Kaze.

"Lady Corrin, please be silent for a moment…" Kaze suddenly said as he and Saizo get serious all the sudden.

"Oh, c'mon! It was a genuine compliment!" Corrin cried.

"No, that's not it. I'm sensing an unusual presence. I think we're being followed." Kaze informed, getting everyone armed and ready for the worse. "Attention! Whoever you are! Show yourself now if you wish to avoid conflict!" Kaze demanded to whoever they must face next, and out of nowhere three beowolves show up right in front of them. This is the first time Mozu has ever laid eyes on Grimm and gets understandably scared by the sight of them with Corrin pulling her behind her for her protection while she points her sword at the Grimm before them. The only one not alarmed by the sight of the Beowolves is Robin.

"Grimm! Where did they come from?" Corrin said, wisely keeping her guard up even though three Beowolves aren't much of a threat with their numbers higher.

"Grimm?" Robin repeated in confusion.

"How strange. I expected humans. Beowolves aren't usually this stealthy." Kaze said most confused by this unusual predicament

"Are we seeing the same thing?" Robin asked, not sure what they are all seeing.

"They shouldn't. Something isn't right." Saizo said finding this scene confusing.

"Doesn't matter, let's just take them down!" Takumi ordered as he fires his Fujin Yumi at the middle Beowolf.

"TAKUMI, NO!" Robin yelled and to everyone's shock, the Tactician runs fast and hits the magical arrow with a small bolt of lightning that knocks it away from the Beowolf.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Takumi shouted enraged.

"These guys are not Grimm!" Robin warned, just when the Beowolf that Takumi attacked moved in to hit Robin, only for the Mage to place his palm at the wolf's chest, and knocks it to the ground, and the other two are going to have a turn to sink their claws at them. "If none of you can see what I do, then that means…" He began as he summons his tome that opens by itself again with it shining with a pink glow and Robin raises his left hand upward.

"RELEASE!" He roared and from his open palm shines a bright pink light that illuminates the surrounding area, forcing everyone else, including the Beowolves to avert their eyes from the light for two seconds before it fades and once done, the group return their gazes back to the Grimm and they are gone, in their place there are three men, warriors of the Wind Tribe, judging by their armor that the Hoshidans are all familiar with.

"Wind Tribalists!" Rinkah gasped in confusion.

"Where are the Grimm?" Corrin asked just as shocked.

"Grimm? Oh, Hell, you bastards as well, is this what Hoshido has come to now that Nohr has invaded!" One of the Tribalists shouted angrily as the trio regroup and keep their distance, their weapons arm and make use of their wind magic, surrounding themselves in a barely visible, seemingly harmless and weak tornado.

"I don't understand." Sakura muttered.

"There were never any Grimm before us, what you all saw was an illusion that someone cast on us to make the Tribalist look like Grimm, and I get the feeling that it only affected you guys." Robin explained. "I felt an odd sensation as soon as we made it to the top but this particular illusion spell was stronger than most."

"I didn't feel anything from the external mana." Orochi muttered confused as she too should've been able to notice an illusion being cast near her.

"An Illusion? HA! You're not the first Hoshidans to make that excuse right after killing our own people, we won't fall for it!" Another Tribalist snapped at their words.

"Wait a minute! He's telling the truth; we really didn't know what we were seeing until now." Corrin pleaded with them to listen.

"Just hear us out, I am Prince Takumi of Hoshido, and I give you my word that we did not come here to start a war with the Wind Tribe. This is all a Nohrian trick to put us against each other." Takumi avowed, trying to fix things before they escalate even worse.

"Your High Princess said those exact same words right after she and her troops slaughtered so many of our brethren! We are not people who can be easily fooled and manipulated!" The Tribalist shouted, refusing to believe their claim holds truth.

"Hinoka's here!" Corrin gasped.

"No! There has to be a mistake." Sakura cried in denial, refusing to believe that her sister would commit such an act.

"You Hoshidans have been nothing but troublesome, angry savages ever since King Sumeragi bit the dust and now that war breaks out you think you can do whatever you want, even in neutral territory!" Again the Trio snapped accusingly.

"How dare you!" Saizo snapped at them for speaking ill of his people and late King.

"Nobody do anything stupid!" Robin commanded all of them.

The argument is put on hold as they are caught off by the roar of a horrible beast from far away, likely near the Wind Tribe Village.

"Another Nuckelavee." Reina cursed, each of them have become familiar enough with the beast to recognized that horrible roar of fear anywhere.

"There were never any Grimm, huh?" Oboro scoffed at their further misfortune.

"Don't get smart with me." Robin hissed.

"The Village!" One of the Tribalist cried as they rush back to the village with the group following in pursuit. Once they arrive, they make it to the scene of a massacre within the desert side of Oldstrong, most of them are dead Wind Tribalist along with a few Hoshidans, only four are left alive, the High Princess Hinoka, her two retainers Azama and Setsuna, along with a young boy who's likely only a year older than Sakura and Mozu with maroon shoulder-length hair and is wearing a sleeveless sky blue kimono, who might also be from the Village, all of them facing off against a Nuckelavee, holding another wind tribalist by his right hand and she was still alive until the Grimm literally squishes the life out of her, along with blood coming out of her mouth in a horrible fashion.

"NO!" The Boy cried out in horror before it turns to anger and from both his hands he fires a large quantity of air in the form of a tornado-like blast that hits the Grimm head on but the best he could do is force the demon to take a few steps back and drop the now dead wind tribalist before the boy soon gives out and collapse from exhaustion with his spell ceasing.

"Hayato!" The Trio cried out to the boy as they rush to his side.

"Hinoka!" Takumi yelled as they too all rush to help them as the Nuckelavee prepares to attack them but first notices the rest of them heading their way to stop it and it retaliates by making it's terror roar forcing all of them to fall on their knees and the mages suffer severe headaches.

The Nuckelavee then returns to his first four targets and goes to finish them off with Hinoka mustering up all the courage she can to get back on her feet and stand between the Grimm and the boy with her Bolt Naginata in hand, ready to make one last stand.

"What do we do?" Corrin cried in desperation to save them but can't think straight from all the fear consuming her. Robin tightens his left fist as it surges with the Ignis flames, and the power heals his headache, afterwards he places his hand on Corrin's right hand with the flames surging through her as well, purifying some of the terror she is feeling. The two Whiteheads then stare at each other intently.

"You know what you have to do. You can't deny what you are forever, I'm so sorry you're being forced to push yourself further into this." Robin said, encouraging her to use her Dragonstone, as the Princess stares at it in her left hand.

Corrin has only a few seconds to decide as the Nuckelavee begins its march to kill the High Princess.

"HINOKA!" Corrin roared intently as the Dragonstone shines brightly as it transforms her, entering her dragonic form once again as she charges forth and at inhuman speed, ramming herself on the Nuckelavee and pins it to the ground.

"Corrin!" Hinoka gasped at the sight of her sister in dragon form once again. The Nuckelavee fights back, grabbing Corrin by her long neck, able to stretch its arm unnaturally long, succeeding in pushing her off it and pins her to the ground but she retaliates by grabbing the arm and squishes it so tightly that it breaks and she tears it off, making the monster scream in pain. The Dragon Princess doesn't stop there as she resumes to pin it down by placing her hand on both its humanoid and horse head and squashes them with her newfound superhuman strength, killing the Demon of Terror.

"At a girl." Robin sighed in relief with the headache fully gone and everyone recovers from the shocks

"Big sister! Are you alright!" Sakura cried out as she and Takumi rushed to Hinoka's side.

"You two." Hinoka muttered relief to see such heartwarming faces.

"Ah, how fortunate to have all of you come to our aid. I was worried that we had to pick up the Princess' remains from a horse's legs." Azama said rudely but still appreciated their arrival.

"He means thank you." Setsuna replied next casually.

"Just try to stay still as we get you all fixed up." Takumi insisted to them as Sakura and Orochi begin to use their Healing Rods on them, including the boy named Hayato that the Trio focus solely on helping.

"Gods, that Grimm was scary and that scream it made hurt my ears a lot." Mozu muttered, still covering her ears while still shaking scared.

"Really, that's all you felt. How curious." Rinkah said as she noticed that Mozu's fear towards the Nuckelavee was only from the sight of it and not from its roar.

Everyone then turns to see Corrin, still in her dragon form and remains silent, staring at the ground where the Grimm was before its brutal demise and everyone wasn't sure how to respond, minus Robin who walks towards her, now standing in front of her.

"Cor? You alright?" He asked her gently, earning him her attention. "It's alright, Corrin. There's no one left that will hurt you."

"Rob… I feel strange. Like, I'm not really me anymore. How can I…" Corrin began, her voice while distorted and monstrous, it's clear that Corrin is still in there and in control. Robin raises both his arms to indicate her to stay calm.

"Just focus your thoughts on being yourself, the stone is inside you now and it will keep you in control. All you have to do is just want to change back." He instructed.

"Just want to change back." She repeated before her body changes again, back to her human self. She nearly loses her balance and trips, causing Robin to hold on to her.

"Better?" He asked her softly.

"Better." She smiled at him warmly before they return to their friends. "Hinoka, are you alright?"

"Yeah, don't concern yourself with me." Hinoka replied with a smile of gratitude to her younger sister. "Thank you, sis. I owe you one."

"Another time, and now for the real issue, what are we supposed to do now?" Corrin wondered.

"We must speak with the Wind Tribalists and try to settle this incident diplomatically. This whole skirmish was no doubt the cause of that illusion you all experienced and as such many of them see us as the enemy now." Robin instructed.

"He's right." Hinoka muttered with shame visible all over her. "Even though I was deceived, Wind Tribalist blood is in my hands. I have to do something about this, before things get progressively worse, even if it means suffering the consequences."

"Peace, Hinoka, we'll find a way through this, I know it." Azura assured the High Princess as they must now head to the Wind Tribe. They have a lot of explaining to do, regarding Hinoka's supposed crimes against them before they can proceed to find Ryoma.

* * *

**This Chapter was rushed by a lot, I know, with the fun and peaceful moments suddenly turning serious and violent, especially Mozu's recruitment but I wanted to get ahead the early chapters already and try to reach the more important ones that concern the War, granted I will try to make time for the events that play out in Chapter 8 to 11 of Birthright but vastly different, of course. Regarding the support conversations, I intend to have those but instead of just a conversation between just two people when getting to know each other, I'll try to have more people involve to engage in bigger conversations and try to have them bond better together, and a bit quicker.**


	7. Chapter 7: Trouble in Paradise

**Chapter 7: Trouble in Paradise**

Corrin's group arrive at the Wind Tribe Village and tensions are high, it is difficult to enjoy the view of this impressive village with what has brought them here, the wind of the desert part of Oldstrong is quite strong, likely because of all those who can use wind dragon magic around prefer it this way, it only felt more powerful as they reach some sort of castle where the Chieftain must reside, diviners and other troops stationed at every entrance and through the town as well. Despite their windy nature, they were like stone, not moving an inch, no doubt patiently waiting for their orders, and if things go south, order to strike the Hoshidans down where they stand. Once in the castle, they meet with a tall shirtless man with darker skin than any of the tribe's other inhabitants, arms folded with a very stern expression. His very presence radiate with power as if he alone is the source of all this wind. No doubt now that this is Chief Fuga, having him for an enemy would be an ill omen for them all.

"Chief Fuga." Hinoka spoke up first, the High Princess standing in the middle of her three siblings and in the front, as she wanted to be the one to speak with Fuga.

"The Royals of Hoshido. Your presence here is usually a welcoming sight but I supposed I shouldn't be surprise that times like these would make you so volatile." The Chief of Wind raised his voice, sternly with hints of disappointment. He clearly has history with Corrin's Stepfamily.

"I know that we… I have a lot of explaining to do, I only ask for you to hear me out first." Hinoka pleaded with the Chieftain.

"I have every right to refuse. Despite Nohr's even further descent into corruption, that fool Garon at the very least still has the decency to stop picking fights in neutral territory, as his demons never laid harm to our home until now despite their sightings, however your heinous attack against our people drew the Grimm to attack your troops and in turn mine for just being in the way." Fuga shouted. "It saddens me to know that the only thing Sumeragi's children inherited from him was his impulsive nature to think with a sword and arrow instead of wits. He was quite the fool when he was your age."

Those words cut deep to the Hoshidan Royals, minus for Corrin since she still doesn't know anything about her stepfather. Speaking of which, do her stepsiblings know that they are not related to her by blood, besides Ryoma that is?

"However, in honor of my past friendship with your previous King and the good faith that your Queen has earned from me, I will allow you to tell me your side of the story and speak with haste for the Wind demands that judgement be passed down."

"Yes sir. When I learned that my brother, High Prince Ryoma went missing during his journey to Izumo after an ambush launched against him by Nohr's Princess Camilla by one of his samurais that my scouts found as all his troops were forced to scatter to survive the ordeal, I rushed as fast as I could to find him." Hinoka explained, earning her a surprise gasps from Corrin as neither Saizo nor Orochi mentioned that Camilla played a role in Ryoma's disappearance, getting her to turn to the two with a resentful glare, her eyes showing what Robin recognizes as dragonic, causing one of Mikoto's retainers to turn away nervously while Saizo just ignores her. The rest of the group seem surprise by this part being kept a secret as well but they were quick to conclude that they had to otherwise Corrin would've had mix feelings about looking for Ryoma and in turn confront the sister she abandoned, which she now does.

"On our way and once my troops and I reached your desert, we encountered a Nohrian Squad here as well and confronted them until there were only four Dark Mages left standing, and one of them casted a spell that we originally assumed was one for summoning Grimm as we found a whole pack of Beowolves heading our way and I didn't think twice about cutting them down." Hinoka continued, and that is when she begins to feel remorseful. "But as soon as we did, the Grimm… they started to change, appearing human. We realized too late that there were never any Grimm attacking us, at first, nor did they really attacked us but were really your people who overheard the commotions and by the time we realized the deception, the Nohrians were already gone and the majority of my men were also killed."

"It was an Illusion Spell that was used by the enemy mages in a last effort to escape. And the spell seemed to be directed towards anyone who's Hoshidan or at the very least those who side with us, though I'm unsure if any spell can be so thorough." Azura spoke up next to explain while briefly glancing at Robin. "Only one Mage among us was able to notice the deception and dispel it before more of your men could be slain by our hands."

"Truly?" Fuga spoke meditating the situation and for the most part it seemed like he is willing to believe their story. "Personally, I cannot fault the need for survival, no matter how cowardly, however this incident is a violation of the truce all the Elemental Tribes have towards each Nation of Horus, you people of both the Dawn and Dusk Dragons have always held a great influence on this great continent, even to the other lands outside of your hold for better or worse, hence why war between Nohr and Hoshido has always been something to fear. It was inevitable that the Tribes would get involve one way or another, and by all accounts the Wind Tribe should side with Hoshido, however you people are just as responsible for the lives I have lost. Members of the Dawn Bloodline spilling Tribalist blood, hardly anyone will pay attention to the part about illusions, especially since fingers will be pointed at you towards a Grimm finally attacking us."

"We understand how you feel about this disaster, and we want to atone for this in any way we can but please understand that we are also in a rush. We have a brother to find and a Kingdom to save." Takumi spoke up next. "We know of your history with our father and would cut ourselves down before doing anything that would dishonor his good name anywhere in Horus."

"Truer words coming from one so young and naïve to the full depth of his sister's situation." Fuga said as he reaches a conclusion. "Very well, you, High Princess Hinoka of Hoshido will be punish for your actions. However, your judgement will not be carried forth today. Now you must prioritize all of your being for the sake of your people. But if you meet your end by Nohrian hands, then Justice prevails still."

In gratitude, Hinoka gets on her knees and bows. "Thank you, Chief Fuga! I swear on my life that you will not regret this decision!" Everyone else can only sigh in relief at the positive change of this scenario.

"Come now, young one, I too am not so brash as to also dishonor Sumeragi's good name by bringing severe punishment to his children, after all I knew something was amiss when I first learned of the situation." Fuga said now more calm and kind. "After all, for what reason would Hoshidan royalty attack strangers? And then allow themselves to be peacefully captured by the tribe of strangers?"

"Well, thank you for believing in us. This is the first good news we've had in some time, I'm afraid." Corrin sighed happily.

"I can tell. And you must be Corrin. Queen Mikoto's lost daughter, come home at last." Fuga said turning to the Whitehead.

"You know of me?"

"Not much, hardly anyone outside of Hoshido knows about the third Princess that was lost to her people the same time as their King, an even within the White Night Kingdom your tale is scarce, however your description matches perfectly with what I know. I am pleased to see you are unharmed and back with your family." Fuga congratulated.

"Physically unharmed, anyway." Corrin whispered very lowly that no one could hear her.

"And what's more, I am most surprise to see that you wield with you the Legendary Yato Blade." Fuga then notices her sword un it's sheath.

"You know about this." Corrin wondered as she picks up the Yato.

"Naturally, the legends regarding all the Sacred Treasures are well known amongst all the Tribes, especially the role they played in the Precursor War, none more so than the Rainbow Sage's ultimate creation, your sword matches it's description perfectly. To think that Hoshido not only got you back on their side but also acquired the Sword of Salvation as well."

"Feels more like a regular sword apart from being unbreakable." Corrin noted.

"In its current state yes, but during the course of this war I trust that the true depth of its power will be revealed to you, however I question if you have what it takes to truly wield it. After all, if the rumors are true, then for the last decade you have called King Garon father. Is it really so easy to aim any blade towards him now simply because of the truth?" Fuga questioned, now with concern since he knows this can't be easy for Corrin.

"Not in the slightest, however, even though I understand why he started this war and see well enough from his perspective, I never once believed in his methods. Right now, I'm not ready to face him but at the very least I can find a way to keep his army from plaguing more of Hoshido." Corrin professed, sadness eminent in her voice, getting the concern of most of the group while the rest hold dissent.

"An improper answer for one chosen by Fate, however I doubt there exist any method to prepare one for such a grim task like the one you must take." Fuga can only offer her his sympathy regarding her mission. "I give you my Blessing, as well as the Blessing of Ramuh on the Journey to your Birthright, and I pray that the spirit of Sumeragi guides you to the right path."

"Thank you for your most gracious generosity." Hinoka bowed before the group takes their leave.

"If Izumo is where you are headed then allow us to escort you there through the power of one of my Diviners to take you there instantly." Fuga offered.

"Lady Orihime, yes, her assistance would be most appreciated, Chieftain." Kaze said with gratitude.

"Orihime? My, what a beautiful name, befitting of the most delicate of Maidens." Subaki said intrigued with the Diviner who must be the friend Kaze mentioned.

"That's one way to describe her." Kaze replied.

"I'm just glad to know we can still count the Wind Tribe among our friends." Azura said relief.

"Yes, I'm so happy that you're going to be okay, big sister." Sakura said originally fearful as she gives Hinoka a big hug.

"I wouldn't say I'm okay so to speak." Hinoka said still ashamed of the whole event.

"Yes, our Lady's pride has been tarnish enough that I'm worry little grimm my sprout out of her tiny little head." Azama said playfully and unconcern of how hurtful that made Hinoka feel.

"That be a real scary sight." Setsuna said casually.

"You two really need to shut up."

"I take it that's Orihime?" Robin asked as a new Diviner steps into the room, a woman with long dark hair and is wearing a kimono almost similar to the one the boy Hayato wears, and calling her beautiful doesn't do her justice, cause her figure makes any of the women in the group, even Orochi inadequate in comparison.

"Yes." Kaze confirmed.

"Kaze, it's so good to see you again." Orihime greeted the ninja before turning to Saizo. "Saizo?" The Red Ninja merely nods in response.

"Likewise, Lady Orihime. I am truly sorry for the tragedy your people have been force to endure." Kaze said in a sad tone.

"Don't worry about it, I know no one in Hoshido is completely at fault, least of all you."

"Wow… now that's a woman, ain't that right, Lord Takumi?" Hinata smirked while blushing, unable to look away from the magical beauty.

"I can't exactly agree at the moment since everything just went dark." Takumi said annoyingly as his eyes are being covered by a very jealous and teary Oboro.

"Just when you thought I was incompetent enough with Camila around." Corrin muttered.

"Please don't be that kind of woman." Robin sighed over how petty this current event actually is.

"Orihime is our finest Diviner and is the only one entrusted with our only Warp Scroll, she will send you on your way to Izumo." Fuga explained.

"Thank you, Chieftain. Like Hinoka said, you won't regret this kindness you have given to us." Corrin avowed.

"Safe travels young ones, and I hope our next meeting is one of peace." Fuga gave his farewells as Orihime activates her scroll and once again Corrin finds herself shrouded by light and what feels like only mere seconds, they all find themselves in another location, right in front of Izumo. This part of the east of Horus has a lushes forest unlike Oldstrong, everywhere Corrin turn her gazes to the sight was breathtaking. The large city built at the center, that makes up Izumo is almost similar to Suzanoh but less red. Truly this is a place meant only for peace.

"Amazing." Mozu said in awe.

"We're finally here. Izumo." Azura said.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm sure glad to be out of that damn place." Rinkah said relief.

"C'mon girl, it wasn't even as remotely bad as I thought it would turned out, I feared we end up fighting them in that infamous windy arena of theirs." Hana commented.

"Yes, everything turned out miraculously." Oboro added.

"Speak for yourselves, but I could hear those bastards eyeballing me more so than the rest of you, judging me like I'm some monster deserving of being put down, or worse, a black sheep that can be made to disappear whenever they please because nobody gives a damn." Rinkah hissed holding a level of hostility and paranoia towards the Wind Tribe. Corrin did notice some of the tribalists looking at her with disapproving frowns, that she at first assumed it was just because of Hinoka's mistake.

'I underestimated how severe the horror of racism really is, Leo should've been my first clue, although he must've gotten that from father's own contempt towards Hoshido, and yet mother, Xander and Camilla rarely, if ever expressed such negative thoughts, or Gunter who's known for having bad blood with some Hoshidans so maybe it's just him.' Corrin thought.

"Well, look on the bright side at least you got us to be your Shepherds to look after you if things with the Wind Tribe do someday go south." Corrin assured her kindly.

"Are you calling me a sheep?" Rinkah growled coldly, sounding eager to bash some skulls.

"C'mon Rinkah, you know she meant it in a good way to make you feel less tense." Hinoka said in Corrin's defense.

"A Shepherd, huh." Robin said softly showing off a look of longing, as if the word holds a deeper meaning. "That be a nicer life than what I have going for me now."

"What, you thinking of retiring already? I don't like war either but you got to admit you got a career ahead of you as a top commander." Corrin praised.

"Knowing how persuasive you can be, I'm worried that many will start to think so and work me to the bone." Robin joked innocently.

"And knowing you, that sounds appealing." Corrin joked back.

"What did he do to earn that kind of praise?" Setsuna asked.

"Nothing of the sort yet but given his many talents she may not be exaggerating entirely." Azura explained.

"We'll find out soon enough, once things really start getting serious." Takumi said.

"At any rate, Izumo sure is beautiful, and dare I say more so than Suzanoh." Corrin said in amazement.

"Yes. Some call this place the kingdom of the gods. Even when other kingdoms are at war, Izumo has remained neutral. It almost seems… too good to be true." Azura explained.

"Why is that exactly?" Corrin asked.

"According to legend, back when the Ancestral Dragons lived among humans in Horus the very landscape where Izumo was forged is where the gods would come to meet up in a form of council to settle disputes and make decisions that concern all of Horus, and on rare occasions, the entire world. The presence of so much divinity in one place supposedly infused the land with a serene sensation that like with Queen Mikoto's barrier it made humans lose the will to fight but instead of being forceful, it just intensify their reasoning to dismiss violence while within this soil." Azama explained. "It is even here where the Brother Gods of Light and Darkness; Sephiroth and Qliphoth were born and they were the co-leaders of the rest of the Dragons, and when the Dragons began to suffer from Degeneration, those two were the first to fall and it was their bickering and love turn to hate that started the ancient war for who should have total control over humanity."

"The Dawn and Dusk are brothers and yet the respective kingdoms who honor them are now trying to tear each other apart." Corrin said with sadness, noticing the repeat of history, sibling against sibling for dominance over these lands and the people who live in it.

"Nohr brought this suffering upon themselves, we're just responding in kind. Don't forget that, "Sister". Takumi spoke in his usual tone that no one batted an eye to that last part that seem slightly harsher, minus Corrin who's hands respond to her anger and transforms again, now resembling how they looked like when she fully transformed for the first time but with talons that none but Robin noticed, who places his left hand on her right hand and shook at her to knock it off and she reluctantly complies.

"Even though this is an independent kingdom, these people are led by an Archduke, Izana." Hinoka said. "Mother once spoke with him during her visit here to make a request of the Archduke, she never told us what he's like except that he's a breath of fresh air, not sure what that means."

"Robin, you've been to Izumo before, and you've managed to score an audience with Izana to use his magic to help you find your home, right." Corrin asked.

"Yeah, and what Mikoto meant by fresh air is that Izana is too kind for his own good and dislikes speaking with formalities, preferring to speak with others as themselves and not let titles hold one back." Robin explained.

"Why is that?" Azura asked.

"Not sure, I guess he's a man who always longed for life outside of his home and find adventure but his duties kept him locked in his palace as he ascended to the destiny that was chosen for him." Robin speculated.

"Hopefully someone can tell us where we can find Lord Ryoma. And our best bet is to meet with the Archduke himself." Kaze suggested.

"Yes, the lord of this land holds incredible magic, credited as the strongest Diviner in Horus among the Onmyoji, and supposedly he can speak with the Gods through a ritual that can only be used by the leaders of this kingdom." Hinoka added. "I won't allow there to be anymore setbacks, we will find Ryoma."

The group enter Izumo and are quickly greeted by one of the Izumites who notice them come in and recognizes most of their clothing.

"Hoshidans? Well this is a pleasant surprise." A young rooky soldier greeted.

"Greetings sir. We've come to your land seeking information about some friends who may have passed this way." Corrin greeted back.

"Will you please give us permission to enter your territory?" Azura requested.

"But of course. People from the White Night Kingdom are always welcome within our borders. I'll notify the palace, and someone will be with you shortly." He replied, happy to help them.

"You have our most humble thanks. Also, would you happen to know anything about High Prince Ryoma, he was involved in a battle near your borders."

"I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person, I'm not too well informed about what goes on outside of Izumo these days, I only found out about the war you people are going through yesterday. Folks around here don't like to involve themselves with the affairs of other nations unless it concerns all of Horus. And while it's sad to see how low and wretched Nohr has fallen, our beloved Archduke is confident that they won't bother us with their infernal demons." The Soldier informed. "If a fight did happen nearby, you best speak with the people in the palace, or better yet, Lord Izana himself if he has the time, which is all the time, bless his soul for eternity."

"I see, again, thank you for your time." Azura said kindly as the young soldier takes off to bring them their escort while they patiently wait.

"I find it a little suspicious that not everyone is well informed about the war yet, you think the mere thought that Nohr summoned demons of all things to fight for them would raise every alarm to encourage them all to remain well informed." Takumi said suspiciously

"Yes, quite odd, however the Izumites have always been a weak and odd bunch, even though they greet travelers with open arms, they are somewhat isolated to the world around them, and their military is so primitive and small they might as well not have one at all." Reina explained with distaste in her voice.

"You make it sound like living in isolation is such a bad thing." Rinkah questioned, speaking as someone who grew up in a clan who live in a volcano and blissfully isolate themselves from the rest of the world.

"As someone who lived half her life in isolation in a fortress, I can say with confidence that it can be an abhorrent lifestyle at times." Corrin muttered as she always hated that she was forced to live in the Northern Fortress, even after learning the truth, it all seemed so off to her.

"Well than you're going to hate it in the Flame Tribe if you ever visit." Robin pointed out.

"You've been to Muspelheim?" Rinkah questioned surprise.

"I've been to a lot of places outside of Horus, not all over the world of course yet, but other Continents in search of where I belong." He explained with a sad tone.

"In the span of ten months?" Azura asked skeptically.

"I'm very fast when I fly and give it my all." Robin stated proudly.

"There are seven continents in total around the world." Azura persisted with her skepticism.

"And I'm hoping the other four I haven't been to yet bear any fruit, and I'm desperate."

"I'm more concern by how you're alive upon visiting my home, my dad especially doesn't like strangers waltzing in for any reason." Rinkah said.

"I believe it was the Chieftain that wanted to throw me in a volcano before setting my eyes on fire for even suggesting if I could read their archives concerning anything involving Dark Mages and the strange symbols in the coat I used to wear." Robin guessed.

"That's my pop's alright."

"How exactly did you plan to find anything based on some strange symbols on some old coat?" Hinoka asked.

"For one they gave me the impression that I was or am a dark mage and foreign dark mages unaffiliated with any nation usually form their own group with their very own symbol to signify their independence. They're secluded but enough of them have been confirmed over the ages, the marks on my old coat were these ominous six purple eyes that seem like those of a demon. But out of all the symbols dark, unholy and wicked I've found, none of them matched the one I had. As far as I know, I basically don't exist." Robin said with sadness over having nothing to find his way home.

"**He doesn't belong with neither Hoshido or Nohr, or this world. He's nobody, and yet his presence is so strong**." Mikoto's previous words sink into Azura's mind, as she is still unable to make sense of what she meant. Was she being literal or just baffled by how her premonitions never showed him, either way she can't shake the curious mystery concerning the amnesiac mage.

"Not to be rude or step out of line but I believe it best that some of us stay behind and be on the lookout for any trouble." Kaze suggested. "Izumo may be a peaceful realm but danger is imminent and we can't say for sure who we can trust."

"Tempting. I rather you didn't so as not to give off the wrong impression but we can't take any chances." Robin said hesitant to make any sort of move on Izumo.

"You're the group's Tactician, feel free to make the call." Corrin insisted, with Robin making up his mind after a few seconds of thinking.

"Alright, you and Saizo stick to the shadows and discreetly ask around for anything of value and don't take too long." Robin instructed.

"Right." The Ninja Brothers replied before taking up in the blink of an eye.

"Sure hope there aren't any more violence here." Sakura muttered weakly.

"We can only hope, sis." Hinoka said before turning to Corrin. "Anyway, Corrin, you feeling alright?"

"I haven't been feeling ''alright'' ever since I arrived in Hoshido and have been through one kind of stress after another." Corrin said very bluntly but not out of rudeness and just made it sound like it should be so obvious.

"That part I figured out myself, I meant physically, Sakura told me that you woke up from your coma only yesterday. Forget Sakura being too innocent to be a part of this war, you should be resting and getting a proper recovery." Hinoka said worrisome.

"So Lady Mikoto has insisted but we all know I wouldn't have been able to rest knowing what is going on outside of Castle Shirasagi. Like it or not, I have to be here." Corrin said trying to sound adamant and mature.

"Lady Mikoto?" Hinoka was a little taken aback by Corrin still addressing their mother by her title instead of… well… mother. She almost made it sound like she still doesn't acknowledge Mikoto as such. Hinoka wanted to press the matter further but she quickly notice Robin make a discreet hand gesture that Corrin couldn't notice that easily told her "not now", aware of what the High Princess was going to say next. Though Hinoka doesn't want to relent on the matter, she has to assume that she might start a very unpleasant argument, which is now hardly the time for so she must reluctantly concede.

"Well alright, just remember that I'm here now, so don't hesitate to ask for help if you need anything." Hinoka reminded her.

"I will." Corrin gave a gentle smile in response.

'That could've turned out ugly.' Takumi thought, with Robin not being the only one who suspected what could've happened if Hinoka had pressed the matter further.

"By the way, who's the kid you have with you, I didn't get the chance to ask when I first saw her?" Hinoka asked referring to Mozu, who the High Princess is unfamiliar with, much less spoken to but has noticed that Corrin, Robin, Kaze and Azura have been keeping her at close proximity, not so surprising that they want to keep her safe but it is odd that a Villager would be traveling with them. Not exactly the kind of people you want to keep around when in combat, not that Hinoka means to be rude, or anything.

"Oh, this here is Mozume, Mozu for short, she's a villager from one of the Anti-Nohr Zones that were attacked by some brigands, she pretty much lost everyone and I agreed to bring her along for her safety." Corrin explained while petting the little girl's head. "I know that it would be a lot safer for her to travel with the other people we'd saved in Aikawa, especially since Grimm don't attack them because of their origins but I still believe that she might be safer with us, in spite of the danger we're walking into, my only regret is that I couldn't escort all the survivors of Aikawa to safety myself."

"Well… I get your reasoning, maybe just a little bit, though I kind of wish you had thought this through a little more but I empathize with the believe that people might be a lot safer with yourself around." Hinoka said.

"That's the understatement of the year." Takumi barely whispered that Hinoka and Corrin can still hear him.

"Shut up, Takumi. I just hope things turned out as you wish for the both of you." Hinoka simply smiled.

'I guess it'll be difficult for her to let go of her ties to Nohr, the look in her eyes is one of Adamantine when thinking about Aikawa and the other zones. Though, I kind of find that endearing and nice, not like the Zoners ever caused any problems anyway, and are technically Hoshidans now.' Hinoka thought. 'Really wish lots like Takumi weren't such hardassess about them.'

"I'm sure it will." Corrin replied.

'I really shouldn't let this bother me too much, and I haven't been given Hoshido the credit it rightfully deserves either. After all, the fact that they would even allow former Nohrians to live in their soil shows that there are enough people among them that don't let other's origins shape how they should be viewed. Kaze said as much on how neutral he, Ryoma, Hinoka and Mikoto are about them enough to want to protect them and there have been pure Hoshidans who chose to live among the former Nohrians.' Corrin mused. 'No matter what anyone says on the matter, my heart still belongs to Nohr and won't let go. I don't think I ever will. Regardless, I must persevere through this entire ordeal and hope for the best. As naïve as I actually am, I still need to… No! I must hold on to the belief that I can bring the two nations together, no matter how difficult it is now and will be further on, and perhaps exploring Hoshido's hatred for Nohr is where I should start, since I have a clear enough view of Nohr's perspective. At least that's what both Robin and Kaze have suggested. It doesn't take a genius to know I'm not gonna like what I hear but I'm done not knowing squat about the world. Still, Ryoma comes first and it will be some time before I have to face the people on the subject.'

Soon enough the escort the young rooky promised came to them, the soldiers that are actually around Izumo arrive.

"Milords and Ladies, we are honored to have those of the Hoshidan Royalties come to visit. We promise to offer you whatever we can." The Knight leading the escort spoke before making a respectful bow.

"Thank you, we would like to speak with Lord Izana, we are in need of his wisdom, it's an emergency." Corrin said. "We swear that we mean no trouble to your people."

"Of course, Milady, the Archduke is available and he will be pleased to help as well. This way please." The Knight politely replied as the group follows.

"He's really nice." Sakura commented cheerfully.

"Izumite hospitality. Lots of people are like that here, just don't let your guard down cause you never know what ungrateful people are stalking around and lead you astray." Robin advised.

"Noted." Corrin replied smiling. As they get closer to the Palace of Izana, which is the biggest and most impressive building in the city, Corrin begins to hear whispers of the crowds nearby, most of them surprise to see Hoshidans here, while also speaking about concerns of their presence might bring danger to them, something that Corrin understands and prays that coming here isn't a mistake after all. It is then that they start to mutter about something that really got her attention.

"Is that him, the one Lord Izana addressed as the Broken Soul?"

"What's he doing back here?"

"I sure hope he's not furious with Lord Izana for not being able to help him."

"Oh dear, I can't help but feel nervous."

"Broken Soul? Are they referring to someone among us." Corrin whispered in confusion randomly turning to each of her comrades, really not sure what is it about them that can be considered broken. One option might be Reina, since she enjoys fighting and killing a little too much but the life of a warrior is all she cares for the most so she can't exactly view her as broken. She then notices for a brief moment a lot of sadness in Robin's face before turning stoic again.

"You alright, Rob?" She asked with concern.

"That depends on what you're referring to." He replied, trying to dodge the question, not that she noticed.

"Just wondering if you're still down about before, you're always zoning out whenever you talk about your lack of answers." Corrin said.

"Zoning out is how I find closure from my misfortunes, pay me no mind." Robin shrugged.

"If you say so." Corrin is not really relenting on the subject but will drop it for now since they have other priorities to concern with.

"At any rate, once we reach the Palace, you, Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura and Azura should be the ones to go and speak with Izana while the rest of us remain behind." Robin suggested.

"Why?"

"There is no need for a huge crowd, we're just here to get information and just because Izana is benevolent and enjoys being around a crowd, it doesn't change the fact that this is a matter that concerns the royals." Robin explained.

"He's right, and some of the Izumites might view us as disrespectful for ''surrounding'' their Lord with too many armed warriors when we're the outsiders." Subaki added.

"Valid point, but I think it's okay to bring you along since you two have met before." Corrin remarked.

"Yes… but we aren't exactly friends and I rather not spend any more time here than necessary, else we may possibly bring danger to these people." Robin said now sounding in a hurry to leave that Azura, Hinoka and Takumi definitely noticed.

"Now it sounds like you're hiding something." Corrin said, getting suspicious and upset.

"Enough with the pointless chat, Corrin, we have way more important things to be concern with." Takumi berated.

"Fine." Corrin sighed in surrender as they make it to the palace.

"Please, the Royals may come with us while the rest of you can wait in our main hall." The Knight instructed.

"I say good luck but since this is Lord Izana you'll be speaking to you won't be needing such a thing." Robin commented. "Don't keep him waiting."

Corrin, her stepsiblings and Azura follow the head knight to meet with Izana, while the rest are taken elsewhere to wait and are left in a big hall fill with tables.

"Wow, this whole place sure looks bigger on the inside." Mozu said in amazement at everything she gazes upon. "It's like I'm in another world."

"Accurate from appearance." Hana said also amazed. "This place is bigger than the dining hall in Shirasagi that it looks to be meant for parties."

"Right you are, Lord Izana often hosts parties here due to his colorful personality." Robin explained.

"How colorful are we talking here?" Oboro asked with curiosity.

"Well, not to sound disrespectful but Izana is not what any of you would consider as royalty when you compare anyone to the Hoshidan Royals." Robin explained. "He's very wise and knowledgeable about many things that any scholar would crave to learn, however the Archduke can give the impression that he's as naive as a brick."

"Oh, I get it, he's one of those princes who was spoiled too much and doesn't take his responsibilities seriously enough even though he's much loved." Hinata guessed.

"Okay Hinata, accurate but tone it down."

"In that case then there might be a problem because Lord Takumi can't handle being near colorful people." Oboro said concern. "Sure, he tolerates Hinata but he's a special case."

"Excuse me!" Hinata snapped in offense.

"That's nothing, you should see what Lady Hinoka is like around such people when she's at her limit." Azama said mischievously.

"You're abilities to be so casual towards your respective masters is quite intriguing." Robin said amused.

"Says the guy who can freely call Lady Corrin Cor whenever he wants." Setsuna added.

"I got the job as a Retainer yesterday, Cor and I started out as friends."

"That's how Sakura and I started out too." Hana smiled.

"Good for you…" Robin stopped as he makes a small gasps and begins to sense something odd. "Orochi, tell me you sense it too?"

"Sensed what?" Orochi asked but didn't need an answer as she immediately feels what he is referring to. "Never mind, I feel it too."

"Feel what?" Reina asked.

"We feel… a powerful form of magic somewhere, a spell meant to ward off anyone with violent intensions." Orochi explained trying to make sense of what she is feeling through her magically enhanced senses alone. "A Seal Magic is active but I'm also picking up the caster. He or she is inside the seal."

"Who the heck would lock themselves inside a magic seal?" Hana questioned.

"I don't know but I'm afraid that we were right to suspect that something might be off with Izumo." Robin said with dread.

"Are there Nohrians here?!" Oboro said alarmed and enraged with her demonic glare showing up again.

"As far as I know magics that involve seals don't exist in the form of tomes, at least not within Nohr. The fact alone that the caster sealed themself in holds a lot of concerns with the only thing making sense is that it was done for protection against something or someone really dangerous." Robin said more seriously as he keeps Mozu close by. "Either way, Izumo is no longer safe, at the very least for us."

"Crap, I can't believe we let the guards confiscate our weapons and scrolls." Hinata said alarmed and feeling defenseless.

"Well, we had to act under their rules, otherwise we be disrespecting their community." Subaki pointed out. "Asking for them back now may complicate things."

"Who cares, no law is worth following if Lady Sakura runs into any sort of trouble." Hana argued.

"I know that." Subaki raised his tone in a way none of them expected, clearly also concern by the sudden change in the atmosphere.

"Stay together and if we need to fight we pick up whatever weapons we can get as we make our way to the masters." Robin instructed as he summons his tome, the only weapon that wasn't confiscated due to its lack of presence when not being used. "They won't mind us exploring the palace minus certain areas that are off limits without the consent of Izana or his retainers, not that it will matter if all hell breaks loose."

* * *

Within the interior of the palace, Corrin, her stepsiblings and Azura stand, without their weapons and rods, waiting to meet with the Archduke and the waiting is short as the five are greeted by an older man, likely in his mid to late twenties, taller than any of them with a serene appearance, almost divine, white hair longer and more delicate than Corrin's, reaching all the way down to his back and brushed accordingly, white and black robes that are the traditional attire of Izumo but his have gold designs, the brand of Izumo painted in his forehead and his face so calm and quiet as he stares down on the royals, as if he plans to pass down judgement. Something Hinoka is not looking forward to.

"Wow, is that the archduke? He looks so… serene!" Corrin gasped in amazement over his mere presence. Chief Fuga too was impressive but he had the heart of a warrior with his presence emanating strength and courage but Izana feels like he is peace personified.

"I've never met him, but I think it must be. And you're right about his looks. He's almost oddly calm…" Hinoka said, noting to think extra hard about how she speaks before him.

"An impressive ruler to be sure." Takumi noted.

"This is actually making me nervous…" Sakura muttered.

"Welcome, Children of Dawn and Silent." Izana finally spoke, greeting the royals.

"Silent?" Azura repeated in a whisper, confuse by what he meant.

"Lord? Archduke Izana? May I call you Lord?" Corrin muttered, not sure on what to say and is getting nervous. Garon was overwhelming to talk to due to his dark personality but he tolerated her poor choice of words despite what Xander kept warning her about, she's not sure if Izana would be just as tolerable, all the sudden forgetting that people have assured her that he is a benevolent man. Her concerns are quickly thrown away as Izana begins to smile at them and laughs at their concerns.

"Please, call me anything you like. Welcome, welcome! Can I get you anything fizzy or bubbly? Or anything wibbly or wobbly?" The Archduke greeted with a colorful and hyperactive attitude that it's hard to believe that he is a lord of anything. Granted Robin did say that he is a boy scout at heart.

"He's a little different than I expected…" Hinoka muttered almost becoming speechless.

"Oh, pardon me, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Archduke Izana! Voted best hair in Izumo five years running! I'm so happy to have some visitors from Hoshido. Now, what kind of weird stuff do y'all like to get into back in the homeland? No, never mind, we'll get into all that later. Let's just sit back and relax and put on some slippers for now, right? Am I right?" Izana offered with a bright smile that can normally only be found with a child not an adult.

"Impossible! He's so disgustingly casual…" Takumi muttered in disbelief.

"Um, yes. Of course. Thank you." Corrin smiled, feeling a lot more relax now, as she can handle this kind of person, courtesy of all her time with Elise.

"Archduke, before we get to the slippers, we have some important questions for you. Are you aware of a recent battle between Hoshido and Nohr in this area?" Azura asked, wanting to get down to business.

"Battle you say? Let me think." Izana put on a silly thinking face as he tried to come up with an answer. "Ah, yes, if I recall correctly my trusty border guards reported a naughty confrontation that occur over there, between High Prince Ryoma and Princess Camilla of Nohr, I believe."

"Yeah… we were hoping to learn more about that." Corrin said, nervous to talk about anything concerning her big sister, in contrast to Hinoka, who only feels rage towards her.

"Well, let's see, according to my knights, Prince Ryoma and his group were passing by to meet up with someone, not sure who while also confronting one of the biggest Grimm around, except that they were ambushed by a squadron of Nohrians and Grimm led by King Garon's daughter, Camilla, leader of the Wyvern Knights. From the way they described it, I don't know what was more frightening, the wannabe dragons or the Malig Master who seemed a tiny bit too eager to tear hoshidan flesh, if my poor scared knights are any indication." Izana continued to explained. "Poor Camilla, seemed like a very bad person broke her heart and now she's out for blood."

"Camilla…" Corrin whispered with fear and concern over what her big sister is going through, especially since she most certainly took her frustrations out on Ryoma.

"Before the battle commenced Ryoma instructed my border guard to flee, but they are a stubborn bunch, my men, bless their souls always, were adamant about staying and guarding their lands but Camilla didn't give them much of a choice as she had her kitty demons fly them away back here. By the time they returned the battle was over." Izana continued.

"What were the casualties?" Takumi asked impatient and worried for the answer.

"I'm so sorry, there were a lot of casualties among your forces but none from the Nohrians so it's safe to assume that Camilla won the fight."

"No! Ryoma could not have fallen to the Nohrian army. It isn't possible!" Hinoka shouted in disbelief, hopelessness and anger, tightening her fists in frustration. "If only I had killed her back then, if I wasn't so weak."

"No! Brother…" Sakura cried now full of despair.

"He can't be gone…" Takumi managed to utter, unable to process the information as fast as his sisters.

"We will build a monument to his glory when we return home." Hinoka began as if they've already lost.

"Will the three of you SHUT UP! He isn't done explaining!" Corrin snapped furiously at her three stepsiblings for their overreaction, with the three gasping at her outburst.

"Nooooooooooooo! Nonononononooo!" Izana cried next throwing his hands up in the air. "Please my friends, do not get the wrong impression, there was no trace of Lord Ryoma in the battlefield, not even broken parts of his lobster armor, so he no doubt managed to escape like a few of his troops but was most likely taken hostage. The chances of him being alive are higher than the alternative."

"R-Really…?" Sakura uttered becoming hopeful again, same with Hinoka and Takumi.

"There, was that so hard to wait a tiny bit longer before jumping to conclusion." Corrin lectured the three, making them feel embarrass.

"Honestly you three, for shame, for shame indeed. You are the Children of Dawn, deliverers of hope and bringers of light. Falling into despair shouldn't be so easy for your lineage, surely you have not fallen so low after a few losses." Izana also scolded them, his demeaner now more serious and lord-like.

"Sorry, these past few days have been really stressful for us. We're not used to a full-scale conflict like war, you know. We trained for it, sure, but experiencing it is a whole different story." Hinoka gives a heavy sigh, showing up a glimpse of all her stress.

"I know darling, this is truly an awful event you are all going through." Izana said with so much empathy in his voice and face. "It is very easy to tell that you're all exhausted from your ordeals so how about I help you all relax, on the house."

"Your kindness is most generous, your Grace but I fear we must be on our way, the information you have presented us is more than enough." Azura declined humbly.

"Oh, phooey, I'm sure there is something else I can do. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to do anything that will get Izumo involved in this war, I fully intend to keep my people as a neutral nation and if Garon finds out about me collaborating with Hoshidans in any way he might sent his Grimm after us, however I am most concern of what's to become of Horus following the aftermath of this catastrophe." Izana began. "This is only the third time in Horus's history that Nohr and Hoshido have gone on a full-scale war with each other and during the second Twilight War six hundred years ago, Izumo became ground zero for the final battle, and scars aren't something that ever go away."

"We're aware of your fears Milord and that is precisely because Izumo has suffered enough that we should not remain here for much longer." Azura insisted.

"But… if you're that persistent in helping us, there may be something you can do for us." Takumi uttered, with an idea popping into his head.

"Oh, whatever might that be?" Izana said curiously.

"You and your predecessors are well known for having a deeper connection to the Precursors than anyone else, right? Though, none of the Archdukes of old have ever shown to have the power to use Dragon Veins, you've all have the abilities to talk to the Gods, if so then maybe you can try and commune with Sephiroth for us."

"Oh…?" Izana's curiosity increases as to what the young Prince might be thinking.

"Takumi, you're not suggesting that we…" Hinoka began, knowing what Takumi is thinking as her younger brother cuts her off.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting! Nohr gets their darker army from the Dark Lord they worship; the Dawn Dragon must have an army of his own that we can borrow to fight back." Takumi claimed.

"But… the High Priests of the Dawn Faithful have been praying to the Bright Lord Sephiroth for help against the Grimm ever since they were summoned back from the Underworld and he never once answered our prayers." Sakura said.

"That is precisely why we need to dig deeper into the Beyond and make sure he can truly hear our voices when we tell him that we need his power." Takumi proclaimed.

"Takumi, what you're suggesting is blasphemy." Azura argued.

"It's a necessity, Azura! We've seen what happens when we take on a whole army of Grimm while they are at their full strength, we can barely stand up to them, and apparently our faith is not strong enough when in comparison to the Nohrians since their God is constantly at their doorstep, showering them with gifts of destruction." Takumi exclaimed.

"You should be careful with your words, Prince, many have tried to force their way into Heaven before only to find that they've instead opened a door to someplace else that's anything but pleasant." Izana once again takes on a more serious face, naturally being a devout follower of gods he would take any form of sacrilege as a great offense. But this seriousness is immediately brushed aside with his usual colorful attitude. "But… since you just want to chat, I say potato potahto. Let's give it a try."

"Who the heck says potahto." Hinoka whispered.

"Wait, is this really a good idea, I mean won't the gods get angry, their dragons first and fourth most?" Corrin asked incredibly nervous about this, in which Izana first response by giggling.

"Oh, they will most certainly be angry with us, I should know since I've once called the Blaze Dragon Iblis to give me a vision regarding Flame Tribalists who's child has gone missing and his parents came to me for guidance. Though the Fire God did assist in the search and the kid was rescued, he did not appreciate the sudden call as I was interrupting him while he was… well…"

"What?" Corrin asked.

"Oh, it's nothing you young and aspiring minds should concern yourselves with, now come, and let us see how things are going in Heaven." Izana brushed off the topic as a floating crystal ball, radiating with green light inside makes its way to them and lands into Izana's hands.

"This pretty Orbuculum is a celestial relic, that was forged using a sliver of the soul of the Astral Dragon Moro, passed down from one Archduke to the next that gives us our abilities to speak to the Heavens."

"Amazing, although all the stories I read about the Astral Orbuculum never mentioned anything about it having a green glow to it." Azura said examining the crystal ball.

"Yes, the sudden change in color is most peculiar, even for me, however it still works to full capacity so I wouldn't pay it any mind." Izana insisted. "Now then for all those who would like to speak with the God of Light place your hand in the crystal, don't be shy." He insisted.

"Wait, that's all it takes to speak with a god, just touch the crystal ball and the Dawn Dragon will respond." Corrin asked. "I was told that a ritual is needed before communing with a deity can be done."

"Correct, for most Dragons, the rituals performed among the faithful are required to call them, however, your beloved Dawn Dragon doesn't require rituals in Izumo, just the Astral Orbuculum, at least he vaguely said so the first time I called to him for guidance. Izumo doesn't only worship one god as Hoshido does with him, Nohr with their Dusk Dragon, or Cheve with their Stone Dragon but all of them so we get around with all the factions of the Church, not just in Nestra." Izana explained

"Oh, that's good to know." Hinoka smiled as she and Takumi seem willing to do this and while Corrin and Azura are reluctant at first they relent, except for Sakura who does not want to risk being yelled at by a god.

However, Sephiroth will have to wait as the crystal ball is shot out of Izana's hand by a small thunderbolt that destroys it and the one who did it was Robin who rushed to the scene in a hurry before blasting the Archduke with a fire blast, burning him alive while also sending him crashing through a wall.

"ROBIN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Corrin cried in horror.

"That's not Izana!" Robin snapped at the Royals as he creates a gust of wind to pull all five of them towards him.

"What are you talking about?!" Hinoka demanded.

"Whatever that thing is, it's not even human, it's using illusion magic to mask her appearance like the Nohrians used against us, and like before I can see right through it." Robin explained as he stepped forward, keeping the Royals behind him. "Plus, I don't think something emanating with dark magic like that should ever be inside a sacred relic." Robin pointed at the remains of the Astral Orbuculum and they all see that there is a greenish skull with demonic horns with the remains, small enough to fit inside the ball and is the source of the green light, and it is also surging with a black aura.

"I… don't think we're supposed to touch that." Sakura uttered, scared at the sight of that thing.

"I recognized it's design, I saw it in drawings from the books of dark magic I used to read back in Nohr. It's a Souleater; An unholy relic that does exactly what the name implies but Leo said that they don't really exist." Corrin uttered in shock.

"It looks plenty real to me!" Takumi snapped enraged. "I knew there was something off about that moron."

"No kidding, as if any kind of royal would behave like a buffoon." Hinoka cursed under her breath for her nativity.

"Such kindness from someone so prestigious was too good to be true." Azura said bitterly.

"Oh, hell no, the imposter was spot on when mimicking Izana, I'll give her that." Robin reassured them.

"Her?" Corrin repeated.

"Well, well, well, the Broken Soul returns, has he? I thought you'd stay in the Darkness to hide and wait for death but it seems the temptations of the Silent brat were just too juicy." The Fake Izana said back on his feet and unharmed, even while still on fire he does not react to the flames and just looks as serene as ever.

"Broken Soul…" Corrin whispered now knowing that the faker is referring to Robin, same with the townsfolk outside. Is that the real reason why he looked sad while on their way to the palace.

"Where's the real Archduke?" Robin demanded.

"That man-child? I honestly don't understand why the Izumites are so obsess with him, it's fun to pose as him sure but really, everything about him is just ridiculous." The Faker commented now with a harsh tone, unbefitting of Izana. "But to be completely honest, I really don't know where he is. Coward ran for it as soon as I showed up, so I decided that he wouldn't mind me having a little taste on his throne, these robes feel pretty sweet. But I bet the human souls of a dragon lineage will be even sweeter, tasty too no doubt." He said sinisterly while licking his lips.

"You're the only creep here." Hinoka hissed while holding on to Sakura, not letting her out of her sight.

"I tried to be nice and honest with you all as best I could, even tried to offer you quick and painless deaths as I claim your souls as my property but it seems it has to be the hard way with you dragons. No matter, your souls like this Kingdom are already…" Fake Izana began as the Souleater starts to float and makes its way to him/her, and once it lands on the hand, the Faker's body shines in a dark green light, not bright enough to make the others cover their eyes but enough to block him from their sight, and once it fades, Izana is no more and in his place is someone inhuman.

Before them is a woman with skin comparable to a crocodile, patchy green scales all over her body and face. Her hair is shaved with the exception of a dark green mohawk, her fingernails are polish in black and her teeth are all metallic and sharp. Her height is the same as Hinoka, though her body instead has an hourglass figure, and she's even wearing a similar uniform and armor as the High Princess but they are a darker version with a mix of silver. But what catches Corrin's attention the most is that her eyes are the same as the demon Wrath.

"MINE!" She roared with a sickening grin on her face, staring down at Robin and the shock Royals.

"Gods!" Takumi gasped alarmed by the menacing sight of this woman who might as well be a Demon. Something that Corrin prayed to never see again.

The Faker points the Souleater at the six of them and from the green skull come out large tendrils of dark magic that intent to grab the six of them but Robin fires multiple Thoron bolts that vaporize each tendril and strikes Fake Izana, blasting her away once again and causing an explosion that while did not damage the entire palace, the sound it made could be heard almost everywhere in the city, alarming everyone and making the soldiers, mainly Kaze, Saizo, and other newcomers to rush to the scene.

"I'm willing to bet she has crazy resistance so you five head out and get your weapons while I hold her off." Robin instructed, and while very reluctant, the Royals run to meet up with the rest of the retainers and get their weapons. At the same time, Fake Izana returns again unharmed by Robin's attack and rushes him with two swords in hand, twin cutlass blades and swings them both at the Tactician with rapid speed that he is still able to counter by summoning two lance-like blades of tangible fire from both his palms and uses them to parry both swords as the two engage in combat. Fake Izana is the faster of the two with Robin barely able to react to each hit in time but is still holding on pretty good after a while.

"Elwind!" The fire flame in his left hand is replaced by a blade shape wind attack that hits the Faker in her chest and should've blown her away again but the moment he fired the wind attack, Fake Izana effortlessly slides away from his as the wind blade hits a wall that demolishes it almost entirely, while Fake Izana makes her way behind him with the intent to decapitate but using his wind magic, Robin blows himself away from her in time.

"Elthunder!" Robin roared as he unleashes another bolt of lightning directly at her again that she'll hopefully won't be able to dodge this time but doesn't need to as she uses one of her swords to literally cut the lightning bolt in half with it and is instantly extinguish.

"I gotta hand it to ya, love, you sure have a talent for pissing off higher powers." Fake Izana said with a sinister smirk, giving him the impression that she knows him in more than just an alias.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robin questioned curiously.

"Come now, Angel of Death, it's not nice to play the ignorant to a woman, much less lie to her face and earn her scorn. Hell have no fury, as the fearful and playful men like to say." She insisted, really sounding like they should know each other to some degree.

"That may be true but I make it a point not to be honest with anyone of both genders and any species who don't deserve any from me. And considering everything you pulled off, I'm confident in saying that you have no room to complain." Robin stated adamantly.

"Fine, be that way, just promise to scream for me as I kill you because it's high time you rot in Purgatory before you cause us any trouble." The Faker continued to banter.

"You make it sound like I make it a habit to bother monsters like you?" Robin grows more confuse, causing her to chuckle.

"Wow, and here I thought little Empress Morgan got her brilliant brain from you." She taunted, getting Robin to widen his eyes in horror and realization.

"Someone's in need of real firepower!" Rinkah shouted as she rushes towards her and slams her club, while infused with her own fire magic, bashing her by her skull and blows her through several walls, causing a flaming explosion that burns up the room she landed on.

Soon enough everyone else gathers at the scene and ready to fight.

"Wow, that is one ugly lady." Hinata commented.

"Incredibly resilient too, keep your guards up." Robin warned.

"If you could use fire magic like that, why haven't you before when you were captured by Nohrians?" Corrin questioned Rinkah.

"Asshole Nohrians put a special drug of dark magic that made me incapable of using my powers."

"Just checking."

"Well, well, ain't this a merry band of lightshows." The Faker chuckled, once again walking out of the flames unharmed and casually return to the Hoshidans. "What gracious weapons you have, too bat they're wasted on you."

"Whoever, and whatever you are, it's over, so give it up before we're force to do worse." Corrin warned, pointing her Yato at her.

"HA! Save your threats for someone who gives a damn False Princess, because I'm not the one in over their heads." Fake Izana said as she stabs both her swords on the ground while they are glowing with an aquamarine light, causing the palace to tremble as water comes out from the ground from nowhere, forming several pools behind Fake Izana and behind the Hoshidans, and from the waters come out figures so translucent that they should be invisible if not for the visible glowing purple outlines and ghostly flames wreathed on the lower torso that give them a humanoid shape that make them flicker in an out of visibility.

"What devilry is this?" Azura muttered as they all get on their fighting stance.

"If you're lucky, you won't live long enough to figure it out, Silent brat." The Faker said as she pulls her swords off the ground. "Time to play!" She declared as she attacks the group, aiming for Takumi first and ramming the Prince into a wall before anyone could react, while the rest of them begin to fight against these figures who carry weapons just as translucent.

"Get off me!" Takumi shouted, attempting to free himself but she makes it difficult, especially once she points a sword on his throat.

"Oh, you poor, poor little man. Did the mean unsupportive lobster brother hurt your puny little feelings." The Crocodile Woman said in a childishly playful and mocking tone, surprising Takumi more than offending him. "Believe me, I know what it's like to be a black sheep among siblings, and so I ask you from one black sheep to another, are the Nohrians you barely see around really the ones you should focus your Wrath on?"

"What…" Takumi is left speechless by what she might be referring to.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" A furious Oboro rushes Fake Izana, grabbing her by the right shoulder and pulls her away from Takumi before thrusting her naginata at her but in the blink of an eye, the fiend evades the swing and is now standing on Oboro's weapon, forcing the retainer to drop it due to the added weight while Fake Izana leaps away from Oboro while flipping, making her way to Corrin and throws a swing at her that the Princess is able to parry but the force was so strong that she gets knock to the ground.

"Lord Takumi!" Oboro cried as she rushes to her master's aid as he lies down on the ground.

"I'm fine, help the others." Though his words have the same boast of strength and authority he always has when issuing orders that Oboro is so used to, the fact that he is lying on the ground like he is already defeated even though Fake Izana's assault on him wasn't that big of a deal is concerning.

Corrin attempts to stand up but will not be able to do so in time to block the axe of one of the Vailed Soldiers and Robin cannot help her right now as he has to help Azura with another axe wielder while keeping Sakura and Mozu safe, luckily Kaze and Saizo arrive in time with Kaze ramming himself at Corrin's assailant, knocking him to the ground and manages to force a shuriken right through where he assumes it's the forehead, and once the deed is done the figure's entire body evaporates into water.

"What are these things?" Kaze muttered.

"They don't give me a Nohrian vibe!" Hinata shouted as he clashes swords with another figure but upon the first clash, the Samurai is forced to drop his katana and resorts to using his fists but the enemy does not even react as it grabs Hinata by his throat and effortlessly slams him to a wall and prepares to finish him off only for Reina to decapitate it with her naginata, and this one also evaporates into water.

"They die like them, at least." She said satisfied before turning to assist Hana and Subaki against three more and are currently at a disadvantage.

"Nohrian Scum!" Hinoka yelled as she charges to face Fake Izana next.

"Do I look like a whore of Qliphoth!" Fake Izana replied as the two engage in combat, the High Princess delivering fast and strong swings with her Naginata but her target is faster that she barely has to try to block and bests Hinoka by taking a bite of her weapon's polearms and breaks it in two with her metal teeth before kicking the Princess by her stomach, knocking her to the ground and wide open for a clean cut but is saved by Azama who steps in to block the blades and pushes the Demon back and manages to hit her in the face with his naginata, leaving a nasty cut on a right portion of her forehead to the cheek that bleeds out, but water instead of blood. Something that Corrin noticed with her thoughts returning back to Wrath who too bled water instead of blood when Hans left a gash on his chest. Are the two really connected?

Fake Izana becomes riled up by Azama's counterattack as she lifts her sword upward as it glows with magic and water manifests to make a powerful slash but she swings it down too late as Azama escapes with Hinoka on time and Fake Izana destroys more of the ground, along with even more of the Palace.

"AH! Look what you made me do, damaging more of my beautiful palace!" The She-Devil snapped in frustration and putting the blame for her own destruction on her enemies.

"This isn't your palace you freak of nature!" Corrin snapped at her as she goes in to fight her and does a better job than Hinoka in holding her own.

"Like Hell it ain't! Everything in this land is MINE!" Fake Izana yelled more maddening as she delivers three major blows cladded in water that would've bested Corrin if not for Setsuna who shoots an arrow at her back that manage to stun her from delivering the third blow, allowing Corrin to make an uppercut that knocks her off her and crashing to a corridor where Izumite Soldiers arrive at the scene, hoping to aid their Archduke, thinking he's in the middle of all this.

"Lord Izana, where are you?!" One of them cried out to their lord, only to have his head cut off by the Fake Lord by her sword and blown into the air briefly.

"Can't you see I'm busy!" She laughed maliciously as she jumps to reach the head she just decapitated and kicks it with enough force to launch straight at a horrified Corrin, who barely manages to evade the head, much less do anything to stop Fake Izana from killing the other Izumites and also using their heads as projectiles at Corrin that she also manages to avoid.

"Stop this, you monster!" Corrin yelled angrily at her brutality.

"Hey, I'm just making sure their doing their jobs right, after all, what kind of lord would dirty her hands cleaning off rats in her palace. Shame on them for choosing to be slackers." She replied ruthlessly, completely committed to stealing Izana's life and throne.

"I won't let you get away with this!" Corrin growled enraged as her left hand subconsciously transforms again and without thinking she uses it to fire a dark beam at Fake Izana who fires her own attack, releasing from her mouth a stream of water that when it collides with Corrin's attack, makes a shockwave that devastates most of the interior and forces everyone in her group to try and take cover from it while Fake Izana's own soldiers aren't even faze by it and Corrin's attack is the one who loses as she gets sent blasted through the walls and crashes into the main hall.

"Lady Corrin!" Kaze cried out to her in an attempt to reach her, only to be intercepted by more enemy soldiers blocking his path while the Crocodile goes to finish the Princess off.

"Go! The rest of us can hold them off without that fiend causing a ruckus near us." Azura said to Robin who's managed to lower the number of enemies.

"Alright." He said as he flies off to help Corrin, while Azura faces off against a veiled swordsman and manages to cut him down as it also turns into water. Doing so leaves her wide open for an ambush by an axe wielder and the only one who notices is Mozu who despite the dangers refused to leave and find shelter for some reason and is the only one who can react in time.

"Miss Azura! Look out!" Mozu cried out in desperation and without thinking, she rushes towards the figure while picking up a naginata that belonged to one of the enemy soldiers that's missing the blade at the top and uses it to stop the enemy from harming Azura, however this works a little too well as not only does this hurt the veiled soldier with more force than any little girl possibly should and knocks the figure rather far away from Azura and crashes into two that Rinkah was about to clash with, knocking all three of them down and seemingly out cold.

"Oh my…" Azura uttered, speechless by what just happened, only noticed the incoming threat just as Mozu attacked and what she just did was outstanding. She previously saw Reina trying to lift one of these enemies and slam them to the ground and she is strong enough to lift a man that weighs around 200 pounds with such ease with one arm but she was struggling and required both arms, meaning that these things must weight even heavier and still this little girl knocked three of them down in one blow.

"Did I do that…?" Mozu muttered more surprise than anyone at the display as she wasn't really thinking straight when she moved in, it was all just a spur of the moment.

"What the hell have they been feeding you!" Rinkah questioned, who also witnessed the surprising display from the little girl just as she finishes off another of the Veiled Soldiers by slamming him on the ground and stumps her foot right where the neck should be while her kick is amplified with fire, severely breaking it, and causing her foe to turn to water, only to then confront another of these creatures but the kill is taken by someone else, another ninja who arrives at the scene and slams the foe to the ground and slits the throat with a shuriken, and it is the Ninja and Ryoma's second retainer, Kagero.

"Kagero! You're alive!" Orochi shouted in surprise to see her best friend alive and well and rushes to give her a hug despite the situation at the moment, and while the ninja lady prefers to have a professional approach wherever she went, she cannot deny that she needed this, it's been a rough few days.

"Where's Lord Ryoma!" Saizo asked in desperation towards her partner.

"Safer than you guys." Kagero replied as they aim to clear out the rest of these monsters.

* * *

"Time for you to go silent, little princess." Fake Izana declared as she fires another water torrent from her mouth at Corrin that Robin partially stops her by ramming himself at her to the ground but a portion of her water attack managed to get out of her mouth, making its way towards Corrin but she is rescued by a newcomer that drags her out of the way, and it is Shura.

"Shura!" Corrin gasped, surprise to see the outlaw again, and contrary to what they thought, he made it all the way to Izumo on his own and he looks fine.

"What was that you said about strength in numbers." He asked sarcastically. They are unable to continue the conversation as more of the Vailed Soldiers show up and attack them. Shura strikes first, shooting three arrows at once that headshots three of them while Corrin confronts the rest.

Robin tries to pin Fake Izana on the ground but she is relentless as she manages to kick the Tactician away from her and proceeds to slice him open with her swords, though he manages to parry with his left hand clad in the Magic of Morgenstern that hardens the hand enough to resist the blade of a magic sword. The clash forces both of them to back away from each other. Fake Izana then stabs both her swords on the ground, causing the floor to shake violently as a geyser of water erupts from the ground that blows Robin away but he quickly retaliates.

"Arcfire!" He summons a stream of fire that collides with the geyser, the intense heat turns all the water into steam quicker than it naturally should, freeing Robin, forcing Fake Izana to rush him, thrusting her sword at him as soon as he landed back down, but he is able to barely evade the blade, though he does a better job a second time as he lowers his body to dodge the horizontal swing of the second sword, followed by again avoiding the first one as Fake Izana vertically swings it for a third slash at Robin's face. The Tactician then gathers magic in his left hand in the form of yellow light and thrust the palm at her and Fake Izana uses both her blades to block it, which they do but the impact caused her to drop her weapons. In frustration, she manages to land a punch on Robin, knocking him to a wall and lies down after taking a rather hard hit to the face.

"NO! You abhorrent Noble Demon! It was mine! Everything in this Kingdom is MINE!" Fake Izana begins to lose her composure to the point of going insane with anger as she walks towards Robin, grabs him by the neck with both her hands and lifts him in the air. "I deserved it! I had it! MINE!"

"Would you shut up already!" Is what Robin wanted to say, though not in a childish tone, since when did he sound like that. What comes next is not his doing either as a gust of wind hits Fake Izana and blows her out of the palace and she doesn't get to reach the ground as a tornado immediately forms around her and forces her to the air, said tornado being big enough to be seen across most of Izumo.

"What is this!" Fake Izana shouted readying to unleash all her magic power to break free.

"You are easily the ugliest girl around." Said the voice of the child from before who is right behind her, and it is the boy of the Wind Tribe Hayato. Before Fake Izana could even turn to face him, Hayato makes his last attack as he gathers all the wind of his tornado to slam her down on the ground, creating a nasty crater.

That unfortunately does not finish her up as the monster easily gets back up, more angry than in pain.

"Don't you idiots get it! YOU CAN'T KILL ME!" She roared in fury but Corrin proves her wrong as she decapitates her with the Yato blade, both her body and head fall on the ground, dead, and again, water comes out of her body instead of blood.

"Ramuh! You didn't have to go that far!" Hayato shouted in shock over the Princess' execution as he safely lands back down using his wind magic to slow his landing.

"Oh Gods! I… I didn't mean to do that!" Corrin is more in shock than the boy as she was completely acting solely on anger and adrenaline. Her hands now shaking that she nearly drops her sword but Robin places both his hands on hers, his presence helps to come her nerves.

"Easy, easy. It's okay Corrin. You were just defending us. She was clearly rotten to the core and wouldn't have offer anyone in Izumo mercy if she was exposed." He said reassuring her that it's alright.

"I know but…"

"There is no right in ending a life, Corrin, not ever. But there is no right or wrong when in a battlefield, there is only survival, and you helped us all survive in stopping her, as well as the Izumites, so close your heart to it." He advised.

"Close my heart?" She repeated while confuse.

"Hey, ah, I don't mean to interrupt whatever romance you two are having, but I believe you owe me a thank you for saving your skins." Hayato interrupted the two as he walks to them.

"Wait, you're that kid from the Wind Tribe Village!" Corrin recognized the boy.

"I'm not a kid, I'm a man!" Hayato argued indignantly, not helping his claim by his reaction.

"Okay then, young man, what brings you to this newly combat zone?" Robin questioned, already able to tell the kind of personality this boy has, a desperate need to prove himself for no reason other than wanting to be the best and have recognition. He might be a problem.

"Saving you pesky Hoshidans, it would seem." Hayato said smugly.

"Thank you, but what are you doing away from your village?"

"Simple, Chief Fuga is concern that with the growing threat of Nohr and their monsters he feels that we should send scouts to explore and watch out for anything unfriendly that even tries to get near our territory while others volunteer to explore the land and hunt some Grimm, minimize the threat but stay clear of actual Nohrians, they can't declare war on us for defending ourselves against Demons since they'll naturally attack anything that isn't from Nohr. I'm with the latter." He explained.

"Why the hell would the Chieftain allow a child to hunt Grimm?" Corrin demanded in disbelief.

"Don't underestimate me! You're looking at the future Chieftain of the Wind. I'm stronger than anyone else who carries the Blessing of the Sky Dragon." Hayato said boastful.

"Future Chief… Fuga's your father?!" Corrin said incredulously.

"Wow, I heard the elemental tribes were out of their minds but this is just plain bold." Shura said smugly as he listens to the whole conversation.

"How did you even get here so fast?" Corrin demanded.

"Warp Scroll, duh." Hayato replied, making it sound like it's the most obvious thing ever.

Robin's thoughts quickly focus on another matter, turning back to the demonic woman and what she said to him. 'She didn't seem to know me at a personal level but someone who's heard of me and did not like what she learned. More importantly she knew about Morgan too and for some reason that fills me with so much dread over what her true intentions might've been? Also, she called her Empress Morgan. What's that about? Empress of what? What has she been doing during my absence?'

"Can this day get any crazier?" Corrin sighed. And it does as the four of them avert their eyes as a golden light suddenly shines before them for a few seconds and as it fades, they look to see the Archduke of Izumo, hopefully the real Izana, standing before them and he makes a heavy sigh one makes after waking up from a long nap.

"Woooo! Nothing like a good long snooze to cleanse the soul nice and smoothly." Izana said cheerfully as he stretches his arms.

"Who the heck is this goofy?" Hayato questioned.

"Hey, watch your tone boy, this here's Lord Izana. He's a goofball but that don't mean he doesn't deserve respect." Shura scolded.

"Ah, so you must be the ones who saved my precious Izumo, why thank you. You all deserve a feast!" Izana said gratefully. "As… soon as I fix my beautiful palace that is."

"We're so sorry for the damage to your home, Lord Izana but this monster forced our hand." Corrin said apologetically to the Archduke as she bows.

"No need for apologies Princess, you're a hero, and heroes do what they must to save the day, violence is quite unavoidable as it is the way of humanity and animals, I'm afraid." Izana shrugged, not concern for the collateral damage. His cheerful demeanor however drops upon seeing Robin and now looks nervous. "Oh… Robin, hello, ah… again."

"Glad to see you're okay, Archduke." Robin said kindly but there are hints of displeasure in his face that Corrin noticed completely this time.

"Rob…?"

"Corrin!" Sakura cried out as the rest of the Hoshidan Team rush to Corrin's side, apparently succeeded in eliminating all of Fake Izana's creatures. And to Corrin's surprise, Kagero is also here.

"Are you alright Corrin?" Hinoka asked with haste and concern.

"Yeah, don't worry too much about me, I'll managed, especially now that that thing has been dealt with." Corrin said addressing the corpse of their recent enemy.

"Good, she was definitely more wretched than any Nohrian." Hinoka scoffed.

"Nothing about her seemed like the Grimm, though." Robin said suspiciously. "Though she did give off signs that she was capable of using magic darker than most outside of Nohr, her use of Water Magic is the real mystery."

"Well until someone tells us otherwise, the accusation remains, even those semi-invisible things fought with the same fighting style as the Nohrians." Kaze said very familiar with the fighting style of their rival nation.

"Speaking of water, why is there water coming out of her headless body, instead of blood?" Hana asked, noticing the phenomenon of the Fake Izana's body.

"That is most peculiar isn't it but I'm sure we can leave that issue for another time, wouldn't you agree, my new friends." Izana insisted cheerfully.

"And who exactly is this guy?" Takumi asked hostilely, not aware that the Izana standing before them is the real deal and points his Fujin Yumi at him.

"Put the bow down Takumi, this is the real Archduke of Izumo." Corrin assured him and the rest of the group.

"Salutation, my dear Hoshidans, you lots sure saved my bacon and that deserves a celebration, wouldn't you agree." Izana smiled with gratitude to the group. This unfortunately has a negative response as Takumi readies to fire.

"I think we should make sure it's not another imposter, just in case."

"Takumi, you asshole!" Corrin snapped as she rams herself at the Prince to forcefully cease his hostility.

"Get off me!"

"My, how rude. Pointing a Sacred Treasure at an unarmed man who just got up from a long nap." Izana muttered upset. "Surely the Hoshidan Royals are more refined."

"Sorry about that but in my brother's defense, your imposter was kind of crazy." Hinoka mumbled.

"Poor choice of words, Princess." Robin sighed.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the danger might not be over as the Fake Izana's eyes start to roll with the head still active as she makes a very faint growling that not even Corrin could hear.

'Dammit, to even come close to losing to these filthy mortals is just so irritating.' She cursed in her thoughts. 'But it's not all bad, at least I finally got to gaze upon the Fire Emblem once again, though it is a shadow of its former self and I confirmed that the High Deliverer is somehow still alive after all. Things are about to get interesting, especially when I get the drop on them and reclaim MY property in no time, and I just so happened to have found a suitable ''partner'' to help me while my body is in recovery.'


	8. Chapter 8: Broken Soul

**One week turn to two weeks, nothing to think about, I was just being lazy. Anyhow, hope you enjoy this chapter and please send me more reviews.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Broken Soul**

Staring at the damage done to what has to be the most beautiful building Corrin has ever laid eyes on, second to the Castle of Hoshido, the Wayward Princess can only watch in amazement as the true Archduke of Izumo picks up a scroll that seemingly looks to be made of platinum and speaks the magecraft language that surprisingly not many are able to speak, even among the mages, and he casts a powerful spell with time seemingly moving in reverse. Everything that was destroyed during the battle against that crocodile looking woman and her ''invisible'' soldiers, if we can really call them that, is lifted from the ground to the point that the entire building gets reconstructed by Izana, even the parts that were vaporized entirely reassemble from nothing to return to their original state.

"There, good as new!" Izana cheered with great joy. "And since you all saved my home, this calls for a feast. No, better idea, an all-night party! We'll wear pajamas and eat bonbons. Let's get started! Izana in the house!"

"Is… is this still that scary lady?" Sakura wondered.

"No… but I think we underestimated that thing's Izana impression." Hinoka said somewhat annoyed by the colorful nature of the real Archduke and how the imposter was not faking.

"Ugh, so excitable. He's just as bad as his doppelganger." Takumi hissed with higher annoyance by Izana's attitude before calming down. "Still, I supposed a kind lord is better than one who has a more stern view on life so I can see why mother thinks so highly of him."

"That's the nicest thing I've ever heard you say thus far." Corrin gave a half compliment to her stepbrother.

"Screw off, Corrin." He hissed back at her.

"Such incredible magic power, Lord Izana, the tales of your mastery of the Mystic Arts don't do you justice enough." Azura complimented Izana and his magic.

"Why thank you kindly my pretty little songstress, I do my best for my people. And just a heads up, when this war is over, feel free to request my aid, I'll happily help in fixing the damages done to your homes." Izana offered.

"Your kindness truly holds no bounds." Azura smiled with a bow, pleased to see that such kindness from a lord is real. Granted, Mikoto is just as kind but she has her moments on not tolerating any sort of nonsense, understandable considering her position but Izana really is a refreshment from what she is used to.

"Yes, but unfortunately my Arc of Time has no effect on living beings I'm afraid." Izana said now growing sad because of the Izumite soldiers that were killed by the monster posing as him.

"We're so sorry, Archduke. We could do nothing to stop that thing's rampage but defend only ourselves." Corrin apologized to her inability to help those around her.

"Do not bear the burden of others' sins, my little snow white, especially when said sinner has paid for her transgressions with her life." Izana said gently and somewhat melancholic but the typical expression of joy remains. Both Rinkah and Saizo suggested they burned the body of the Faker, and Takumi and Hinoka seconded the choice so now there is nothing left of that thing.

"What was that thing exactly?" Hinoka asked. "It was definitely nothing like Kitsunes and Wolfskins, their magical capabilities extent only to using their Beaststones to shift between their humanoid and beastly forms."

"I cannot say for certain, except that the flow of mana around her is different from humans, the fact that she is able to use Water Magic alone would've been enough to make me question her existence. Long has the use of water magic vanished from Horus with the tragic extinction of the Water Tribe by Nohrian hands shortly before the first Twilight War, 1,300 years ago." Izana said most concern.

"What do you mean by the flow of mana is different?" Corrin asked.

"As you should know, Magic is power that allows living beings to manipulate not only the elements but the aspects of reality and all of that is done through the use of an energy source that is essentially an extension of all life which is Mana. Without Mana, the use of Magic is impossible and like humans Mana is ever changing. The Gods created magic to help them better manage the universe and presented it with various types of forms and rules to help distinguish it better from the magics performed for the White and Black Arts." Izana explained.

"Fascinating." Azura mused, though she has lived among many Diviners, she herself has never taken the time to properly understand the system itself from how Magic actually works, despite possessing an ancient artifact around her neck that holds great power.

"A great example of the differences is Nohr and Hoshido respectively, while both sides use magic for offensive, defensive and supplementary purposes, Nohr's use of Magic is more volatile and works better when it comes to performing violence. Granted, all magic is dangerous, horribly dangerous, just like anything else that can be used as a weapon, but Hoshido's use of Magic is more calm and defensive, the Dusk has always had an advantage but your Diviners are still quite powerful, and this is because the environment where the separate groups of mages are getting their mana from where one side is always volatile while the other is stable, even if all the Dark Mages in Nohr started living in Hoshido permanently, their bodies would quickly become accustom enough to their time in Nohr that Hoshido's mana would always ensure the magic they use remains the same for them, and it works both ways. However, the magic of that cruel woman is nothing like I've ever felt before, the Mana inside her is completely balanced in the sense that she is capable of using her magic with limitations so minor that her body's capacity to reserve mana is essentially limitless, hence why she had no scroll or tome beside her when using her powers." Izana continued. "Mages need Magic-Conduits to properly harness the mana inside them to perform the respective magical powers that said items can supply but we'll eventually succumb to exhaustion and fatigue since the mana is tied to the life-force, overusing magic can decrease one's stamina quickly."

"What about the Elemental Tribes, they don't need conduits to perform their respective magics, and you said that that thing might be of the Water Tribe?" Corrin added.

"Those people don't really qualify as mages of any kind since their powers are solely the result of their bloodlines being strengthen by divinity, one would argue that they aren't really human as a result, or at the very least not completely, I wager it wouldn't be farfetched to view them as Demigods. But like mages they have limits to how long they can use their magical abilities and unlike mages who will suffer severe exhaustion from using up all of their mana, subsequently falling into a coma that would last for years, but for Demigods who use up all their mana will die as a result as their mana is directly link to their life-force way more than other practitioners of magic."

"WHAT?! No one told me that!" Hayato cried in horror, also around to hear this. Rinkah is there as well and is just as surprise by this sudden revelation. Her parents always warned her not to overuse her firepower but they never explained why except that it wouldn't be good for her warrior prowess to be sullied by her stamina lowering so quickly.

"Oh, you poor boy, I always knew that those naughty tribalists were doing a poor job with the education of their younglings. Tsk, tsk." Izana shook his head in disapproval but he could be hardly taken seriously with the pouting face he is also showing as well.

"S-shut up you goofball! I am well educated." Hayato protested.

"Damn that old man, always keeping me in the dark about important details! When I get back, we'll see how he likes it when the fire in his belly is about to extinguish." Rinkah snapped in outraged.

"But you're certain that thing may not be of the Water Tribe? There's no way to prove that they are still out there?" Azura wondered.

"Of that I cannot confirm, I am not well-versed on everything in the world so if the demigod descendants of the Ocean Dragon are still out there, living in isolation on a remote island I cannot say. What I can say for certain is that none of the Elemental Tribes have ever had anyone among them with inhuman physical characteristics and unlike the Shapeshifter Tribes who are of human ancestry and who's souls are still human, nothing about that woman is human much less of our world, so I harbor little doubt when I say that she was a true demon." Izana confirmed with a truly serious tone and expression that troubled everyone in the group, Corrin especially, granted though not everyone is there with the Archduke, just Corrin, her stepsiblings, Azura, Takumi and Sakura's retainers, Rinkah and Hayato while the rest are elsewhere properly resting from the fight or doing something else.

"You mean like the Grimm?" Takumi cursed, like everyone else putting the blame on Nohr for this incident.

"No, the Grimm are little more than specks of darkness and negative emotions given physical form by their creator, the Dusk Dragon to serve as his semi-conscious minions to do nothing but obey his every needs, same for his chosen. Unholy? Perhaps. Truly Demonic? I say nah. Because while Qliphoth spends most of his time in the Underworld, he is actually a heavenly being, and not one of the Precursors are affiliated with Demonkind and have declared themselves enemies of the true Underworld King." Izana assured. "If she originated from Nohr, I am certain that the Nohrian Royals no nothing of her, and she certainly didn't strike me as their kind of volatile."

"You and I have very different opinions on what is volatile." Hinoka said still holding Nohr accountable, although that demoness herself denied being Nohrian.

"Potato potahto." Izana shrugged.

"Who the heck says potahto!" Hinoka once again questioned in irritation of that word.

"So… how are you well-versed when it comes to Demonology?" Corrin asked nervously.

"Not much, thankfully, but enough to know what must never be in human hands." Izana said while holding the Souleater that they managed to confiscate from the Demoness, where he's putting this evil thing, people will never think to find it.

"Out of what you do know, do you know a demon… called…" Corrin hesitated to finish her words, fear of that traumatic day flashing back into her head but inevitably forces herself to speak her words. "A Fire Demon named Wrath?"

"Corrin…" Azura muttered with concern. She told her hoshidan family about the demon that attacked her in the Bottomless Canyon that killed her Nohrian Retainers but none of them could offer her any real help except as much comfort they could give to forget that trauma.

"Wrath you say. You mean of the Seven Deadly Sins?" Izana said growing concern.

"The first time I ever laid eyes on a demon was in the Bottomless Canyon as it slaughtered the Hoshidan Troops stationed there and later attacked me, and he could use Dragon Veins as well and he didn't even need to be directly close to use them. What it did to me…" Corrin stopped herself from talking about how she was violated and how severe it affected her mental health.

"I only know of one evil entity named Wrath and he is not a demon from the Underworld but from the very hearts of humanity." Izana said.

"Why, because he's named after a vice?"

"Yes, I'm afraid. Now, I don't know all of the details but a long, long time ago when humanity was completely overcome by war, famine, pestilence and death, a great corruption began to root out from the abyss hiding within all humanity that gave rise to great and terrible entities who know not what it means to be good."

"And these entities are seven in total?" Azura concluded.

"Correct. There are exactly seven vices that are depicted as the main concepts that make up evil and dictate human life much more than the Seven Heavenly Virtues; those being Pride, Lust, Greed, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth, and of course Wrath. It's unclear when the Seven Deadly Sins came to be but they have one single-minded purpose; to infect the world with evil and chaos. Basically they're one dimensional baddies with no redeeming qualities since they lack humanity, although we humans are known for being baddies ourselves, so I digress."

"You think that maybe your imposter might've been one of these Living Sins?" Hinoka asked.

"Who knows, she seemed pretty ambitious, even desperate to take Izumo for herself to the point that she held me with scorn for having something that's not hers so I imagine that she is the Sin of Envy, or perhaps Greed personified." Izana guessed. "When she showed up unannounced into my Palace she sought to kill me, I had no choice but to cast a Sealing Spell but it didn't work on her due to her magic being stronger than mine so the best I could do was use it on me to save myself. Not my proudest moment to be honest as I left my people at the mercy of that thing but to be honest I wasn't too worried because the day before she arrived I had a premonition from the Astral Dragon Moro himself that the Yato Blade's chosen would come to purge Izumo of evil."

"The Yato, huh." Corrin whispered staring at her trusty sword, not yet able to grasps it's importance.

"Mother and Orochi are also capable of seeing glimpses of the future." Sakura said intrigued.

"Indeed, very few have been blessed with the Gift of True Sight, though like those two, I can only see glimpses and only for a limited amount of time, a lot of complications happen when we sink in too deep, Fate's Omnipresent and she's always planning something that it's hard for even the Gods to put up with her bossy attitude."

"What does that mean for me, who has to bear the curse of this sword?" Corrin asked.

"Hard to say, the previous wielder was able to cut the chains that tied him to Destiny through sheer force of will and the sword's true power, of course, so I'm sure you can do it too, though when it comes to two superpowers at each other's throats, happy endings are often ignored." Izana said worried. "Well, at this rate, we might as well try our luck by reading a fortune."

"That's okay, we rather not temper with fate if she's that much of a hazard." Takumi declined. "Still though, I am curious if everything Envy, or Greed told us while posing as you was the truth or not."

"That the High Prince Ryoma and Wyvern Princess Camilla fought near my borders, she won, your brother is now missing and I can enter a conversation with the Dawn Dragon and see if he can spare some of his troops?" Izana repeated everything they told him regarding the Demoness posing as him during their meeting. "Yes, she was surprisingly honest with you lots, I guess since she was going to take your souls she didn't see the point in your final moments being an entirely deceitful end."

"So you can talk with the Dawn Dragon and request his aid." Azura asked sounding hopeful a little bit.

"Well I can, but she did lie about not needing to perform a ritual to call the Bright Lord. This is a tale I hoped I never had to explain to outsiders." Izana muttered. "You see, when the Nohrians started summoning the Grimm back into the world, I did not take the news well, I like many Izumites freaked out as expected of anyone who fear a 'demonic' attack, I responded by locking myself in my own jail, one cell that I had equipped with velvet sheets and scented candles. Best sleep I've ever had!"

Everyone just stares at him incredulously after hearing that.

"Anyway, after that embarrassment out of the way, I sought a solution to the Grimm threat because at the time I wasn't convince that Nohr wouldn't sent those things after us, mainly due to how furious and distraught Queen Arete had become when you people stole her daughter in retaliation of them stealing your Second Princess. Summoning those things was her idea, Garon was originally against it if my sources in Nohr spoke truth, and they always do." Izana continued, not noticing the distraught expression on Azura's face at the mention of her mother.

"Father… was against it?" Corrin whispered, surprise to hear that about Garon despite the fact that he lost his actual daughter for kidnapping her.

"I did what any sane Archduke would do in that situation, have a nice long chat with the Heavens in a room befitting of such a conversation that took a whole day of preparations to perfect, used the true Astral Orbuculum to call Sephiroth and begged for his guidance against this dark threat." Izana said before frowning. "Unfortunately the wrong god purposely interfered with my call and he was really, really, really, really, really rude."

"How rude are we talking about?" Corrin asked, and Izana responds by revealing his chest to them where an emblem none of them are familiar with that is not like the one of Nohr or Hoshido, has been carved into his flesh and it looks more than a decade old.

"What the hell…" Takumi muttered knowing that he must not have received that painlessly.

"Whoever it was, it used magic to carved this emblem into my flesh before speaking to me in a very distorted, tormented and angry voice, saying "First and Final Warning". Izana explained, changing his voice to almost sound like or sounding exactly like the thing that did this to him, and it was a very well done evil voice that it was enough to make Sakura become fearful that she almost fainted and both Hana and Subaki have to hold on to her and frantically cried out for her to snap out of it. "To make matters worse, it blocked out some of my abilities and minimized my connections to the Heavens to an extent that I can only speak to the Lord of the Astral Dragons but he isn't saying much about what happened except that a terrible battle will soon befall us and Light and Shadow must merge into Twilight if Horus is to survive. But nothing more than that."

"Was he referring to this war or some other conflict?" Azura questioned.

"He said no more on the matter, though to be completely honest, I don't think he was referring to the Third Twilight War against Nohr."

"Shit! What does it all mean?" Takumi cursed.

"Is there some sort of third party involved in this war that Wrath is a part of." Azura wondered.

"Most likely, however this does not change the fact that your main concern is Nohr and stopping them from advancing further into your lands." Izana said. "Well enough about such ill things, you lots need to rest after such an awful event. We're all about love, peace, and chicken grease here in Izumo after all."

"Yes, I think we should remain here for a while longer to relax and I'm sure Kagero will have some good news to give regarding Ryoma." Corrin suggested.

"Acceptable news is more likely but that's just how it is with her." Hinoka said hoping against hope that Ryoma is alright. They go back to the main hall to rest and regroup with everyone else, however Corrin and Izana stay behind.

"You coming, Corrin?" Azura asked noticing her remaining behind and still.

"Yeah, I'll be there soon, I just have one last thing I like to talk to with Izana." She replied. Azura has an idea of what that may be but will not press it and simply nods to her before leaving with the others.

"Well then, how may I be of service to Izumo's heroine of the week?" Izana asked happily.

"I think you know." Corrin said with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, I know." The Archduke's mood drops to a furrowed brow as well.

"What's going on between you and Robin? Both of you turned sour upon seeing each other, and your people have referred to him as the Broken Soul. Even that monster Envy, Greed, or whatever she was called him that." The Princess asked, maintaining a composed yet demanding front.

"Please Milady, don't get the wrong impression, from what I can tell just by looking at him, Sir Robin is a benevolent man, loyal, protective, a bit of a blank slate when it comes to socializing but excellent nonetheless and isn't deceitful without good intentions. And It's also easy to tell that you have only good things to say about him." Izana said with much honesty. "It's just that he's not well."

"What are you talking about?"

"It be better if you see." Izana said as the real Astral Orbuculum floats his way to them and lands on Izana's hands and from the crystal ball shines a dim whitish blue light before showing images of a spherical object made entirely of the same light but only brighter with barely visible mist emanating out of it.

"As you must know all things that live and breathe, humans and animals alike each have an astral essence within us that plays a key factor in our lives, which is the Soul. It's duty is just as important as the mind and heart but with a bigger role to play which varies from being to being but what they all have in common is that it represents a person's capacity for good and evil, without it a person becomes a complete blank slate, devoid of all emotion and are apathetic to even their own self-preservation and disinterested in life itself." Izana explained. "But for those who dwell in the mystic arts, they are instrumental in warding off or embracing entities of malicious intent. Such things as demonic possessions can be unavoidable but a truly strong soul can expel all evil provided they are benevolent enough."

"What does this have to do with your behavior towards Robin?" Corrin grows confuse, not understanding the point of this explanation.

"Souls naturally look as you see before you, however when corrupted by intentions that are solely pure evil they become blacken by sin but when a pure soul is corrupted by and made to be evil against their will, craving freedom and fight back, the soul does not blacken, it remains mostly the same, the light it generates just grows dim, as if it's the host's time of dying draws near and it will soon enter the afterlife. But for Robin's soul, it is like nothing I have ever seen." Izana said grimly as the image in the Astral Orbuculum change to a completely different and abnormal soul, one that glows in a whiter light with what can be best described as an open wound on the left side of it that cuts deep with what looks like blood and black goo coming out of it and covering the left portion of it. It is an ugly sight.

"Is that… is that Robin's soul? Is that an open wound? How can a soul have an open wound?! It's incorporeal!" Corrin gasped in shock, gazing at the horrid sight.

"As I said, this is like nothing I have ever seen, the best I can summarize is that your friend, or boyfriend, was the victim of a possession by something truly evil that's beyond human understanding and power to overcome and has left its mark on his soul, or rather it tried to but Robin was able to fight it off. I have heard stories of souls receiving something akin to scars or wounds in the spiritual sense but those are performed by dark magics meant for instant kills like headshots but instead aim for the soul, anything the soul feels the body will feel tenfold or more, by all accounts he should not be alive but the right portion is glowing brighter than any soul should, indicating that it's still fighting back against this corruption and he is very much alive, and is not a Zombie, thankfully, but by all accounts he should be dead, and I wouldn't consider it a miracle that he still lives, though at the same time, I don't see it as a curse."

Corrin remains still, taking in a quick breath with a mix of emotions visible on her face, the most obvious is horror of immense concern for Robin.

"When he came to me nine months ago and told me of his plight I saw no issue in aiding a lost soul so I used my powers as best I could to pierce within him and the astral realms for answers, and apart from the shock fest upon seeing his soul for the first time, the Astral Dragon Moro, my main buddy from above and contact for premonitions showed me visions of a terrible monster that is not from the future but of the past. This monster that is akin to a dragon but something else was a personification of despair and hatred and the horrors it inflicted on lands that by all accounts shouldn't exist but at the same time should exist are beyond forgiveness." Izana grew more grim in his explanations. "Robin was among the many victims that this mysterious evil terrorized but what it did to him specifically, I saw nothing noteworthy on that subject. When the vision ended I completely overreacted with fear unlike anything I have ever felt and even had a stroke. I think. Either way, my servants overreacted as well and ran the poor man out of Izumo. I've been waiting for him to come back and apologize ever since and even instructed everyone to not be hostile when he does come back, hence why he was allowed back here by my guards."

"But… you can help him, can't you?" Corrin asked nervously and desperate.

"I fear I cannot, whatever he survived is beyond human capability to heal." Izana admitted regrettably, to Corrin's immense dismay.

"But… but… what's going to happen to him if he continues on as he is now?" She asked dreadfully.

"Nothing good, damage like this is too severe too ever be able to brush off so for him to behave so casually, as if his insides aren't constantly burning up means that his magic and willpower are beyond human capacity for him to exert himself even when in combat."

"Robin…"

Corrin parted with Izana after that, walking around one of the halls alone as she makes her way to meet the others but in her current state of mind, she takes several wrong turns and instead makes it to the exit of the palace, there he finds the man in her thoughts, leaning on a wall with his arms folded and waiting for her.

"After the first wrong turn you made, I had a feeling you end up in one of the exits, and I picked the right one." Robin said devoid of emotion.

"Robin…?" Corrin responded, emotion also absent in her voice.

"So, now you know of my… "condition". He said with a frown.

"Why didn't you tell me what was happening to you?" She asked now with sadness.

"Tell you what, that I have a terminal and incorporeal injury I received from I don't know what and I have I don't know how long to live before I burnout or some other form of discomfort occurs. This isn't something anyone can understand and no one likes it when all others can give them is pity." Robin confessed deeply hurt by what is happening to him.

"There has to be a way to cure this, I know that the soul is ridiculously complex but there's magics of all kinds." Corrin insisted.

"If there is, I may find it in Mount Garou, the Rainbow Sage did say it was imperative that I make it there, though he did not say that I would fine salvation, just a way to return to where I was born." Robin said.

"Then why aren't you there already?!" Corrin demanded with a lot of anger now. "Why come back to me at all if you're drawing closer to death, or something worse when you should be saving yourself?"

"Because if I had I would have to begin another journey that would've taken too long to pull off and the Rainbow Sage also said that this war was going to happen no matter what with the chances of peace treaty next to impossible so I am needed here." Robin explained.

"That's a bullshit excuse to ignore a cancer and you know it!" Corrin argued.

"I believe it was you that expressed how conveniently I was needed during the darkest moment of your life." Robin reminded.

"That's beside the point!" Corrin raised her tone. "For more than three years you've been in a constant state of severe pain behind my back and said nothing! Even before you learned the true depth of this you had to have noticed something was wrong with you."

"I didn't say anything because I knew no one could help me!" Robin argued while also raising his tone against her. "I wasn't sure what was happening to me when I woke up in that grassy field and the first thing I ever laid eyes on was you, but I knew then that something inside was crying and breaking apart, something I felt could not be fixed but as painful as it is, I never felt like I was dying but more like something inside me is changing."

"Changing how?" Corrin demanded.

"I wish I had the answers to that. This pain is ever present but month by month it got duller, easier to ignore, either through force of will or magical power I've kept onward. The reason you may be wondering is quite simple really. It's because I want so badly to know who she is and see her again."

"Morgan?" Corrin guessed.

"That's the only thing that's made this torture bearable and I promise you this, my master; as both your shield and sword of adamantine strength, there's nothing your enemies can throw at me that can kill me!" Robin boasted. "They can bring me down as much as they want but I'll find my way back up."

"You don't know that Robin." Corrin countered in disbelief.

"Then the only way to prove it to you is for Nohr to hit me with their best shot." Robin shrugged.

"I've lost too much already Robin; I can't lose you too." Corrin pleaded with him as she starts shedding tears, causing the stubborn tactician to walk to his master's side and remove the tears with his fingers.

"I don't want to leave you either, hence why I had to come back." He said more heartwarmingly as the two embrace each other in a hug for a few moments before returning to the others.

Unbeknownst to the two, two others have been eavesdropping on them during their whole conversation, which are Takumi and Azura, who went looking for Corrin same as Robin when she took too long to come back.

"And they call me unbearably brash and stubborn." Takumi muttered with a heavy sigh, not sure what to make of Robin's predicament. The two were even present when Izana explained Robin's condition. "Too much information to take in one day has never been good for my brain."

"A soul surrenders and yet the heart and the mind persist." Azura muttered with sadness, digging deeper in the mystery of Robin and only finds more questions.

"We can't dwell on it now, we better not let the others wait for us either." Takumi said as they also made their way to the rest of their comrades.

"Finally, we were starting to get worried." Hinoka said seeing the white duo make their way to the group.

"Sorry, I just had some things to clear out is all." Corrin apologized for worrying everyone. Seconds later both Takumi and Azura arrive from the same direction as the white duo. "Weren't you both supposed to wait here as well?"

"We volunteered to go look for you same as Robin when you decided to keep us waiting." Takumi explained callously.

"You two found something, alright." Robin frown, knowing that the two were eavesdropping on their argument.

"Sip it, white boy." Takumi hissed.

"Seriously…" Robin muttered at the lackluster insult.

"Takumi, that was horrible." Hinoka groaned.

"That had no implication in the slightest and your hair color is closer to theirs." Azura pointed out.

"My hair is not silver or white, it's gray." The Prince argued.

"Dark silver is more likely." Corrin commented.

"IT'S! GRAY!" Takumi growled, losing all patience. "Kagero, now is the perfect time to explain what happened to Ryoma!"

"Yes…" The Female Ninja cleared her throat as she is about to explain herself. "Now that everyone's here. When we were ambushed by Princess Camilla of Nohr, our entire party was forced to scatter, I was the only one that remained close to Lord Ryoma as Camilla chased us down. Lord Ryoma figured that he could save the rest of us by diverting all attention to himself, which worked for the most part since she was more focused on him and were chased all the way to the Bottomless Canyon, that is now mostly under Nohrian control. By then it all went south fast as Lord Ryoma and Camilla's presence triggered all corrupted Dragon Veins, causing a disaster that affected both sides. He might've fallen into the canyon if not for a Wyvern Knight from Cheve who arrived at the scene and caught him. The same knight we were supposed to meet."

"Scarlet." Hinoka concluded.

"Yes, she was able to rescue Lord Ryoma but as things got worse and since I was far from them that if they came for me they would've gotten caught by the onslaught so I urged them to leave me behind as they retreated to Cheve while I was forced here, no way they could return to Hoshido after that."

"Big brother is in enemy territory." Sakura said dreadfully.

"You did better than I could've in that situation, Kagero." Saizo praised his partner.

"It wasn't enough, and you know our master, he's tormenting himself right now for leaving us behind." Kagero said with despair. "After I managed to escape the carnage, I heard rumors that all of you were looking for us and knew you head to Izumo so I followed."

"You're both alive, that's all that matters." Kaze smiled, relief that Ryoma and Kagero are alright.

"For how long is the bigger question." Kagero said as she reveals to all of them Ryoma's Sacred Treasure that she has been carrying with her.

"Raijinto." Hinoka muttered.

"When we got caught in the Canyon's madness, Lord Ryoma was separated from his Holy Sword but I was able to catch it but not in time to return it back. The High Prince may be Hoshido's Top Swordmaster but even I question how long he will fair in the West without his full strength."

"Well, he's headed to Cheve, which is good because we have allies there." Subaki stated.

"Why, though, isn't Cheve a part of Nohr?" Corrin asked.

"So to speak, the Dukedom is a booming economical capital that has always operated independently from the other nations until Nohr took it over to claim their resources but for the most part Cheve has had a happy existence despite Nohr's iron grip but recently rumors of a rebellion forming there have begun to spur." Kaze explained.

"Something I find really dumb. Cheve is not the only small nation that exist in Horus that has been conquered by Nohr and each and every one of them live under the threat of being destroyed by the Grimm, despite Cheve housing really skilled knights they've never been the brightest bunch in the west." Setsuna claimed.

"I've heard that Cheve has only ever had three official companies of knights but the rebellion is instead made up of rookies who went and made a fourth." Hana added.

"Yes, one founded by Scarlet and hers is made up of Nohrian haters." Orochi said.

"Any chance that the other companies will be joining up with the newly fourth?" Oboro asked.

"That's a big maybe, despite Nohr's hold on Cheve being a dictatorship, a great many Chevians will be extremely reluctant to pick a fight and not just because of fear but respect." Azura said.

"What'd you mean?" Hinata asked.

"Before King Garon raised his ax on Cheve, the Dukedom was originally ruled by a vicious duke with low morals thirty-five years ago. He was so cruel to his people that his own daughter sought to overthrow him but she like the rest of the Chevians lacked the strength to accomplish this so she went to Garon himself to stop his tyranny in exchange for her homeland's resources." Azama informed. "Legally, the Nohrians are Cheve's liberators and Garon has a right to do as he pleases there. And it's not just there, seven of the other twelve nations Nohr has ''conquered'' have also been liberated from crueler dictators. Old man has a hero status of sorts that it'll be challenging to get so much support."

"Not to mention that Cheve's only real reason for being hostile towards Nohrians is that they occasionally take more food than was agreed in their treaty every year, and only one skirmish has ever occurred because of it." Kagero added.

"How bad was this skirmish?" Corrin said nervously.

"If the reports and rumors are to be believed, an argument broke out six years ago that led to one Knight of Cheve picking a fight with three Knights of Nohr after a debate gone wrong over the amount of food that needs to be taken and the Chevian ended up killing all three Nohrians." Saizo explained. "He was then apprehended and publicly executed in front of all Cheve by one of Nohr's Great Knights and father of one of the slain men to make an example to the rest not to cross them."

"Dusk…" Corrin whispered, sadden by this story.

"And according to Ryoma, the Knight that was executed was Scarlet's father." Takumi added, getting a lot of mix reactions from the group, mostly negative. Robin sighs while robbing the tip of his nose.

"There's a fine line between justice and revenge, and I can say with certainty that helping Cheve is just as asinine as it is beneficial." The Tactician expressed while pinching the tip of his nose.

"Justice can be just as moronic as submitting to a devil, if everything we do will end up getting us hurt than why not go for it?" Takumi said overconfidently.

"Perhaps. If all the nations have seeds of anger against Nohr that have yet to sown than by showing that Cheve has even a slight chance of fighting back, the others will begin to develop a sense of valor." Robin calculated. "Still, Nohr has to know of this Rebellion and had their troops overrun the place by now."

"That may not be necessarily true, with Hoshido finally within their reach, I imagine that Nohr is focusing most of their efforts on claiming our lands that the number of Grimm are shorter within enemy soil, leaving only their human forces for the Chevians, which still doesn't give them an advantage but enough that they can be discreet about their activities, especially since they may not have to watch out for too many dark mages." Kaze contended.

"That's something at least but a sufficient amount of soldiers in the west has to know by now that our High Prince is in enemy territory and they'll have to think to look for him in areas where he'll feel safe, like Cheve because he was or still is riding with Scarlet all the way there." Rinkah pointed out.

"We're running short on decisions to make, either way we must go to Cheve and get Ryoma back." Robin concluded.

"Nothing's changed then, Cheve awaits." Corrin declared with everyone nodding in agreement.

"Please, Sephiroth, keep Ryoma safe until we get there." Sakura prayed.

"Well, that settles that, I'm coming with you." Hayato declared, getting in on the conversation.

"Like hell you are, kid." Rinkah objected.

"Don't call me a kid, you black molten sheep!" The Wind Demigod spatted.

"Call me that again you rat, see what happens!" The Fire Demigoddess snapped enraged with her shoulder and arms lighting on fire.

"She took that a bit way too sensitively." Corrin noted.

"The other tribes have been calling the Flame Tribalists black sheep for centuries, no one knows why, but it riles them up so much that it's basically their trigger word for going berserk." Robin explained.

"Admit it, the Hoshido's Royal Guard is too small of a unit to mount a rescue mission this big, even if all one hundred of you were present. It's all hands on deck if we want to end this war." Hayato persisted.

"Punk, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into, if the Nohrians find out you're from the Sky Faithful they'll attack the tribe just to make an example." Rinkah warned.

"Who are you to judge, you're not Hoshidan either and all you'll accomplish is paint a target on all the heads of your people." Hayato argued back.

"First of all, I'm the only one in my tribe who volunteered to fight for Hoshido, and I made that very clear to every Nohrian who's skulls I've bashed open and those who've seen me bash skulls. And Secondly, Nohr has tried and failed to take my homeland for themselves the last four times they've attacked us, even with the Grimm when we rained down hellfire on them." Rinkah spatted at the boy.

"Why the hell would the Nohrians ever bother with conquering Muspelheim? It's a burning wasteland with a volcano that can erupt with a literal rainstorm of fire and what we Hoshidans assume to be earth made meteors." Subaki questioned.

"Oh, you be surprised how limitless the tribe's food supply is just because of a huge, magical holy fire placed at the center by their Dragon." Robin replied, remembering the short time he spent in the Volcanic region was quite spectacular, something that Rinkah is proud of, and mockingly smirks at the Wind boy.

"Whatever, I don't like Nohrians in the slightest and I ain't afraid of no Underworld Monsters, so I say bring it on." Hayato continued to be stubborn. "And besides, participating in a war is a solid excuse to see the world for the first time."

"There are several things wrong with your logic!" Corrin argued. "Still… you got spirit and you obviously aren't one to shy away from a fight so I suppose you can be of help."

"I'm glad we reached an understanding." Hayato smiled.

"He can do as he pleases as long as he proves useful. Little Mozu already showed she has value." Takumi said, not minding Hayato.

"What…? I… ah… all I did was knock a few monsters to the ground." Mozu said nervously.

"And quite the arms you have for such a fragile body, little one." Reina complimented.

"Gush, you people are thinking too highly of me." Mozu muttered nervously while blushing.

"Well, that raises our numbers to twenty strong but we could use one more." Corrin said as she turns to speak with Shura but the Adventurer is nowhere in sight. "Where's Shura?"

"He took off shortly after Izana fixed the whole Palace himself and wished us safe travels." Robin explained, making Corrin scowl.

"Crap, I was hoping he would consider my offer." She muttered.

"You were seriously going to ask that guy to join us?" Takumi gave his own scowl.

"What's wrong with that?" Corrin asked, still holding her scowl.

"Corrin, he's the leader of the Black Bulls. He's been stealing our resources for more than four years." Hinoka pointed out.

"And yet he walked out of here without any shurikens on his back, I assume."

"Well, he did arrive in time to assist in the battle against the Sin and saved you during the conflict, so that gives him leeway from us." Kaze remarked.

"Next time, however, there will be shurikens on his back." Saizo avowed, Kaze's previous claim of him holding a grudge against the Black Bulls apparent.

"You're a bad apple." Mozu commented to the rude Ninja.

"Please excuse my brother, he's like that with everyone." Kaze sighed, earning a scowl from said brother.

"Okay, okay, let's not start something everyone. Have something to eat and rest some more, it's been a long day so far and I have a feeling tomorrow will be worse." Robin suggested.

"We should head out immediately, now that we know where Ryoma is, we can't risk him being caught, or worse." Takumi insisted.

"We can't afford to be caught or worse ourselves." Robin countered. "Our best way to Cheve is to use the harbors in Mokushu to ride into Nestra, however Mokushu have been long time allies of Nohr, we set foot there, we'll be in for another fight, and surely I don't need to remind you all that the Mokushujins have a bone to pick with your people after the Riots."

"Riots…?" Corrin repeated.

"No, I don't need to be reminded of that crap! But the Mokushujins haven't attacked our soil yet, which could mean anything." Takumi shrugged.

"Sir Robin is right, Lord Takumi, Mokushu is also enemy territory and we have a truce to never set foot there, especially as things stand now." Orochi pointed out.

"Well, we can't force our way through the Bottomless Canyon, that already doomed landscape will be more heavily guarded since under the assumption that our forces will bombard their way into Nohr now that the High Prince is in the West." Subaki informed.

"Which leaves us with no choice but to use the tunnels." Saizo suggested.

"You cannot be serious!" Kaze objected while raising his tone in a way that surprise everyone minus for Saizo since the green ninja usually keeps a calm composure and is the more balanced of the brothers, especially when said brother is around to be the voice of reason.

"Kaze has a point, Saizo, using the tunnels is risky and the Mokushujins aren't naïve enough to never think to check for anyone unwanted in their soil to use those, even though they are hardly known to outsiders." Kagero agreed with Kaze.

"No, I agree, it could work for us." Hinoka interjected.

"What tunnels are we talking about?" Corrin butts in.

"Underground of Mokushu there is a system of tunnels that expands all over the southeastern of Horus with a long history of skeletons in a closet, so to speak and back when tensions between us and them were high we would sent our units to face them in a series of conflicts in a Proxy War almost thirty years ago." Hinoka explained. "The Mokushujins had the obvious advantage since it was their territory but their ninjas were never as bright as ours so our father won against them either way and force them to knock it off with their barbarism or else."

"And is using them wise?" Corrin wondered.

"Strategically speaking, maybe, with a knowing guide, which I am assuming our present Ninjas know enough about it to do so but in all honesty, I too must advised against it, from what I've heard the current Daimyo of Mokushu may not be as bad as its previous ruler who started the previous war, Kotaro, so he may allow us passage once we convince him we mean no harm because while I imagine the Mokushujins would offer their allegiance to Nohr to get back at us, I am sure that plenty more would want to stay out of it, after all from what I've learned the primary reason why King Sumeragi's victory was so successful was because Mokushu was also going through a civil war that was happening at the same time so they were short on numbers." Robin counseled.

"Okay, this story has me on a leash of curiosity." Corrin muttered. "Still, wouldn't fighting against them just encourage them to be more open about their hostility to the rest of Hoshido?"

"That's the most likely outcome, but it's not like we can use the ships of our own port towns because of the damage the Sea-Grimm have caused so we'll have to smuggle our way from Mokushu to Nestra." Azura said. "Let's just make it as far as the entrance to the tunnels and decide what to do once we make it that far."

"Let the journey decide on what to do next? I might actually look forward to that." Corrin agreed.

"Don't." Her two Retainers advised at once.

* * *

Sadly, even in Izumo, danger lies everywhere and nowhere at once, for hiding cautiously, even from the three ninjas and Robin's keen perception, is a Seer, one that lacks any tentacles and remains in complete silence and through its eyelike crystal ball, one man is watching and hearing everything from another Seer from his Throne of Shadows, King Garon himself with his usual frown expression, watching as his former adoptive daughter is embracing her Birthright and marching for Cheve, and subsequently coming back to her prison.

"The Seven Deadly Sins? Wounds that inflict even the soul? Just how deep have you fallen into your own insecurities, Corrin?" Garon muttered to himself sternly and is in contemplation regarding all he has learned as he bore witness to the entire battle in Izumo.

Just then he is presented with both Iago and Hans as they enter the throne room.

"Your Majesty." Iago spoke up as the duo bow before their King.

"The fools in Cheve have begun to be a thorn at my side now that Prince Ryoma stands with them." Garon said as he waves at the Seer to move aside from his view as he has seen enough for now and turns to the duo. "A show of strength is needed once more to remind those beneath our boots to remain in their place."

"A simple tasks, my liege, the moment the public spots a few Grimm in their borders and blocking all their exits fear will consume them and urge them to surrender the rebels but considering how stubborn and stupid they've always been we may need to burn some of their homes to the ground." Iago counseled.

"Yes, the smallest act of defiance will encourage the rest of the rats to take up arms against us, therefore we will not sent a warning, we will set an example with carnage. Flush the rebels out and slaughter them." Garon plotted cruelly. "Hans, you are to assist my daughter Camilla as she is to lead the skirmish in Cheve and ensure that our chains remain tight around each and every one of their necks, spare no one who raises arms against you but as usual keep civilian casualties to a minimum."

"Of course, Milord." Hans bowed in obedience.

"Iago, focus your efforts on the other conquered nations, snuff out even the slightest hint of defiance against us and make doubly sure that resistance remains futile." Garon continued with his orders.

"It shall be as you say, your Majesty. Though what of the treacherous Princess and her merry band of hindrances?" Iago asked, regarding Corrin.

"Let her come, she'll face judgement all the sooner. And besides." Garon began as he hand gestures the Seer to return to his side and starts showing him images of the Hoshidans, in particular Azura with the Seer zooming in on her for her stepfather to see her more clearly. "She'll be bringing home the true prodigal daughter."

* * *

Though there was much debate, Corrin's group chose to remain in Izumo for the rest of the day to rest and set out in the morning with Izana seeing them off.

"Well, this is it my friends, I wish you safe travels and have wondrous days ahead of you!" Izana cheered for all of them.

"Thank you Archduke, you'd been a bigger help than any of us realized and we hope that our next meeting is a more peaceful one." Corrin said warmly to the Archduke.

"Likewise, my snow white, like wise." Izana waved at them goodbye as they finally leave the beautiful kingdom.

"I'm going to miss this heavenly place." Hinata mused.

"We could always pay a visit when this is all over." Oboro suggested.

"One day, sure." Takumi replied.

"Not sure how I feel about seeing that goofy again, though." Hayato said.

"Don't say that, h-he's really sweet and considerate." Sakura objected.

"That he is." Robin added.

"Oh, you got his apology while I wasn't looking." Corrin wondered.

"Yeah, really glad we got that out of the way and though it was unnecessary, he even gave me a parting gift." Robin said showing off two unique swords in both his hands that possess jagged blades that resemble lightning bolts and are even generating electricity.

"Are those Magic Swords from Nohr?" Corrin asked intrigued.

"Yep, Levin Swords, blades design to perform lightning magic that anyone can basically use and it's more potent than Bolt Axes and Bolt Naginatas." Robin explained. "The Izumites keep lots of weapons they've confiscated over the decades from wayward nomads, and Izana figured these two would suit me well."

"Well you do seem to prefer Lightning-based Magic over any other type." Corrin remarked.

"Pretty much, the rest of the equipment he's lend us will also be most helpful on our quest." He commented as he summons Morgenstern and does something unique by stabbing his swords one at a time into the golden pages and they are absorbed into the book.

"Wait, what just happened?" Corrin muttered confused by what she just saw.

"Does that book also function as a super deep pocket?" Takumi muttered.

"Pretty much, really makes up for the fact that I don't have any actual pockets with me." Robin smiled with a hint of smugness over how useful his tome is.

"Okay… now I'm officially jealous." Orochi muttered.

"Really wish you had told me you could use magic much sooner if you had something this useful this whole time." Corrin said.

"Morgenstern has been plenty useful to you before in the past, I just never brought it up." Robin replied.

"Do tell."

* * *

Two hours into the journey and the Hoshidans make it to the borders of Mokushu, nothing but a forest in sight for a mile at least from their perspective. Hinoka, Subaki and Reina were sent ahead of them to explore Mokushu and watch out for danger when entering this nation. They are mostly known for Ninjas being their main unit and bulk of their army so ambushes are to be expected. Robin concluded that because war between Nohr and Hoshido has begun all the nations neutral to the conflict will need to guard their borders well otherwise they risk their lands being used as battlegrounds and get involve in the war in a way and since they are in good terms with Nohr they may not think twice about attacking nearby Hoshidans just to please their powerful friends. Luckily Mokushu lacks any flying units like Pegasus or Kinshi so they have an advantage regarding scouts, and hopefully none of their snipers are good enough to shoot from the altitude the trio are at currently.

"How far to the nearest town from here?" Corrin asked her retainers.

"Nearest one only less than half a mile to the northwest named Kenshin and another in the northeast slightly farther away named Shinta." Kaze informed. "Both would actually make good places to hide if we are to encounter enemy Mokushujins as mostly outlaws and peasants live there and they'll help anyone hide from the eyes of the law provided we pay handsomely."

"That is assuming said law doesn't pay them even higher." Azura countered.

"Yes, there's that but I like our chances if it comes to that." Kaze said confident.

"Hinoka, Subaki and Reina should be here by now to bring up any news about nearby Mokushujins." Takumi said watching out for the sky for their small flying unit.

"You think we've run into trouble already with how troublesome the people in these lands are." Hinata wondered surprised by how easy this all feels so far.

"Indeed, these people are nothing if not glutton for punishment." Azama added. "Kind of like our dear High Princess. Sure hope something doesn't happen that will cause her to fall off her mount, healing her up from such a fall was troublesome the first time."

"Gods, do you always have to be such a casual ass when you talk!" Hana snapped at the monk for saying such things regarding the Princess he's supposed to safeguard, especially in front of an emotionally fragile Sakura, who Hana has to hug tight to calm her down due to her current sadness and fear.

"Oh, relax, I'm just reminiscing on the day when I first met Lady Hinoka is all." Azama shrugged.

"How does someone so proficient as Hinoka fall off her Pegasus?" Corrin wondered.

"That's mostly because her desperation to get you back, and you're back so she'll likely stop being the dumb one in the family from now on." Takumi sighed.

"Wow, Takumi. Just wow." Corrin hissed.

"Kaze, Kagero, have you both noticed as well?" Saizo asked noticing something that the others didn't.

"Yes. Not even crickets." Kagero said, becoming more cautious of her surroundings, same as Saizo.

"What, you mean the total silence in our surroundings?" Oboro asked.

"The forests in Mokushu are quite lovely and teeming with activity, you can almost always hear the sounds of nature, it's extremely rare for there to be this level of silence. It's great for ninjas but for the land itself, it just feels wrong." Kagero explained. "In fact, this level of silence usually occurs when Grimm are around, even lions feel fear by their mere presence."

"Oh, goody, more fighting, I'm sure Reina will be most happy about this." Setsuna said casually readying her bow, and everyone else too ready themselves.

"Already, but we just got here!" Sakura cried.

Hinoka, Subaki and Reina soon return and hopefully they'll have much to say on this matter.

"Tell us you found something helpful, Hinoka." Takumi asked.

"We found something alright, a lot of Mokushujins lying on the ground and doing nothing with Grimm dragging as many of them away." Hinoka informed, most confused and troubled.

"Nohr is attacking Mokushu. That doesn't make sense at all." Azura said troubled.

"It didn't look like they were attacking from our perspective. It looked more like they were helping the Mokushujins run away from something." Subaki informed.

"What?" Corrin asked.

"Something very strange. Lots of Mokushujin Ninjas, Spear Fighters, Maidens and Monks doing nothing but standing still, leaning down on trees or even lying on the ground as if they're sleeping in the middle of day, doing completely nothing, and it seemed as though they've been there for more than a while. We flew down a little to get a closer look and noted that their lack of behavior seemed too apathetic, heck we were close enough to be spotted and none batted an eye, and we allowed ourselves to get caught just to get a reaction." Hinoka replied.

"It got even stranger when a pack of Grimm showed up and started dragging them west of here, likely to Kenshin and not one of them even flinched at being taken but they didn't take all of them as some Mokushujins were left behind." Reina continued. "And some of the Grimm spotted us, again this was intentional, and yet they just up an ignored us just to take the Mokushujins away and it didn't seem like they mean to do them harm."

"Everywhere we go, we end up dealing with the craziest shit." Takumi cursed.

"Is not a single place in Horus safe from disaster." Corrin muttered to herself given the current situation.

"Well we can't sit tight and remain in the dark, we have to see what's going on but I would not recommend all of us going." Rinkah suggested

"Alright, only a few of us will go and investigate what's going on, the rest of us step away from the borders and do not approach unless I give a sign." Robin instructed.

"What sign?" Hayato questioned and Robin responds by pulling out one of his new Levin Swords from Morgenstern and begins channeling lightning magic from it but doesn't do anything with it, except changing the color of the electricity briefly from yellow to blue.

"If I deduce that the situation is dire but not impossible to handle if all of us work together I will fire the biggest lightning bolt I can muster that you will all no doubt see and let you know that assistance is required. However if I deduce that the situation is too dire and even together we stand no chance I will fire a lightning bolt of a blue color instead of yellow, because yes, I can do that, signaling you all to fall back and not come for us." Robin instructed.

"N… N-No! We can't do that! No one should be left behind." Sakura argued against the idea.

"It's for the best Milady, any sort of unknown we come across must be handled delicately and all options must be considered." Kaze interjected. "Which is why all the Royals should stay behind until we can assess the situation."

"Wait, wait, wait. I think we're blowing things out of proportion; don't you think." Corrin objected.

"Not at all, we can't have any of you wonder off anywhere that may be too risky unless it's been properly inspected and right now we know nothing of what is happening in this nation." Oboro pointed out.

"Totally, there's no reason for you five to get involved in every situation blocking our path. You can just leave this to your retainers." Hinata added.

"Aren't you two usually the ones to point out that it's the enemy who you should worry about instead of us?" Takumi questioned, though not ungratefully, he appreciates the support and aid of his retainers very much, probably more than his siblings due to their own retainers.

"I'm just being realistic, Milord, we just got back from fighting a real lived demoness if the Archduke's information is completely valid and she would've overpowered us if she wasn't so gullible." Hinata remarked.

"Not to mention that she could've killed all five of you because we weren't present in the first place. We ain't taking any chances with whatever comes next." Hana added adamantly.

"What happened back there wasn't any of your faults." Sakura opposed.

"Doesn't matter, what does matter is ensuring each and every one of your survivals. Hoshido cannot lose a single one of you." Saizo declared solemnly.

"You guys can sure be a pain when you get like this." Hinoka sighed in defeat.

Grudgingly, Corrin allows Robin to explore the phenomenon going on with only Saizo, Kagero, Rinkah and Orochi assisting while the rest of the retainers stayed with the Royals and they are quick to make it to the area that the Fliers mentioned where they find several Mokushujins, some lying on the ground still while others leaning down next to trees.

"I expected fewer numbers after hearing that Grimm were ''rescuing'' these people." Kagero said as they begin to inspect those who remain, firstly by checking their pulses.

"They're dead, all of them." Rinkah said as she examined two or three while searching for any sort of wounds.

"No sign of punctured wounds, nor any sort of a struggle." Saizo informed.

"It looks as if these people let themselves die." Robin concluded. "Starvation, dehydration?"

"Suffocation even. I've heard of dark sorcery that infects a person's mental state by making them apathetic to everything around them, including self-preservation." Orochi suggested.

"True but dark magic usually leaves a faint trace of it that other mages can sense within the victim even after death, and I feel nothing, and neither do you. If this is the work of magic than it's not dark, at least not the darkness of Nohrians, their monsters were pulling out all that were probably still alive, or could be saved, hence why they left these people behind." Robin stated.

"Magic is definitely the caused, the mana here feels thick, violated even, almost as if they have become unusable." Orochi stated.

"Really, because it all feels pretty casual to me." Rinkah said as she summons a fireball into her right hand, however the fire soon starts to dim without her doing, almost as if she is dropping the power she is putting into it. "Never mind, there is definitely something going on."

"External Mana can affect internal Mana when there's a disruption of sorts, though it's unclear how such occurrences even happen. They are usually no more than theories." Orochi said.

"Whatever the case, these people were murdered through foul magic, and I imagine that the one responsible is still somewhere nearby." Saizo said.

"But there are hardly any mages at all in these lands that would practice such horrid arts." Kagero pointed out.

"What makes you think that a Mokushujin would attack their own people?" Robin questioned.

"Well, I was thinking more like someone from Kohga." She corrected.

"Okay, that makes a little bit of sense."

"Would you people keep it down already; I'm trying to sleep!" The Five become alarmed by the voice of one of the men lying on the ground, one that wasn't there a second ago and what he's wearing isn't anything like the clothing of Mokushujins who resemble those of Hoshidans, his is a uniform befitting of butlers from Nohr that's completely gray with matching gray hair that's shoulder-length. He gets up from the ground while in a grumpy and lazy mood, befitting considering what happen to these men and women and is carrying a staff used by the healers of Nohr, though of a darker variation. The man himself is young, likely the same age as Kaze and Saizo. But what really catches their attention is that his eyes are the same as Envy/Greed.

"Who are you?!" Saizo demanded, ready and eager to throw his shurikens at the stranger, mostly because he might be Nohrian.

"His attire is that of Nohrians but those eyes are the same as that Demoness." Orochi muttered nervously regarding this possible new foe.

'Does that mean that the Seven Deadly Sins are real?' Robin wondered in his thoughts. 'Why are they only now showing up after probably thousands of years?'

"I'm someone who loves sleeping and you guys, who I'm just going to assume are Hoshidans, except for the whiteheaded guy who kind of looks like he's another dumbass Nohrian turncoat, are ruining my happy moment, which will not stand." The Man, possible Sinner protested sorely depress and slothfully and forcing Robin out of his thoughts. "Either for righteous or wicked reasons, betrayal is the ultimate sin, you know, white boy."

"Again with that weak insult." Robin muttered.

"What kind of freak has a nap while surrounded by the corpses of the dishonored deceased?!" Rinkah hissed disgustedly, lighting her club on fire, eager to bash his skull open.

"I'll have you know that I had no idea that people were nearby when I decided to take a nap here, if they decided to remain in my vicinity despite feeling the effects of my vice than they have no one to blame but themselves." The Sinner defended himself rather weakly and selfishly, unconcern for the deaths he has caused, while also revealing his sinister power. "Though, I supposed it's a good thing that I woke up, I can't afford to be spotted by the Grimm otherwise I really will be in trouble, their repulsive scent is all over the environment so I better get a move on before I am caught."

"You caused these deaths by making these people so lazy that they lacked the strength and desire to live anymore. You really are one of them, of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Bearer of Sloth!" Robin concluded as he points his new blade at the Demon before them.

"That's my name but people who know about me are such a pain so you five have better do me a solid and sleep. Permanently." The now confirmed Sloth replied as his body begins to glow with a deep green aura that spreads a small wave of magic that hits all five of his adversaries, and instantly they each fall to their knees, suddenly losing the will to fight or do anything.

"S… S-Loth…! A lazy bastard who's only purpose is to put others in the same low level as him." Rinkah cursed with fury, desperately trying to muster all the diligence within her fire to fight off this corruption.

"You… are the perfect example of a coward, Demon!" Saizo muttered with intense scorn.

'I can't breathe… or rather I don't want to anymore. If this guy is able to manipulate people like this than Wrath and the others are the same.' Robin thought, no longer having the will to even speak, a virtue since he would just waste his breath. 'I have to get everyone out of here.'

"Just a little bit of suffocation to put you all to sleep so you can all go to the afterlife and be some other god's problem." Sloth said about to leave but stops as he watches the Tactician's body begin to surge with the pinkish flames like before. "What now?"

Robin gains the strength to fight back against Sloth's corruption and summons his tome, Morgenstern and from its golden pages comes out a pearl made of ruby and immediately throws it on the ground, causing it to crack and shine with a red light that consumes Saizo, Kagero, Rinkah and Orochi and makes them disappear from the scene.

"A Magical Item from Nohr, a huge waste for four puny minions of Dawn. The Seven Heavenly Virtues finally managed to get themselves a proper vessel, perhaps." Sloth scoffed at Robin's efforts as the Tactician points his Levin Sword in the air as it surges with blue lightning. "Fine… we'll fight. Gawds! Why do you humans always have to be the worse people ever?"

Robin's comrades are instantly warped back to the rest of their comrades' side.

"You four! How did you…" Corrin began but is caught off as they all see a massive blue lightning bolt be fired from Robin's direction. "Robin…"

"What the hell are we dealing with?!" Hinoka demanded alarmed.

"The Seven Deadly Sins are real and the one who personifies Sloth is now infesting Mokushu, anyone who gets near him will lose all their willpower and willingly die of suffocation, starvation or dehydration." Orochi explained, regaining her will and gets back up. "There's no telling how far that devil's corruption can spread, we must retreat before he gets us."

"NO! We can't leave him behind!" Corrin yelled furiously as she rushes to help Robin but is stopped by Saizo who grabs her arm and holds it tightly.

"Don't be a fool! Mokushu is lost! We must return to Hoshido and warned everyone about this new threat before all is lost!" He protested sternly.

"Let go of me!" The Enraged Princess demanded but the Ninja's grip is tight.

"Corrin, please, don't let Robin's sacrifice be in vain, we can't confront something if we lack the will to fight." Azura pleaded with her, regret present in her voice.

"NO! NO! NOOO! I can't lose him! I WON'T!" Corrin becomes hysterical, freeing herself from Saizo, and pulling out her Dragonstone, immediately assuming her dragon form and preparing to rush to the battle but is stopped as a brilliant white light comes out of nowhere that not only halts her but engulfs her along with all of the Hoshidans in it with none of them unable to react in time to avoid it.


	9. Chapter 9: Calm before the Storm

**Chapter 9: Calm before the Storm**

"What a drag… people like you are such a pain. No matter where I go, humans like you are always popping around and causing trouble." Sloth said lazily as he prepares to engage Robin as six swords with shapes and lengths that could not be seen if not for purple flames like Envy's minions manifest from nowhere next to him, floating near his head and all pointing at Hoshido's newest Tactician and controls them with telekinesis and use them as projectiles, firing one of them first, faster than any arrow could ever go but Robin can still parry the blade with his Levin Sword rather easily by reacting faster, and he quickly noted that the force and speed from the veiled sword hat to be twice the speed of sound. The second his Levin Sword collided with the blade however, Sloth shoots another of his swords with increased speed that Robin is still able to parry the incoming danger.

Robin readies to block the next sword shot, Sloth, however, changes things up a notch and with a flick of his finger, the ground around the White Mage crumbles apart by a violent force with rocks bursting out from below him and blows him into the air, as if Sloth has the power to control earth. With Robin caught off and in the air, Sloth fires his four remaining swords at him, hoping that he can get him this time with his blades now fired five times the speed of sound.

Robin reacted first, way before Sloth even fired his swords, not baffled by what just happened to him at all and from the sky four bolts of lightning are shot that hit all the swords, destroying them, afterwards Robin fires another lightning bolt from his Levin Sword that directly hits the Sinner and sends him crashing into a tree that breaks apart from the impact with Sloth crashing into the ground.

Robin then proceeds to fly towards him and finish him but the Tactician is forced to stop as he quickly notices the ground below him act wild again with what looks like a pillar of earth bursting off, hitting him right in his belly and forcing him further into the air. He frees himself by stabbing the Levin Sword into the pillar, surging it with electricity enough to make it explode with Robin ending up floating a hundred feet in the air but soon lands back down.

"A human who can fly on his own, the Mana flowing through you is truly balanced." Sloth said unharmed by the electricity still surging through him, hitting his nerves and making it hard to move his body, not that he really wants to. "You really are a pain, and you just earned yourself a slow death."

Robin is forced to evade another attack, this time from what looks to be a veiled giant's hand that comes crashing down from nowhere and the slam it made creates large cracks on the ground. The giant hand then moves to float beside Sloth and another giant hand, and Sloth uses his telekinesis on himself to levitate up between the giant fists.

"I may be the embodiment of laziness but that doesn't mean my magic doesn't have a diligent kick to it." Sloth declared, and as if he didn't already proved his claim true, he sends one of his giant fist after Robin far faster than he could react this time, punching him not only in his face but the full front side of his body, blowing him far away from the Sinner, crashing through four trees but is caught by the other arm that comes from above and slams him into the ground, creating a small crater where Robin now lies and before he could have the chance to even try and get up he is assaulted by both veiled fist as they continue to pummel him one by one, making the crater deeper. Robin resists by catching the next punch after the ninth hit by summoning his pink flames that are capable of supercharging his strength and durability apart from granting immunity from certain effects. As he slowly manages to push the fist and allow himself a chance to get back up, he catches a glimpse of Sloth levitating closer to his side and notices him about to flick his wrist, signaling that he is about to pull another earthbending move, and it is likely that the next one is going to be fatal so he needs to act fast.

And so he does in an unorthodox manner as he uses his trusty Morgenstern that was separated from him earlier that flies back to him as quick as it can. Him being able to control the spellbook with his thoughts as it flies at him at top speed and makes it collide with his belly, ramming him hard enough to push him out of the arm's grip in time as large spiky stalagmites come off the ground and impale the giant arm.

"That is one trusty spellbook." Sloth said amazed by how resourceful Robin is. "Not even the magical conduits created by the Rainbow Sage are that reliable. Come to think of it, the only Tome I know that is like that belongs to the High… Deliverer…" Realization snaps at Sloth as he figures out who Robin really is. "Wait a minute, you're that…"

His distraction gives Robin the chance to strike fast and hard as he fires another lightning bolt from his sword, that he never dropped from his hand despite all that happened, striking at Sloth hard and blasts him away. Robin chases after him and without mercy decapitates the demon, achieving victory.

Or so he hoped, as Sloth's head never hit the ground as it instead floats back into his body that was dropping water from the wound Robin inflicted before reattaching itself to the body, much to Robin's horror.

"Gods! How can this be!" Robin gasped in shock upon seeing Sloth alright as he turns around to face the baffled human.

"So you're what all the fuzz is about, my oldest brother has been looking for you." Sloth continued with what he was previously saying, seemingly not bothered at all by what Robin had just done.

'Oldest Brother? There are seven of them in total so perhaps he is referring to the possible root of all sin; Pride.' Robin wondered. 'Does he also know about Morgan as well?'

"God of Victory or not, you got a lot of nerve. You're nothing but a rat sniffing your nose where you don't belong and my siblings and I won't have it." Sloth said looking upset over Robin's mere presence.

"What are you talking about and why should I care what you think?" Robin demanded.

"Never you mind, ''Divine Tactician''. I was initially forced into Horus to find my stupid siblings, Wrath and Envy for running off without permission, don't know why me instead of stupid Gluttony, Greed or Lust but if I bring you back instead, than it will be all the better and I can call this pointless search off all the sooner." Sloth said becoming enthusiastically all the sudden as he summons his staff to his hand and points it at Robin with a black aura beginning to gather around the tip. "I can finally return to my eternal sleep, so dead or alive you're coming with me."

"You'll find that I will not be such an easy kill." Robin said as he pulls out his second Levin Sword from Morgenstern.

"Judging by how rotten your soul is, you're already dead, you just haven't accepted it yet." Sloth replied coldly and from his staff he fires tendrils of darkness to send after him, with Robin swinging both lightning swords at once, releasing a large wave of lightning to counter the dark attack as both spells destroy each other. Sloth then summons more spikes of earth from the ground below Robin that rise up much faster but the Tactician is still able to fly away from the incoming spikes and destroy them with his swords. He then rushes towards Sloth and swings both blades at him, with the Sinner parrying by summoning veiled swords to defend himself and push Robin back, pitting him against multiple blades coming down at him rather fast that he is able to counter nearly all of them with speedy fast slashes while trying to get closer to Sloth to land more hits on him, hoping that he might be able to overexert his regenerative capabilities by delivering more fatal injuries, and the Tactician can only assume that he might be on to something since Sloth is keeping his distance and letting his weapons do all the work, however it could be that he is just extremely arrogant and feels intitled not to let his hands be sullied with any form of combat. Whatever the case it's clear that Robin won't be able to get closer again unless he steps things up and begins to fire rapid bolts from his Levin Swords to force the weapons away, only to be assaulted again by giant veiled hands that the White Mage is ready this time as he successfully evades one that was about to stump on him by backflipping impressively with his flight and then stabs both swords into the back of it, surging it with massive amounts of electricity until they are vaporized. The other hand comes in from behind, which Robin is completely ready for and with an X-shape slash from both swords, he cleaves the giant in four, before deciding to go with range attacks against Sloth.

"Arcfire!" Robin creates multiple red magic circles all around himself and Sloth and from them come out many fireballs that are fused with electricity due to him channeling the power of his Levin Swords into each circle and sends them after Sloth. The Living Sin defense himself by creating a barrier of the same veiled, translucent-like flames that easily blocks each fireball and even bounce off and back towards Robin. Instead of dodging, Robin thrust both his blades to take on all the fireballs that are all absorbed into them, once done, the Levin Swords transform into massive lightning flame blades with incredible length and Robin swings one of them down at Sloth, and to the Sinner's surprise, the force is strong enough to destroy the barrier and even cleaves him in two. Robin then fires a large stream of fire and lightning from his other sword, hoping that destroying the body entirely will finish him off this time, unfortunately, Sloth's cleaved body transform into bodies of water and divide to avoid the attack and then fly towards Robin, forcing him to cease his attack and defend himself against the two water strikes. He swings his blade at one of them, but it easily evades and then the second water hits him with a strong force from the back that felt like getting kicked by a Wyvern.

'He's nothing like the other one from yesterday.' Robin hissed as he blocks another incoming attack from below, only to be slammed in the head by the other, and again in the chest, getting blown away and about to crash down, only for the ground to split apart in two, becoming a small but still deep fissure, and once inside said fissure, the earth closes back up, burying Robin alive in the earth. The powerful tactician escapes by casting a Bolganone, that opens a fissure of his own to fly out off with only a minor amount of lava coming out. Once airborne again, he confronts the two watery forms of Sloth who merge back together and restore themselves into human form.

"Pitiful mortal, true demons aren't something that can be killed through physical wounds. You shouldn't let Nohr's cheap imitations spoil you." Sloth mocked before summoning more tendrils of darkness from his staff towards Robin, that Robin again fights off, except that the last two tendrils he tries to destroy hit first and cause him to drop both his swords, and Sloth attempts to get rid of them by creating another fissure but Robin fires magical tendrils of his own to catch both swords and pull them back into his hands.

"Nosferatu!" Sloth enchanted, trapping Robin in a dark sphere that will drain him of his life-force energy dry.

"Moonlight!" Robin countered as he fires four beams of light from above himself and the dark sphere, and the light attacks manage to cancel out the darkness.

"Ginnungagap!" Sloth summons a massive magic circle of black and white color above Robin and immediately, an equally large dark silver blast comes falling down on Robin with no time for him to escape, with his body at risk of disintegrating if not for his pink flames as he channels all of its power, roaring and spreads it wide, cancelling out Sloth's spell yet again. The landscape of Mokushu that has become their battlefield is now mostly a burned away wasteland due to all the immense magical power these two titans are unleashing.

"How do you function!" Sloth protested, nearing his limit of patience with this stubborn human. "Rexflame!" The Sinner cast another powerful spell, one that seemingly warps himself and Robin into the bowels of a volcano, where the amassment of igneous magma present closes in around the Sinner's opponent before combusting violently on Robin but not Sloth. Robin screams in pain over the magma consuming him, if not for the pink flames intensifying his magic resistance that he survives even this and makes another spell to counter again.

"FORSETI!" He creates a massively powerful tornado that combats against Sloth's magma and pushes it away, and even make some of it vanish somehow, leaving him standing on a now burned wasteland, a horror from the lushes field it once was, not that the whole forest has been exposed to this battle.

"Rexbolt." Sloth casted yet another spell while Robin is unable to do anything to counteract this time due to how exhausted he is, and above him a plethora of dark rainclouds quickly manifests and from it a voltage of lightning is fired that strikes down at Robin, worsening his injuries and leaving him on the ground.

"Still alive, I see; I swear you humans with affiliations to Dragon Gods cannot even begin to grasps the mere concept of death." Sloth lectured frustrated as he levitates closer to Robin as the Tactician forces himself back on his feet despite looking almost like a burned corpse.

"I told you I wouldn't be an easy kill." Robin reminded smugly.

"Evidently." Sloth scoffed. "I have to give you some praise, it's been centuries since I've faced a human with this level of magical prowess, those amplifying flames of yours, Ignis are something else. I see now why Pride wants you dead so badly."

"Flattery gets you nowhere with me." Robin chuckled. "If Pride wants me so badly then how come I've been chilling in Nohr so freely for three years straight since I've arrived in Horus by mistake? A better would be that how come you Sins are only now showing up and why did Wrath do such a horrible thing to Corrin?" Robin demanded angrily.

"The one obviously losing has no grounds to make demands and expect any sort of complies, and in case your brain stopped functioning, you're the one who's losing." Sloth declined Robin's questions. "Though I will admit that I have no idea why Wrath did what he did, his reckless actions led to you arriving in Hoshido and preventing the original plan to kill all the Hoshidan Royals that Nohr's King had planned out, which evidently led you to begin investigating our existence. That idiot."

"Really?" Robin said, intrigued.

"That's all I'll say on the matter, so do the winner, which is me, a favor and drop dead." Sloth requested.

"I rather not do that." Robin declined sheepishly.

"Well I've lost all patience with you." Sloth sighed before lazily groaning and spinning himself upside down and looking away from his foe. "Why are you so hard to kill, you're no longer a God."

"I can ask you the same thing, your sister went down rather easy back in Izumo." Robin replied.

"Oh, you fought Envy? That makes it clearer on how you were able to deduce my identity so easily." Sloth said intrigued. "And you claim to have killed my sister, have you? Defeating her I can accept giving your strength, her being the worthless black sheep of the family, but the former now…"

"Well, it wasn't really me but yeah, my new team bested one of you, and now you're next." Robin declared, adamant on defeating Sloth. The Sinner then chuckles at his declaration, clearly not taking the White Mage seriously at all.

"The Sins? Die? Wouldn't that be the day. I would very much like to experience what true death is like." He pondered out loud with sadness and longing in his voice, confusing Robin but also frightening him over the implication.

"Enough! I have just about enough of this ridiculous fight." Sloth declared as he floats up straight and points his staff once again at Robin. "This ends now." He declared as his whole body begins to surge with a dark aura, mix with purple ghostly faces all over him.

'Dammit… his magic reserve might actually be limitless while I'm nearly reaching my limits.' Robin cursed under his thoughts, as he's not sure how much longer he will last. "My next spell has to be my last. He's an unholy being, a monster, so blessed attacks are my best chance against him, which means I'm left with one option." Robin moves Morgenstern closer and begins to channel white energy from it while mixing it together with Ignis.

"Now, Sin Caliburn!" Sloth commanded as he cast a lethal spell that should kill Robin. He produces a dark paralytic mist around Robin that wastes no time in enveloping him, creating a massive beam of dark spirits that reaches towards the sky.

"All or nothing! NA…!" Robin cast his final spell but Sloth can no longer hear him once trapped in his death spell.

"Goodbye, High Deliverer Robin. You were… an interesting mortal but all you have left with any real interest is what's left of your corrupted soul." Sloth bid his farewells, satisfied with his victory. However, for a mere instinct, Sloth notices a faint spark of light within his dark attack, that shocks him. "What…"

He dispels his attack and notices that Robin is gone, granted, his spell was supposed to destroy his body with nothing left of him remaining but this feels different from all those other times he used Sin Caliburn.

"He escaped. That's impossible." Sloth muttered in disbelief. 'Someone must've rescued him through some kind of warp magic. No, even that cannot be the case, I would've sensed such a strong spell.'

"Dammit…" He cursed at his misfortune. "Guess it's back to finding Wrath and Envy again, and the latter is no longer even near the Mokushu-Izumo border anymore. I hate my life when I'm awake."

* * *

Robin is no longer trapped within Sloth's attack; Sin Caliburn is what he called it, due to an illuminating light that consumed him and brought him elsewhere, once the light fades, he is able to open his eyes and can see his surroundings and is surprised to see that he is no longer even in Mokushu, instead he is in a wide and flat field, with tall walls surrounding him, some trees with pink blossoms to. This all feels… divine somehow.

"This isn't anywhere near Horus." Robin took a quick guess.

"You're only half-right." Said a familiar voice behind him.

"It couldn't be, Li…" Robin turned around and gazes upon not what he expected but someTHING else entirely. Before him is a very odd fish-like creature with a body that's mainly white, with red and blue splotches covering it. It has four small legs, the front two clinging to a crystal orb that is making it float. It has a dorsal fin that jutted out wildly, and a beautiful tail that looks like it belongs to a goldfish. On top of its head it wears a very familiar maid's headdress. It also possesses giant yellow eyes that are a bit creepy when it stares at you, but at the same time kind of cute.

"Ah…" Robin remained speechless for the most part, not sure how to respond to whatever this thing is. "Hello… I thank you for your aid earlier, if that really was you."

"You're welcome, friend." The thing replied in a very cheerful and girly tone that is really familiar.

"Lilith?" Robin muttered, confused as to how this thing sounds like Corrin's stable girl from the Northern Fortress.

"That's right. It's good to see you again Robin. I'm so relief I was able to get you out of there, any longer and that Deadly Sin might've bested you." Lilith said most pleased with her achievement.

"Yeah… I'm really grateful but more importantly, What's happen to you Lilith? Why are you…"

"A Dragon?" Lilith finished for him and sounding proud of herself.

"Not what I was going to say, but okay." He muttered as he meant to say fish thing but that would've sounded offensive so it's a good thing he didn't say it.

"This is what I really look like, I know it might be hard to grasps, but I'm not really human. To be more accurate, I'm what ancient human society used to referred to as a Manakete, though not much of one." Lilith explained.

"A Dragon who assumed a human form and consciousness to save themselves from Degeneration." Robin stated.

"I had a feeling you knew more about us than most humans, you've always gave me this vibe of you being a source of wisdom." Lilith complimented.

"Thank you, I really needed that after the rough morning I've had." Robin said relief. "But where exactly are we?"

"I'll explain in my temple where the others are waiting." Lilith explained as she starts moving towards the tree-like temple located east of this place.

"The others are here." Robin wondered as he follows Lilith to the front of the temple where Corrin and their allies are there waiting for Lilith.

"Lady Corrin, I have brought him alive as I promised I would." Lilith called to Corrin, getting all their attention, making an overly concern princess immensely relief to see him alive.

"Robin!" Corrin cried horrified to see him in such a beaten state but more relief that he is alive and strong enough to walk so surprisingly casual as she rushes towards her friend and holds him in a tight hug.

"Oh my Gods…" Azura uttered, mortified by the state Robin is in right now and still looks fine somehow.

"Oh, Sephiroth, look at you, you're a burning wreck." Sakura cried.

"Damn, man, that demon fucked you up big time." Hinata noted as they examine just how beat up Robin is.

"How are you still alive?" Hayato muttered.

"And why does your hair still look so clean and untouched while the rest of you looks like a corpse?" Hana added.

"It's like he threw you into a volcano after having you beaten to death by baby wyverns who have yet to develop teeth." Azama commented.

"That feels accurate but it wasn't so bad." Robin replied.

"Not so bad? Watching you two fight was like two raging titans clashing for dominion over the land, even though you wouldn't have never been able to defeat Sloth, the damage would've been city-wide if you two had continued." Lilith commented as she bore witness to the deadly fight. "That Light Magic you pulled off at a last dish effort to survive Sloth's final attack was the only opening I could use to pull you out of there, otherwise you would've died for sure. Speaking of which, how is it that you can use Light Magic? That type of power has been lost to humanity for a millennia, apart from the primitive Lightning Tomes the Nohrians have, which is weird when you think about how a country that's all about the Darkness would keep those around, and ironic how rarely anyone in Hoshido can wield them."

"We Wind Tribalists can use those tomes." Hayato declared.

"Congratulations." Rinkah praised sarcastically.

"Not sure, it's all in my trusty tome. And it wasn't like I had a choice, I needed to- I still need to…" Robin is silenced by an angry Corrin who sucker punches him in the face, baffling everyone by the Princess' action.

"YOU DAMNED IDIOT! MASTER TACTICIAN MY ASS!" Corrin snapped at him, her rage boiling up inside.

'Deja Vue. This is going to be one heck of a trend.' Robin thought more annoyed than surprise by her outburst somehow.

"How could you stay behind and take that thing on your own!" Corrin demanded.

"What choice did I have; I was the only one who could fight off his corruption and I couldn't let that thing remain in Mokushu to make people die in such a way so callously." Robin argued.

"Right, because leaving you to fight the last Sin was going to end so well!" Corrin scowled.

"My options were slim, yes, but I still had the advantage against both of them."

"Like Hell you did! Look at yourself, what he did to you and still you act all high and mighty!" Corrin is slowly becoming hysterical again. "You're just so… just so…"

"Please, please! No fighting. This is a holy land, if you're going to fight it has to be friendly sparring not a dispute that could shatter bonds." Lilith begged frantically, getting between the two whiteheads.

"Deep breaths Corrin, deep breaths. You mustn't express your fears violently, it's unethical." Azura said as she and Kaze gently place their hands on her forearms and shoulders and move her away from a torn Robin. "Deep breaths."

Corrin's wrath is something to fear but considering the situation they are in and the foes they are up against, a vice is DEFINITELY NOT the emotion you should be feeling when it could spell trouble, so she will try to control herself but this discussion is far from over and instead she just starts shedding tears again.

"Well, with that out of the way, what exactly is this place exactly?" Takumi asked, wanting to address the real elephant in the room, or rather two of them, focusing on the creature named Lilith.

"This is an astral plane of existence that exists parallel to your own." Lilith explained. "I brought you all to this world for your own safety as none of you would've been able to beat Sloth. He may be lazy but that doesn't mean you should brush him off as weak. Well, for Robin it was more a rescue but I had to take you all against your wills due to Lady Corrin's reckless charge."

"Wait, you mean we're in a completely different world?!" Hinoka gasped.

"Yes, there exists a multitude amount of worlds that each exist in one Multiverse, this Astral Realm in particular is known as a Deeprealm, a small world that's in many ways a mirror image to a bigger one. Our world has exactly thirty seven Deeprealms, and this one is mine to control to a degree and is the most unique but it can be quite lonely since it's been completely uninhabitable for millenniums until I took dominion." Lilith continued.

"To be able to move between worlds on a whim…" Hayato wondered.

"There's no mistaking it, this Lilith is one of the Astral Dragons." Kaze concluded, knowing the type of creature, and every one of them, even Saizo widen their eyes in shock by this.

"You bet'cha." Lilith smiled truthfully at the humans.

"Amazing." Sakura gasped.

"But wait… are you the same Lilith I know or someone else?" Corrin asked in curiosity.

"Give me a moment." Lilith replied as her entire body shines with the same white light as before, however it is not bright enough to make anyone cover their eyes, just remove the dragon from sight as she assumes a completely different form, one of a human of the Lilith Corrin and Robin know.

"It is you." Corrin becomes happy and the two friends embrace each other in a tight hug.

"You two know each other?" Hinoka asked more surprise.

"And why does she look like a Nohrian stable girl?" Takumi added.

"I am a stable girl. Or was." Lilith replied as she and Corrin separate.

"Lilith, what is all this? You're really a dragon? How? And why keep this from me until now?" Corrin asked.

"Let's all get comfortable first." Lilith insisted as she turns around to the mostly empty field until a large house is magically created before them, one fit for Hoshidan nobles.

"Did that just happened?!" Hana gasped.

"Now that's real magic." Setsuna commented.

"This Astral Plane is full of Dragon Veins that exist in every single spot around and unlike those in the real world, these can grant their users a mere fraction of the Power of Creation to make things out of the seemingly endless mana flowing here." Lilith explained. "However, those who lack experience using Dragon Veins may have a difficult time creating what they wish."

"Awesome!" Hinata shouted excitedly. "Hey, Lord Takumi, you should definitely try it out. Make a hot spring for us."

"Why a hot spring specifically?" Oboro questioned.

"We need a place to properly relax once and a while."

"I'll think about it." Takumi replied, his face indicates that he is really tempted to try such power out.

"Why is the ground around the house glowing green?" Setsuna asked, noticing a green glow below the house.

"Oh, I've also made a healing ground for Robin to recover while inside, his wounds are not as serious as they appear given his strength but best not keep him like this for long." Lilith said.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Robin replied.

They all enter the house Lilith created and take a seat on a table big enough for all of them to lie on and rest. The Astral Dragon offered tea to them but only few accepted.

"After word got out of what happened to you in the Bottomless Canyon, everyone in Krakenburg went into a panic, Lord Xander and Lady Camilla were angrier and scared than I've ever seen them ever, Lady Elise wouldn't stop crying until the army received the word to move out to Hoshido. Lord Leo? Well, neither of us thought that someone like him would ever feel dread and worry." Lilith explained the events that unfolded back in Nohr. "The King and Queen, hardly anyone's seen them up until they gave the order to march as they spend most of the time locked in their chamber. Guilt ridden? It's hard to tell with them but either way things have gotten out of hand after what was done to you."

"What about Hans, did he make it back safely?" Corrin asked with concern.

"Yes but not unscathed, Iago's men found him at the edge of the Canyon badly injured with second degree burns all over. He informed us of what happened with what he assured us was with vivid detail about what he had seen and endured with all of you. I knew then that he was referring to Wrath of the Seven Deadly Sins as the perpetrator of the incident." Lilith continued. "He assured us that you were still alive and captured by Hoshido and you two were the only survivors of the exploration."

"Hans…" Saizo said quietly as the name is painfully familiar to him, though none noticed his expression becoming stern, something he shares with Kaze.

"Wrath came after him as well?" Corrin gasped with anger over that not even Hans was spared from the monster even if he's still alive. "But I was told that he jumped into the canyon willingly."

"He's alive according to Sloth, during our fight he callously told me that the reason he's in Mokushu is to look for two of his siblings that have gone rogue, Wrath and Envy, who the latter I assume is the one we confronted in Izumo." Robin explained as his body is slowly but indefinitely recovering, with his skin hardly as crispy like it was earlier.

"I'm afraid to informed that the Seven Deadly Sins cannot be killed, you can destroy their physical bodies but their souls are not meant for the afterlife so they linger on in the mortal coil until they regain consciousness from the death experience and are able to create new bodies using their ungodly magical powers to manipulate matter and energy to an extent." Lilith sadly informed.

"That Demoness is still out there!" Corrin gasped in horror. The rest are also shock by this news but mostly frustrated, either way everyone is losing morale regarding their secondary war against Sin itself. Robin figured as much based on what he learned from Sloth when he mentioned his interest in dying.

"Lady Corrin, about… our friends… I am so sorry for what happened to them." Lilith now said with so much sadness as she too mourns for the loss of Jakob, Felicia and Gunter.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. It's my fault that they're gone, and Wrath's." Corrin said, the anger in her voice refusing to subside but brushes it off still for another question. "What about Flora? How is she?"

"I don't know…" Lilith admitted with more sadness in her tone. "I never saw her again after we left the Northern Fortress, I never even heard if she made it to Windmire, I spend most of my time in the stables but I suspect that she ran back to her home in the Ice Tribe on Niflheim."

"Flora…" Corrin muttered weakly, fearing what her friend/maid is going through and can only hope that she is alright.

"I wanted to go and find you and bring you back myself but by the time I got to Hoshido, you were already in Shirasagi and received the shocking news that you are of Hoshidan Royalty." Lilith said. "I didn't know what to do except wait for you to make that accursed choice."

"I did feel a strange sensation of something stalking us besides the twenty-four ninjas back in the castle." Robin noted.

"There were ninjas stalking us?!" Corrin snapped as she angrily glares at the Ninjas in the room, Kaze and Kagero looking away from her nervously while Saizo boldly faces the glare head on, not even remotely willing to apologize, and Sakura and Hinoka also felt intimidated by the glare, meaning that they too must've been aware of the ninjas watching over her and Robin 24/7 back in the castle but kept quiet. Of course Takumi isn't sorry either, it's obvious Robin noticed them but said nothing because for what she can only assume is because he didn't want her snapping at her family for their need to be cautious despite their desire to earn her trust. "Never mind. Lilith, why did you pick only now to show yourself?"

"Nervous mostly, I've always felt uncomfortable with the thought of people seeing my true self, much less what I can do." Lilith confessed with pink cheeks. "It's silly, I know, Dragons are so revered and missed on Horus but I'm not strong, much less what people hope to see in what they view to be divine when it comes to performing miracles or being powerful, not like you, Lady Corrin. I was alone for so long until I was found by Prince Xander in the slums and brought me to the fortress where I finally felt at home and not alone anymore, with you. I've never even met any other dragons either. Well, that's not exactly true but that's a different kind of complication."

"Oh, Lilith, you know you can always be yourself around me." Corrin said compassionately as she stands up and gives the Astral Dragon a sisterly hug, that Lilith accepts joyfully. "But then… did you always knew that I wasn't Nohrian by birth?"

"Well, you have dragon blood but are still human, I have dragon blood because I'm a dragon, and dragons can sense each other so it was easy to tell who I can consider my kin, or at the very least the lesser spawns of my kin and there was something about you that set you apart from Qliphoth's descendants, the main one being that there is no way that a single human with dragon blood should be able to enter Dragonification." Lilith said skeptically as she and Corrin release each other from the hug. "And despite what the old legends may indicate, not even the first Kings of Nohr and Hoshido have ever been able to turn into Dragons, the Precursors purposely only gave their chosen ones enough blood to use powerful magics, they never intended to give their followers enough power to become like them."

"Really but then how is Corrin able to become one if no human should have this power?" Hinoka asked confused by this revelation.

"Well… I can't say for certain but the fact that she also lacks the blood of the Dawn Dragon may indicate something." Lilith said.

"WHAT?!" Everyone minus for Robin, Lilith, Mozu, Hayato, Reina, Kaze, Rinkah and Corrin herself yelled in shock by this revelation.

"None of you knew?" Corrin gasped by their response.

"If you recall me and Kaze were baffled when the Queen and Ryoma revealed this information to you." Rinkah reminded as some of the stares focus now on her and Kaze.

"Something you like to share?" Saizo asked his brother, mildly agitated.

"When Lady Corrin returned to Hoshido and was reunited with her mother and Lord Ryoma finally, she was adamant in refusing the truth and as it escalated the Queen confessed that though she is Lady Corrin's parent by birth, King Sumeragi was not." Kaze explained. "I only confronted Lord Ryoma about it on the day the war began, something that he too was aware of and asked I remain silent as he wanted to be the one to break the news to his siblings, though the time was lost because all that has happened."

"Time that is also long overdue!" Takumi snapped, not sure himself why he is feeling a sense of betrayal.

"My head is bursting from so much information in one day!" Hinata and Hana cried out at once.

'The burden of being the outsider is more uncomfortable than I imagine.' Hayato thought, feeling sore for being so left out.

'Now I really feel like an outsider.' Mozu felt even worse.

"I don't know why you kids are so worked up about this, I was under the impression that Corrin not being the late Sumeragi's birth child was obvious." Reina said, sounding like she knows a lot about this.

"You knew about this too?" Orochi asked surprised. Though, it makes sense considering that the Kinshi Knight is the oldest one in the room and has known Sumeragi and Mikoto the longest.

"I knew the Queen long before she became our ruler and by the time she met Lord Sumeragi, the late Lady Ikona was still alive and Corrin was already a year old." Reina explained, recalling on better days. "I remember that day vividly, the King and I were still in our prime with twelve others hunting down a rabid Nine-Tailed Kitsune rampaging through one of our major cities and during the hunt we met a foreign woman with her baby girl in hand, activating a Dragon Vein to defend themselves against the monster we were hunting, granting us the perfect chance to finish it off. The notion that someone other than the royals could use Dragon Veins was too much for the King to ignore and out of gratitude for her aid, generosity because that's how he was and curiosity for her power, he invited her into Shirasagi to work as a Shrine Maiden because as she herself stated, she had nowhere else to go and everywhere she went was completely foreign and a fragile daughter to care for, she had no reason to decline."

"Well… that's something, I mean I always found it wonderfully curious how Lady Mikoto could use Dragon Veins as well when she was the one who married into the royal family but now it all makes sense." Subaki said finding clarity.

"Or the fact that Corrin has hair as white a snow, red eyes like blood, and elf-like ears when neither the queen or king have either of those things." Setsuna added.

"Seriously! None of you noticed until now." Corrin protested.

"Of course we've noticed, we just didn't give it much thought because your family seemed so sure it's really you, and we hardly ever have reason to doubt their judgement." Oboro stated.

"But we can all agree that I'm kind of weird, right." Corrin asked to verify.

"Well… if you want us to be honest." Azama began but Hinoka shuts him off by harshly covering his mouth with her hand to silence him from saying anything bashful.

"It doesn't matter if we're not bound by blood, Corrin's my sister through and through." The headstrong Princess declared adamantly.

"T-That's right. We're family!" Sakura added, mustering more willpower than usual.

'Idiots. Both of you.' Takumi thought lowly of his blood-related sisters.

'Those words are meant to do more harm than good.' Azura thought similarly to Takumi, understanding the true severity of the situation.

'Blood ties don't decide who's family. Both Lord Ryoma and Crown Prince Xander made that claim, but those words are only harmful to Lady Corrin.' Kaze mused worriedly.

'The mother is the only real link keeping her with Hoshido but even that is in actuality a weak link as things stand now.' Saizo added.

Few among them agreed with what Hinoka and Sakura said, the rest don't, and while Corrin seems to be calm about it, they've each known her long enough to know the storm raging inside her, and it is enough to make Robin attempt to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"As touching and important as this all is, we have other priorities to attend with, like Sloth, he's still in Mokushu, we can't let a single one of them do as they please." Robin declared.

"YOU are not getting out of my sight until I say so!" Corrin scoffed with her inner sadness turning wrathful at the mere thought of Robin going off to fight that Demon again, making the Tactician gulp and remain silent again.

'She recovered fast!' Practically everyone mused at once at the sudden change in demeanor concerning Robin.

"Jeez, why don't you two just fuck already and be done with all this tension." Takumi whispered with mild amusement.

"You be quiet, Takumi!" Corrin snapped, hearing him clearly, and increasing his amusement.

"But he d-didn't say anything." Sakura said.

"We may not need to worry too much about it, based on the cosmic knowledge I know of regarding Dragons and Demons, long have the Precursors sought the demise of the Seven Deadly Sins, but even for gods, destroying them is impossible so sealing them away somewhere where they can keep them in eternal suffering is the next best choice and the one more adamant about this task is the Dusk Dragon and it was he who imprisoned them the last time they walked the earth and if the Grimm spot them, Lord Qliphoth will immediately be notified, somehow, and… well… and I think we all know how badly each faithful wants to see their god up close and personal." Lilith explained, though there is skepticism in her face, showing that she has doubts that any of the Precursors would dirty their hands hunting any demons personally, something Robin has to agree with. Gods in the Afterlife lack a body just like any dead human after all and it takes a lot of power to make a human vessel strong enough to contain something considered 'divine'. "Whatever the case, I'm sure we've seen the last of Sloth for a while and the Mokushujins will be alright."

"If so, then we will leave this case close for now, not like we're going to let any of them walk freely for long." Hinoka said determine to face the Seven, something that the more headstrong among them can nod in agreement.

"Before we proceed, we should really try and make contact with Queen Mikoto and informed her of the Seven Deadly Sins, even if there's no way to know where and when they'll appear, I'm sure she'll be able to come up with something to prepare against them." Azura suggested.

"I may be able to help with that." Lilith said as the Crystal Ball she was using to float while in her dragon form manifests in the center of the table. "This crystal ball is actually my Dragonstone, though it functions differently than the ones used by the majority of the Manakete Tribe and has many other unique qualities, such as creating long distance communication to places I've been to, like Castle Shirasagi through a special power known only to Astra Dragons and our chosen humans called Astral Projection."

"Well, that's a little too convenient." Takumi said with a satisfied smile.

"Though I recommend using it outside of the Astral Plane because the flow of time in the Deeprealm is ridiculously complex, one minute in the real world is an hour in here and most of the other Deeprealms are even more complicated that I can barely make sense of all of them." Lilith explained.

"That's a thousand times more convenient." Azura said vastly intrigued.

"This place could make the perfect place to hide from our enemies should the need to retreat arrive, especially to recover and reorganize ourselves while our preys remain exhausted and wasting their efforts recovering." Saizo said even more intrigued, seeing an infinite amount of possibilities.

"While I dislike the notion of my home being a tool for bloodshed, I be happy to help you all with any way I can for Lady Corrin's sake." Lilith said.

"Are you sure this is what you want Lilith? I hate for you to get involved in all this just for me." Corrin asked concern.

"I'm sure, you and Robin are the few friends I have left and besides, we dragons have to stick together, right?" Lilith declared.

"Thank you." Corrin smiled warmly as she holds her fellow dragon's hand. Seeing the two like this, Robin can't help but think that Lilith might be more Corrin's sister than Hinoka, Sakura, Camilla or Elise.

"Any chance you can open a portal to the ports of Mokushu or by chance directly to Cheve?" Corrin asked hopeful.

"That's where things continue to be complicated, you see, while I do have control over this world, entrance and exits included, I can't open an exit that will take me anywhere in the Real World as I please, from here I can only open two portals that can take me from Point A to Point B." Lilith said, knowing that her explanation would confuse a lot of them. "It's like this, while I can open a portal anywhere to take me back here, to exit it, I must first leave a mark on a location, one invisible to the eyes of those who aren't dragons, that mark signalizes where the exit portal will be when I need to leave here, and I can only use two marks at a time, if I mark anywhere else one of the previous marks will vanish."

"Oh…" That clarified a lot for them.

"But what if you enter this place without any of the marks placed?" Robin asked.

"Entering this place is impossible for me without first making an exit, and if by some off chance the exit marks are somehow removed, I can still escape by using other portals located here that will lead us to the other Deeprealms and use their exits to come back to our world."

"I see, that's a lot to memorize but I think I got the basics, either way, we'll be counting on you to keep this place ready for us when the need arrives." Corrin said.

"Of course, Lady Corrin." Lilith bowed in confirmation. "I marked one of the exits near the port town of Mokushu so you can leave now whenever you want to."

And sure enough, the Hoshidans exited the Astral Plane with Lilith now accompanying them and as she said, they are now within the Port town of Mokushu, where they can acquire a ship to sail to Cheve, however because they are Hoshidans, they'll have to be discreet when requesting a ride, and fortunately Robin is familiar with one neutral ship captain around these parts that will take them so long as they pay him well and he's available now.

In hindsight, things might've been easier if they used Hoshido's port towns however, the Nohrians has attacked all the port towns at the same time that the Nohrian Siblings launched their own assault with sea-creature types of Grimm that destroyed all the ships and took over the towns. The Hoshidans are putting a lot of effort into getting them back but it's easier said than done.

Just as they've hoped, the group managed to set sail discreetly without any more distractions, their journey drawing closer and their search for Ryoma can really begin.

"First time gazing at the ocean, Milady." Kaze asked Corrin, who's in the front of the ship, staring at the sea in awe.

"Yes, I've only seen sketches of the vast ocean, for the longest times the desire to see it up close was no more than a dream but to finally see it all up close." The Princess said in awe, not able to turn her eyes away from the ocean. "It helps me remember that despite everything I have endured and must endure I truly am free from that fortress."

"I am glad that you are able to find a certain level of clarity, Milady, and I wonder if the ocean will have an effect on your dragonic side, giving your affinity to water." The Green Ninja said most curiously.

"I imagine that without the Dragonstone I would have some sort of… ''negative'' reaction to see it for the first time." Corrin suspected but is not concern and is just happy to be here, and also chuckles a little.

"I wouldn't let it get to you Corrin." Her other Retainer, who is fully healed with his clothing fixed up as well, said as he walks to the two, alongside Azura, Lilith and the rest of the Royals.

"You've managed to stay human for so long, and despite all the horrors the ocean has of its sleeves, the wonders around will keep you sooth."

"Indeed, I myself like to think of the sea as the kind of perplexing friend you can never understand but still want to keep around because you love him so." Azura added in a way that made it sound like she enjoys being in the seas.

"I go with rooky, given how she treated you the first time we set sailed." Takumi said reminiscing an incident that happened to Azura the first time she traveled at sea with her adoptive siblings/captors the day they went to see the Rainbow Sage, their ship got hit by a sudden strong wave that knocked Azura off the ship and both Ryoma and Subaki had to jump off to save her and just in time because a White Shark was drawing near. Ironically, Azura didn't know how to swim at the time and only began taking lessons afterwards.

"Really!" Said Princess can only glare at him for bringing up that unwanted memory back.

"I'm just saying, the sea is a beast first and a mermaid last."

"Exactly why would you use mermaids of all things as an example for the sea's calmer state?" Hinoka questioned.

"Reasons." Takumi answered drily while looking away from his sister.

"Speaking of long chats…" Corrin began turning to Robin warily.

"Now…?" He muttered wearily, knowing that she is referring to their debate regarding his choice to fight Sloth alone.

"Soon!"

"I-I think we should be calling mother to let her know everything is okay." Sakura suggested, quickly noticing the argument between the two.

"Yes, I'm ready whenever you are." Lilith replied.

"Now would do greatly." Corrin declared.

* * *

"So, we finally regained control of our port towns?" Mikoto asked to verify from Yukimura as they are both standing before the Throne Room as the Chief Tactician came to her to inform her about the war effort.

"Yes, Milady, my plan succeeded well but not as smoothly as I hoped, as we lost seven good Diviners in the skirmish but miraculously all of the townspeople are unharmed and safe, at least those that were left when we finally retook them." Yukimura assured his Queen. "Though with all our ships destroyed we have no way to take back our seas but as long as we retake the advantage in the land we still have a chance to turn things around."

"Good, good. And what of the status in the cities?" Mikoto asked concern.

"Evacuations are slow with Dark Mages and Grimm attacking at once, and their Cavaliers are no pushovers either, it will take a lot of planning to snuff out the Loyalists who are granted control over the demons and put them in disarray but I'm sure we can pull it off." Yukimura declared.

"You've kept us alive this long so I am sure you'll keep up the fantastic job." Mikoto praised the Tactician.

"I merely live to serve, your Grace. However, I am more concern for your children and their current status." Yukimura said.

"None more than me. Finally reunited but still so far away, how badly do I want to at least hear their voices again." Mikoto said longingly, constantly worried for her children every time they are away, especially when regarding Corrin and Sakura for obvious reasons.

"Hello mother." Sakura greeted more upbeat than usual while she, her siblings, Robin and Kaze suddenly appear from nowhere right behind their mother.

Mikoto does not react as they would expect as the sudden arrival startles her so much that she makes a frighten yelp while subconsciously jumping into an equally startled Yukimura who catches her but ends up tripping with the two falling to the ground, with the seven staring in silence over what Sakura had done with her immediately bursting into tears.

"I'M SO SORRY!" She cried while in Azura's arms.

"Be… careful with what you wish for." Robin muttered

After that minor incident, and everyone settles down, the seven have a half reunion with their queen since they aren't really there with her since Lilith is using her power of Astral Projections to place images of them in Castle Shirasagi to speak with Mikoto so she and Yukimura can't really touch them and they explain to them everything they have experienced so far and the situation with Ryoma.

"The Seven Deadly Sins are real?" Mikoto gasped in horror upon this revelation and the intense battles they've went through. "Of all the dark legends Horus has had in its long history to become a reality, it had to be the worst of them all."

"Sephiroth help us all." Yukimura prayed dreadfully. "And we're certain that these monsters have nothing to do with Nohr?"

"Both Izana and Lilith seem to think that they aren't involved with the Seven, however there is still the mystery on how their army was conveniently at Hoshido's borders right before the Blight Dragon attacked so the best we can come up with is that one of them has infiltrated their ranks or the higher ups, most notably Garon and Arete are unknowingly affiliated with them, worse, were the ones who brought them back into our world." Robin speculated. "However there is the matter of Wrath, Sloth confessed to me that both he and Envy have gone rogue and what the former did to Corrin was not something that all the Sins had agreed on and claimed that Garon had a much different plan to kill Mikoto and start this war without getting Corrin involved but that still doesn't explain if both enemies are working together or not."

"For some reason the thought of them not working together scares me more than the contrary." Takumi professed.

"Me to." Robin replied.

"Our priority is still finding Lord Ryoma and assess the situation in Cheve if rather or not they benefit us or not." Kaze said next. "But after confronting two of the Sins and freeing Izumo of their influence, it is likely that the rest will be coming after us, though prioritizing Hoshido's safety is most important."

"There must be a way to purge the blight from Hoshido to restore the Barrier of Concord." Corrin said.

"There is, as a matter of fact." Mikoto said as she turns to the golden Throne of Hoshido. "Within the Throne there lies an exceptionally powerful Dragon Vein with special qualities meant to purify all manner of corruption, or so Sumeragi once told me so hopefully it is what we need. However, neither I, Sumeragi or Ryoma have ever been able to activate it, as this one requires a completely different method, something called the Seal of Flames is the key to awakening its power but nothing in Hoshido's lore ever made mention of such an item."

"The Seal of Flames? That sounds familiar somehow." Azura said, feeling like she's heard that name before.

"Robin, that name ring any bells in that huge library in your head?" Corrin asked.

"As a matter of fact, it does, the Seal of Flames is the alternative name that people used to call the Yato in ancient times, among many others, ''Sword of Salvation'' and ''Godkiller'' basically overshadowed the other eleven because they weren't as ''flashy'' or ''presentable'' as those two." Robin revealed, surprising none more than Corrin.

"My sword." Corrin muttered as she focuses her gaze at the Yato. "How? This sword hasn't done anything to live up to its legend unlike Siegfried, Brynhildr, Raijinto or Fujin Yumi."

"Well, let's look at the facts, the Yato is supposed to be powerful enough to save the world as the Sword of Salvation should an apocalypse occur, or bring about an apocalypse of its own as the Sword of Demolition, really back and forth considering its power is comparable to dragons so it stands to reason that the Rainbow Sage didn't want that kind of power go around everywhere without any sort of restraints so it is most likely sealed tight." Kaze suggested. "Chief Fuga even stated that on your journey you'll learn to awaken it's power."

"Unfortunately the Sage neglected to tell me how to do that, so worst case scenario we have to go back to the Sevenfold Sanctuary with Corrin and have him unlock it." Robin claimed, which causes all who have been to the Sevenfold Sanctuary to groan in frustration.

"I am not going through that shit again." Takumi cursed.

"A man like the Sage doesn't acknowledge you the first time he'll never acknowledge you, so forget it." Hinoka declined.

"Wow, so the Devil really does live in that island." Yukimura surmised, surprise to see such stubborn warriors fearful and reluctant to face a challenge.

"Either way, there's no point going back without Ryoma or turning this thing on so we'll carry onward and try to come back with good news." Corrin said.

"We'll do what we can on our end until then and with what magic I can muster; I should be able to pinpoint the location of any magic that is inhuman to me anywhere in Hoshido if I push hard enough." Mikoto remarked. "You said that Envy could summon unusual soldiers to fight for her, how unusual are we talking here?"

"Well, for one they were invisible." Corrin began.

"Wait, if they were invisible how were you able to fight them off?" Yukimura questioned.

"Invisible is not an accurate way to describe those things." Hinoka objected.

"Well we couldn't exactly see their faces." Azura reminded.

"That still doesn't change the fact that we could still see them to a decent amount to counterattack them." Takumi argued.

"Yeah, only because of those purplish outlines and flames, their actual visage was still impossible for us to see." Corrin stated with Azura nodding in agreement.

"That just means that they're not truly invisible!" Hinoka protested.

"Calling them Veiled Soldiers is way more accurate." Kaze proclaimed.

"I like that one." Robin replied.

While this little debate was going on, none of them realized the horrified expression on Mikoto's face upon learning the description of Envy's soldiers.

"It… can't be. Anankos…" She whispered with immense dread but is able to suppress her fears before anyone could notice and ceases the silly argument by clearing her throat, now showing a stern expression. "Regardless, we'll keep on a look out for these monsters as well as for our true enemies. Safe journey as always my children."

"We will mother." Takumi assured as Lilith cancels out her power with the projections vanishing, leaving Mikoto to return to her highly concern expression that Yukimura notices but mistakes it for only the fear of the Sins but doesn't know what to say as he too loses morale upon learning all this.

* * *

"So how well verse are you with the legends of Horus?" Azura asked Robin.

"Oh, wow… I've been so wrapped up in my search that I acquired a lot of unnecessary information that barely left my mind but nothing I found indicated that the Yato's power was at one point sealed away." Robin explained.

"Too many god damn poets and democrats kept perverting the stories that it's hard to know what holds truth but our archives have been deem solid for at least nine centuries so I say we have a clearer understanding on the legends." Hinoka claimed.

"We can discuss more of this during dinner, most of us have started to get hungry." Azura suggested.

"I know I am." Corrin smiled at the notion of food.

"Before that we should put people on guard for any Nohrian ships or Sea-Type Grimm swimming around first." Kaze said.

"There is little need for us to do it as most of the ship's crew will be on that and I doubt Nohr will bother any Mokushu ships." Robin pointed out.

"Agreed but it's not the first time Nohrians halted ships to see if there are any Hoshidans that have snuck inside for a variety of reasons, mainly paranoia and in wartimes those kind of circumstances must be frequent."

"That's concerning but I'm sure we'll be ready." Robin remained assured.

The trip to Nestra is going rather smoothly with no sort of conflict occurring, much less any sort of Nohrian warships even from a distance, as the seas have been mostly quiet as Corrin would prefer, her first time at seas is a pleasant one, a nice change of pace from how the rest of the day turned out as.

The Hoshidans are currently in the ship's interior and thankfully have it to themselves as most of the ship's crew are elsewhere for now.

"Hey, Lilith, can I ask you a personal question?" Hinata asked the Astral Dragon while currently sitting beside her right while Takumi is at her left.

"Oh, no one has ever asked me a personal question before." Lilith said somewhat intrigued.

"I just want to verify, you're an authentic dragon, right and not just a human that can become one?"

"I am a true dragon, mainly because my father was also a dragon." Lilith clarified.

"What about your Ma?"

"I don't have one, you see, while Astral Dragons can bear children through procreation we are also able to create them by tearing off slivers of our souls and mold it into their own separate consciousness, eventually forming a new soul, which in turn can create its own physical body on their own, or in my case, on my own, cause that's how I was born when my father created me." Lilith explained, but also sounds a little embarrass for some reason. "Though, as you all have noticed, my true form is nothing like how a Dragon is supposed to look like because I made a mistake when I was constructing myself. It's actually rare for a newborn astral to make mistakes about themselves."

"Huh, the lore on your subspecies was spot on then." Takumi said, already aware of this detail.

"I don't know where my father is now or why we were separated but in my short time alive I have been mostly happy, though I supposed spending so much time in a fortress and not seeing the world openly is not an exciting way to live from the perspective of others." Lilith smiled.

"That won't do at all, when this hate fest is over, someone needs to take you on a real adventure." Hinata declared a little too serious but at the same time playfully.

"That's my idea." Corrin stated as she too wants the best for Lilith.

"You should come and properly visit Suzanoh, we can go and get you the most stylish kimonos, heck I can make one most fitting myself." Oboro offered.

"We can also introduce you to our most astonishing plays." Hana offered.

"Kagero makes the most stylish art galleries ever when she's not into the horror genre." Orochi contributed, ignoring the vicious glare from the female ninja.

"You want a place to really explore, you should come to my village and gaze a true culture at work." Hayato boasted.

"Sure, if you want to put her to sleep." Rinkah scoffed.

"Right, because scarring her for life with your brutish society is a better idea!"

"The grassy fields back home make the perfect spots to just sit down, relax and just watch the sky without a care in the world." Setsuna offered.

"You kids and your need to start off big." Reina chuckled at their attempts to impress the dragon girl.

"Oh my, you don't have to go through so much trouble for little old me." Lilith said feeling overwhelmed by the attention.

"That's just how they are, Hoshidans try to be as hospitable as possible for those who've earned their trust." Azura smiled warmly at her.

'Something that was done way too soon, given the little background and fact that she too has ties to Nohr.' Saizo thought, so far the only one weary of Lilith, granted those like Takumi harbors the same doubts but he feels tempted to be more subtle about it this time.

"Heck, I know a fancy sweet restaurant where I can take you to have the finest dinner in Suzanoh." Hinata added.

"A-Are you asking me out on a… date?" Lilith asked nervously with a blush.

"WHAT?!" Hinata gasped at the implication while also blushing madly that his face is now just as red as Hinoka's hair. "N-N-No, no! I'm sorry, you misunderstand! I was just offering to show you around like everybody else! I didn't mean to overstep my bounds! I just say things how I'm feeling at the moment; you know."

"His face is just as red as Hinoka's hair." Sakura smiled cheerfully.

"Why do I always feel like people are being offensive when they say that." Hinoka muttered.

"Probably because of all the blood in their face, you do have a habit of putting blood on faces when you're flustered." Azama commented rudely, tempting Hinoka to put a naginata through his face but then she end up proving him half-right so she begrudgingly relents.

"Hey, where did Robin go, he was here a second ago?" Corrin asked noticing that the Tactician is no longer where he was last she saw him.

"He said he wanted to get some fresh air and some time to himself." Mozu explained.

"What did I say about not leaving my side?!" Corrin grew irritated. "And fresh air, we just got back from it."

"One can never get enough of it, in fact I feel like going for more fresh air myself, so I'll too be outside if I am needed." Azura excuses herself from the interior as well.

"Well, at least she has the decency to let me know where she's going." Corrin said feeling upset.

"Oh, come now, Milady, don't be so hard towards your boyfriend, sometimes a man needs space from a needy lady." Azama rudely comments again, making Corrin scowl, though she does not show it to him. "Well, at least she isn't denying it."

"Bad apples everywhere." Mozu muttered.

"Oh, did you say something, little girl?" Azama asked.

"Oh no! Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!" The Villager demanded surprisingly hostile towards the Monk.

"Oh my, why are you so scare all the sudden?" The Monk asked playfully.

"I've heard more stories and rumors about you than I can count. Everyone knows how the Mean Red Princess has a monk who likes to tease folks for his own amusement. You're the most notorious monk in Hoshido!" Mozu spatted.

"Hmm. I had no idea my reputation was so bad these days. I'm utterly shocked." Azama said more amused than actually shocked.

"It's the truth. So you leave me be. I know you'll end up calling me a bumpkin or something." Mozu hissed while hiding behind Kaze.

"Interesting. I've graduated to becoming notorious... How delightful. I'm pleased that you let me know. Thanks, Mozu." Azama smiled.

"What kind of weirdo is happy to hear about their terrible reputation?"

"Please, pay him no mind, young Mozume, he means well in his own way." Kaze said while patting her head. "The key is tolerance, which I wager you'll learn soon enough."

"Wait, can we go back to the part where she called me a Mean Red Princess?" Hinoka asked offended.

"What, you didn't hear, people all around have been addressing you as a fierce Demigoddess of War like Ryoma for years, though unlike Ryoma your title has a few backlashes since some folks are actually scared of how ferocious you can be." Takumi explained and that did not sit well with Hinoka.

"Are you sure those aren't just the Anti-Nohr Zones spreading false rumors about me?"

"No, they originated in the Capital back when you started to train to be a Knight and if you've forgotten you weren't exactly nice to your fellow peers." Orochi reminded, causing Hinoka to recall her youth training and only now remembers how she had zero friends growing up because of how isolated she made herself. In fact the only person that really spent time with her was Reina, who's like a second mother to her.

"Oh…"

"Here, I'll show you how kids these days view you." Setsuna began as she shows her Princess a puppet in her hand that came out of nowhere that resembles Hinoka almost perfectly that has a silly smile on the face as the Archer uses it to make a demonstration while also attempting to mimic Hinoka's voice as best she can. "I'm Hinoka! Fierce Sky Goddess of Hoshido! I pulverize all who stand in my way as if they are nothing! Fragile! Mhahahahaha! All are fragile before me! Submit and kneel or feel the sting of my Spear of Destiny!"

'This is how children aspiring to be Sky Knights view me as…?' Hinoka thought, unable to find flattery in this revelation that she has been oblivious to for so long but only horror. 'I… I need to lie down. This is just so depressing.'

"You mimicked her voice perfectly." Takumi noted.

"Thank you." Setsuna smiled.

"Oh, you were so adorable back then, so hotblooded and unladylike, trying to force any Pegasus like Rukia to let you mount them while always forgetting how sensitive they are about crude riders." Reina said, also reminiscing on those old days, though they are much happier for her. "You only ever wanted me to show you how to fight and I am proud to say that you're the finest Pegasus Knight this generation has to offer besides Subaki."

"Well, I was trained by the best." Hinoka blushed, feeling slightly better.

Corrin makes a silent chuckle as she hears everything going on and grows happy, the Hoshidans truly are good people, average even, with a few quirks here and there but are overall really great. Hell, even Takumi turned out to be a decent person when around people he trusted and casual considering the constant and silly arguments with his siblings. So these are who her family are supposed to be?

She feels at ease around them but not yet whole as there is still a part of her that remains unsure of herself but she can say for certain that she can trust these people, not entirely as she's sure that she will soon enough get into some serious arguments that will draw a line between them and her but at the very least she can say with confidence that she knows who they truly are.

"There's something I need to do, you mind looking out for Lilith for me for a while, Kaze?" Corrin requested to her retainer.

"Not at all, Milady." Kaze nodded in obedience as she also leaves the interior.

"I take it things between you and your new partner are bolding well." Kagero asked Kaze regarding Robin now that Corrin isn't around.

"Well, we hardly had the chance to properly communicate because of all that has happened but he has proven his worth in combat and Lady Corrin trusts him more than anyone, so I am patient for the chance to properly blossom our mutual trust." Kaze said regarding his new partner. "Though, like the rest of you I find his origins questionable, and while the Queen has quickly become bias of his aid, I know she too still feels wary."

"Naturally, despite his supposed lack of memories of his previous life his knowledge of magic and warfare are of a veteran and not unlike you youngsters who despite being trained to one day go to war are only really capable of enduring less intense battles for so long." Reina said, speaking from experience. "The young man most likely took part in another war, perhaps."

"If so, then where, in Canta? It's been a while since we've heard from Aytolis, Gristonne or even Dagda, the whole continent has been suspiciously quiet." Subaki wondered.

"True, perhaps everyone there is trying to stay away from Horus due to the growing tensions here, however if something as intense as war occurred our contacts there would've let us know just to give us a heads up." Hana pointed out.

"What about our more western neighbors in Almyra and Fódlan?" Takumi asked.

"Same. Dead quiet, as if the continent was never there to begin with." Oboro informed.

"So we're in the dark about what's going on in the rest of the world but Robin claimed that he's gone quite far and yet allegedly never found the place of his birth, much less someone that could help him find his way." Takumi said suspiciously.

"What's so special about the whitehead that has you want to dig in too deep into his soul?" Hayato questioned.

"You mean apart from the fact that we hardly know him, that he lived with the Nohrian Royals for three years and now we're trusting him to be our top lieutenant in managing our strategies and in turn keeping us alive?" Rinkah remarked. "Yes, Corrin and Lilith too lived with the Nohrians but compare to them, he raises the biggest question."

"Okay, I see your point, but in the short time that I've seen him, he seems supportive, I mean he did managed to get four of you out of harm's way from that lazy demon and went to confront him on his own." The Wind Tribalist pointed out.

"Yes but that mostly proves that he's either suicidal or overconfident in his abilities, either way, he has also yet to reveal the true scope of his power, which turns out to be beyond that of any Onmyoji or Sorcerer has ever achieved in Horus history. That alone is a cause for concern." Kagero said. "People aren't born with magical powers like that."

"I know, I know." Hayato shrugged. "What were even those odd things he used to pull you out of that battlefield, anyway?"

"Warp Crystals, special magic tools the Nohrians invented to help their none-magical allies flee from danger when there are no Dark Mages around to aid but can only go over three miles. Robin acquired a few of them back in Nohr for us to use." Kaze explained.

"Would've been nice if he had brought them up earlier." Orochi replied. "That unnatural tome of his is a cause for concern alone."

"None more than those odd flames of his." Saizo added.

"I'm not surprised that all of you would be suspicious of him. Robin has always seemed… off, like there was something that made him different from the rest of humanity, or at the very least those who study the mystic arts." Lilith said, revealing her own concerns.

"What do you mean, Milady?" Sakura asked.

"I can't say exactly; I know with certainty that he's a good man but there's something about him that… scares me." Lilith confessed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Takumi questioned now growing anxious.

"Well, we Astral Dragons are all about the spirit, I can see a person's soul and it's usually easy for me to deduce who or what they really are by seeing it but when I look into Robin's soul I see… nothing."

"N-Nothing? As in, there's nothing there?" Sakura gets nervous.

"No light, no darkness, it's all blank and empty."

"You mean like his social skills?" Hinata suggested.

"Weak comparison but still not far off. It's more like he doesn't have a soul, which shouldn't be possible otherwise he be devoid of all emotions, or the ability to use magic as humans are extremely dependent on their souls for the slightest aptitude to perform them. Maybe it's being blocked from my sight due to his magic being so strong that I'm too weak to see it but even that is unthinkable for a human." Lilith continued. "I know he means well. Lady Corrin's faith in him is not misplace but whatever's going on with him it's nothing good."

'Nothing good indeed.' Takumi mused, remembering what he overheard from Izana's explanation of Robin's 'condition'. 'Odd how the Astral Dragon of all things can't see it but Izana could. He could be dying or something else that's unnatural; he remains with us he may not survive to regain his memories or reunite with this Morgan. Not really our problem but Corrin might have another mental breakdown for his loss so we better keep him around, at least until the war is over. If he truly is plotting something nefarious I'll finish him myself but if he truly is an ally of Hoshido, we'll find a way to get him out of this mess. No matter how fruitless our efforts may be.'

By now the group are having mix reactions regarding the ordeal with their new Tactician, distrust being the main one but they all inevitably agree not to behave on it else they'll raise tensions with Corrin as the Princess trusts him more than any of them. Either way the future battles may become harder because of it.

* * *

Corrin now outside, goes looking for Robin but first stops to notice the ocean once again, not able to help herself, however she becomes troubled upon noticing something within the water that disturbs her and she gets closer to the edge of the ship to have a better look and notices what has to be something huge that she can hardly see due to being underwater but it is black, most likely a Grimm, one that resembles a gigantic whale-like sea creature with four humanoid limbs, that she can best make out and three glowing eyes that supposedly are staring right at her.

"That's a Leviathan." Azura arrives at the scene, snapping Corrin out of her shock to look at her who remains completely calm despite the monster nearby. "It is one of the few known types of Grimm that operate at seas, and one of the most powerful, but fear not, the crew members here assured me before that these Grimm pass by frequently but never attack ships that have the brand of Mokushu or anyone that isn't Hoshidan. Garon's orders so they should pay us no mind."

"That's comforting, we better let the others know, else one of them will make a scene and start a pointless battle." Corrin suggested.

"Apart from perhaps Hayato, Mozu and Rinkah, I'm sure they are already aware of this so I wouldn't worry too much." Azura assured.

"You're awfully calm about this." Corrin replied.

"Trust me, I am terrified from the sight of it but I learned to suppress my negative emotions when they are mostly unwanted, something I did frequently when I was first brought into Hoshido." Azura said.

"Was it that bad at first?"

"Not really but I was a kidnapped victim, I didn't know what to feel except fear, Lady Mikoto tried to make me feel better since she was not happy by what was done to me, she didn't want to stoop to Nohr's level but there was no point in bringing me back since taking me wasn't enough to convince Garon to return you and returning me would've been seen as a sign of weakness."

"Sounds about right." Corrin sighed with the horrible predicament they are, or were in.

"Never mind that for now, what brings you out and about, away from the others?" Azura changes the subject, but quickly comes up with an answer. "Wait, I already know the answer; Robin?"

"Yep, where is he?" Corrin said now feeling sore.

"Last I saw him he was heading for the cabin he is to share with Kaze and Hayato." Azura explained.

"Thank you very much." Corrin replied while wasting no time in making it to Robin, with Azura following.

"I wish you wouldn't be so hard on him; he was only defending his comrades and a foreign country from a very ancient evil." Azura partially pleaded.

"I know that but…" Corrin basically snapped at Azura before the two stop as she tries to rethink her words. "I just… want us all to make it through this and while I accept that we will encounter obstacles that will force us to make difficult choices that will be fatal I just want to make it clear to him that he needs to be more careful, we need him alive most of all out of our soldiers, since his tactics can help save all of us."

'I think what you mean to say is that ''you'' need him alive.' Azura corrected but not out loud.

"Men like him always listen to their hearts more than reason so I doubt you can convince him to stop being reckless." Azura said so sure. "Every bit as stubborn as…"

"Ryoma." "Xander."

The two said at the same time, comparing Robin to the two oldest brothers.

"What?"

"What?"

The two Princesses look at each other surprise by what just happened before brushing it off by chuckling over it as they both have to admit that both crown princes are so much alike, well Corrin anyway since Azura doesn't know what Xander is like these days.

They make it to the door of Robin's cabin with Corrin dismissing to knock and just goes to open the door.

"Corrin, it's rude to come in unannounced." Azura scolded.

"I am his master; I'll command him to put up with me coming in unannounced whenever I want." Corrin hissed with Azura only able to shook in disapproval.

"Oh, Big sisters." Sakura called to the two as she, Hinoka and Hana enter the corridor they are in.

"We were about to enter our cabin to leave some stuff in, what are you two doing?" Hinoka asked.

"I'm about to lecture Robin about his last stunt." Corrin said as she is about to open the door.

"Aren't you going to knock?" Hana asked.

"No."

Corrin opens the door to enter the quarters and for some reason the four other girls could not help themselves but want to see how this lecture will lead to and move in to peek and the first thing they see are… abs.

"What the hell!" Robin shouted as he was sitting down on his bed half naked, his unique uniform removed with only his underwear on, it is a little hot in hear and what he's wearing could make him sweaty, even though he didn't sweat at all in the Eternal Stairway, leaving his muscular body exposed for the girls to see.

Sakura cries in embarrassment, covering her red face with her hands and looking away.

"Abs…" Corrin whispered lustfully, her face extremely red.

"Damn… and I thought Lord Ryoma and the Saizo brothers were the only ones with real muscles." Hana smiled also blushing.

"Well… I supposed a Mage with a warrior's spirit has to stay in shape to not be bothered with any sort of pesky fatigue." Hinoka looked away, hiding her own blush.

"Abs…"

"Goodness Robin, you're sharing this room with two others." Azura tried in vain to hide her own blush while keeping herself composed. This is the first time she has ever seen a man this exposed, nor has she ever felt this sudden… rush.

"Don't judge me on how I like to be in private, my choice of attire can be very uncomfortable after so long on, and I just got back from being burned alive, I have a right to want to make myself as fresh as I want to be at the moment." Robin protested as he covers himself with a bed sheet.

"Kinky." Hana smirked playfully.

"No, no, no, no, no! It's not what you think! I just like to sleep as comfortable as possible, especially after today. Plenty of men do this."

"Abs…"

"Y-You… you can grind cheese on him." Sakura barely whispered with her face getting redder.

"GET OUT!" Robin snapped angrily and embarrassment as he shuts the door on their faces, snapping Corrin out of her trance.

"Whoa! I dosed off there for a moment, what happened?" Corrin muttered.

"Your boyfriend made my day, that's what." Hana laughed loudly as she gently drags a still flustered Sakura away.

"I think you should hold off the lecture for another day." Hinoka suggested as she too leaves awkwardly.

"Yes, let's go Corrin." Azura said as she drags Corrin away.

"Aw, typical Robin, if he ever riles me up, it's in a good way rather than a bad one." Corrin joked.

"So you're just going to brush that incident off as his punishment?" Azura questioned..

"Why not? He's actually pretty sensitive about how people view him despite his tough exterior and a woman's got to enjoy the finer things." Corrin chuckled in amusement while Azura can only give her a questioning glance. She couldn't have guessed Corrin can be so sassy and give off hints of being a bad girl despite her constant state of anguish and anger. It makes her happy for her, actually. But… there is another reason for her to smile.

"It should be a crime to treat someone like that but… I'm not going to complain."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

* * *

**I love reading about world building and making backstories for others, with each chapter I make I'll try to make time to explain more of Horus's history and lore, as well as the characters to make them all feel more alive but keep in mind that I am just one man and my knowledge regarding certain key topics tend to slip my mind once and a while but I'll give it my all but don't be surprise if I give very little in the end.**

**On to a more important topic, I've added my very own Seven Deadly Sins into the story, a very popular band in recent years, especially with a certain anime, even though those particular sins are actually heroes but the concept is still there, and my sins are more on an inspiration of my current favorite video game of 2018, Darksiders III, it's one of my favorite long running franchises and to me, it was worth the wait to play this game and the joy of using another of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, yet another hellish figures portrayed as heroes/anti-heroes instead of traditional villains.**

**Lilith finally joins the group and I have much in mind for her. Because in Fire Emblem Dragons are revered as gods in many cultures, even though there have been wars against them and humans, I wish to focus on that a little bit, the fact that in spite of how everyone feels about Corrin's dragon self, there is still the matter that the people of Horus take their religion seriously enough to keep a dragon, any dragon on their side, hence why the majority of the group is so quick to embrace Lilith even though there is a lot of clear mystery surrounding her that should make them question her instead, like her knowledge and understanding of the Seven Deadly Sins. Robin's self-sacrifice nature should be nothing new to us since that's one of the things he's better known for and of course, his friends will never take kindly to that, Corrin most of all so the drama will be unavoidable at this point, and one of the things I abhor about most series is that there are always plot holes, and I'm going to do my best to avoid having plot holes, like the drama.**

**The subject of the Deeprealm is as infuriating as the majority of Fates but it doesn't change the fact that it's a unique subplot if used correctly and not frequently. I've always loved the concept of time being different in other dimensions even if it can be hard to understand so I'm going to keep it simple. I apologize if some of you dislike fanservice but I couldn't help myself with that last part, I just had to put it in here.**


	10. Chapter 10: Into the Sea

***Chapter 10: Into the Sea**

"The sky is so wonderful." Corrin said gazing at the sky above. They are still traveling the seas and will no doubt be traveling for four more days straight, not that Corrin minds, this whole thing is wonderful for her.

"You're enjoying this a little too much." Azura said standing next to her with a smile, seeing Corrin like this is pleasing, the Princess of two nations has a smile of her own that is quite contagious.

"As if I can help it, the Breeze feels so heavenly." Corrin said feeling refresh. "The Sunshine is what catches my attention the most."

"I supposed it would, I often think back to Shirasagi when I look at the sunshine and how it would filter through the leaves." Azura commented.

"Can't help but envy you there. In Nohr, we didn't have days filled with sunshine." Corrin recalled but in a good way, not really bothered as she originally thought she be. But then frowns realizing something. "Wait is it okay to feel envy when a literal demon who embodies it is out on the loose."

"I think so, after all she is a spirit at the moment and could be anywhere." Azura wondered. "That aside, it was stupid of me to bring it up."

"Bring what up?" Corrin asked confused.

"That was thoughtless of me. I never should have brought anything of my time in Hoshido up. It should've been you in Hoshido all those years, basking in the sunlight!" Azura said, sounding remorseful for Corrin.

"There's no need to feel bad. It's not like you kidnapped me and took me to Nohr. You're as much a victim of this as I am." Corrin shrugged.

"I knew you would say that; however I cannot help myself but feel guilty. I lived with the royal family and received all the love that should have been yours." Azura continued to mutter with a guilt that she by no means should feel at all.

"Please, Azura, you shouldn't worry. My life hasn't been as hard as you think, happiness exists in Nohr." Corrin insisted.

"I know, as harsh as things were for me during my time there, I knew happiness too, especially when my mother was with me but at first those were few since she was originally just a member of the court, though neither she nor I originated from Nohr." Azura explained.

"You aren't?" Corrin asked surprised.

"No, I was not born in Horus, Canta or Fódlan perhaps, she never told me the place of my birth, nor do I know how a foreigner manage to join the Court of Nohr. She had impressed the nobles enough that we were allowed to live in Krakenburg." Azura explained her story. "I don't know what I found scarier, the castle itself, the rude butlers and maids who seemed uninterested in dealing with a foreign child and commoner or the fact that I was living in the castle built under a crater of all places where a Dark God allegedly lived in during his time living among humans."

"Yeah, I've heard several complaints about Krakenburg's specific location over the years." Corrin commented.

"My only real solace there was Prince Xander, he was always so nice to me and treated me like a little sister even then." Azura said reminiscing on happy times. "I also met Camilla but we rarely spoke, her mother had recently passed away and from what I heard, her demise was not a pleasant one so she spent most of her time locked in her room until my mother befriended her and got her out of her shell."

"Neither Xander, nor Camilla ever mentioned their mothers to me, only that Xander's mom was Garon's first wife but died when Xander was two, and when he was four, Garon decided to get back out there and find new love, but nothing went well, except for having Camilla, Leo and Elise into his life, and… at the time me as well." Corrin said, still trying to wrap her head around how twisted Garon really is.

"Things got even stressful when a year after Elise was born, Arete became Garon's second wife and I officially a Princess of Nohr and the other four my stepsiblings. Mother had many supporters but many more were unhappy since they haven't gotten over the loss of Queen Katerina, and for one reason or another the nobles pressured Xander and Camilla to stay away from me, and mother and stepfather were too busy to notice, however those two weren't as dutiful as they appeared and always made time for me to get me out of my tough spots, though not always in the nick of time." Azura explained.

"That sounds like them." Corrin smiled sadly. "Funny, I just found out today that I'm not really from Hoshido either, I mean, that revelation is old to me at this point but the fact that mother and I are foreigners of Horus, that part has me surging with questions that I can't even ask yet, the one surging through my head at the moment is that if perhaps… were we born in the same place."

"That is something to think about, however Lady Mikoto always seemed neutral whenever Arete was mentioned when I was around, no hostility to her popularity in the west but nothing kind to say about her either in Hoshido." Azura stated. "What about you, how were things for you in Nohr?"

"Of course! Well, let's see… I lived in the Northern Fortress. It was pretty remote. Hmm… I wasn't allowed to go outside or have any friends." Corrin tried to think of a more positive note of her time there but at the moment she can only think of the downside she's ignored for so long.

"That sounds terrible." Azura said with a furrowed brow.

"Thinking back, it was hard. However, at the time, I never felt lonely. The servants were like family, and my brothers and sisters visited all the time. Elise came by to hang out every single day." Corrin said now seeing the positives. "Though how was she able to come in and leave so quick I never knew until now that I know Warp Tomes exist. Why didn't we use them when I finally got out of there though, could've used those four hours of sleep."

"Seems like things were more convoluted than I thought." Azura noted with a smile.

"And there was a huge library! You'd never run out of books to read in Nohr! Felicia, Jakob, Lilith and I even had a little book club. You see? I was too busy to feel alone." Corrin cheered. "Not a day goes by where I don't regret trying harder to convinced Gunter and Flora to join in on the book club."

"I'm glad to know that the mundane hasn't yet left Nohr." Azura said, feeling like a lot of weight made of doubt just got lifted off her chest but there is still so much more inside her that she wants to remove. "What about my mother, how were things between you and her? Based on what that knight, Silas said, I would imagine everything was okay."

"They were, and… hopefully still are." Corrin smiled with such warmed and compassion. "Lady Arete is everything a mother should be, there was plenty of times where she was strict but she never held me at low regard, all those times she came to visit I carved those moments vividly into my mind. The last time I saw her was the day before I finally left the Northern Fortress, she said she was needed in Macarath, a town southern of Nohr known for its varied entertainment, gambling, and medicine, and where one of hers and Garon's personal villas reside."

"I've heard of Macarath, many claim it to be the most beautiful place in Nohr." Azura said.

"I've heard the same thing, but what was Arete doing there was not for me to know." Corrin said. "Looking back now, I'm shock that she never held it against me for what happened to you. Was she faking her affections all along?"

"Please Corrin, do not start to think lowly of her, I never knew what goes on in her mind but I know that she wouldn't hide her true feelings if she knew there was no point in hiding them, you being in a fortress so away from the rest of the royals." Azura pleaded for her to perish such thoughts while placing her hand on her shoulders.

"I know, I know. I hope to one day fix things but I know it will be a long and dark path." Corrin muttered.

"It's only natural, sadly."

"I can't accept that and yet I find myself wanting to go through with it, not like I can just spent the rest of my life in Hoshido and pretend that my time in Nohr never happened. All that time I spent there, it's all a part of me… like home."

"It almost sounds like you miss it?" Azura asked.

"I do." Corrin confessed, not caring that it would give her backlash from her new Hoshidan allies if they hear this. "I miss the Northern Fortress, life there is better than what I went through on that fateful day. I even miss Krakenburg. For all the Darkness there, being the Heart of Nohr, I felt no fear, no reason to believe my life was in danger, all I felt when I was there was safe, stronger than I ever thought I could ever be and like with the fortress, I wasn't alone."

"One day, I'm sure you'll get to go back there." Azura said hopefully.

"I'm not, with how things have turned out, I doubt I can handle living there now, Gunter has mentioned many times that Garon is not so forgiving and he made it very clear himself before he sent me off to the Bottomless Canyon." Corrin said sorrowfully but immediately tries to brush it off. "All of this switching between good and bad moments is really driving me crazy, I would rather bury my face in the sea, I don't care if a Leviathan or white shark bites off my face."

"It is tempting considering what awaits us."

"I always wanted to ask, is sea water safe for…"

"No! Drinking from it will make you more thirsty and mess with your mouth horribly." Azura already knew what she was going to say. "I knew your knowledge of the world was lacking Corrin but I didn't think you were this… I don't mean to say this in a bad way but… dumb."

"I think being locked in a Fortress within a Kingdom where daylight is a rarity speaks for itself." Corrin mumbled.

As the two Princesses continue to chat three of the ship's crew pass by, enjoying a conversation of their own but one of them spares a glance at the two ladies and makes a weak scoff at the mere sight of them.

"Hoshidan Trash and Deserter…" He whispered with contempt to the two that only his two friends and Corrin could hear as they pass by the two.

"Keep your thoughts to yourself, man. The Captain said they could ride with us so don't even think of starting something." One of his friends warned as they walk faster to get away from Corrin and Azura.

"Well that guy was rude." Corrin murmured.

"Come again?" Azura asked oblivious.

"Right, I keep forgetting that other people's ears aren't as enhanced as mine. One of the three guys that passed us by seemed displeased to see us and whispered insults at us." Corrin explained.

"I'm not surprised, it's been already established that many Mokushujins loathe Hoshidans and since you and Robin are traveling with us they'll naturally mistake you for us as well, in spite of your uniforms resembling Nohrian Styles." Azura said unbothered by this. "At the end of the day, it was their Captain's greed that Robin was able to convince him to smuggle us to Nestra so we do well to try not to do anything to provoke them or at the very least try to stay on their good side. Starting anything that would spread negative thoughts is a death sentence in the seas now a days."

"I'm actually almost surprised that Hoshido has enemies besides Nohr." Corrin said.

"It really isn't so shocking, Hoshido is a Kingdom after all and no country last for as long as it does and thrives so well without making moral compromises, it's just not possible. It's a horrible fact of reality, and Hoshido is no exception." Azura said sadly.

"Right, I never learn about their beef with you guys, did I? Rob called it the Riots?" Corrin noted.

"That's just what most called it because the civil war he mentioned started out as just a riot in the Mokushu Capital before it escalated out of proportion. You see, the Southeastern Cost of Horus used to inhabit two Kingdoms; the first was Mokushu and the other was once called Kohga. The two coexisted for centuries and Kohga was the one closest to Izumo and owned the most lushes of fields that we saw in the south border of Izumo that we were to cross before the incident with Sloth." Azura explained what she knows of the Kingdoms. "Kohga was well known for it's green mountains and Ninja Dojos, in fact, Ninjutsu originated from that land and introduced the art to both Hoshido and Mokushu. Kohga has had a long friendship with Hoshido by offering their best warriors to serve as the Dawn Bloodlines Royal Guard, such as the clan of Ninjas that Kaze and Saizo belong to."

"Really, something like that must've made them crazy popular in the East." Corrin said intrigued. "But then what happened to Kohga, why is Mokushu all that's left?"

"Because War broke out between the two nations decades ago, and it was when King Sumeragi's reign was still young, the two had a falling out, some say that it was because of political dispute that went way overboard but the masses know that it was because the previous Daimyo of Mukushu, Kotaro was an ambitious man with a horrible lust for power and attacked Kohga without warning, razing its towns and then annexing it all, and said war barely lasted a month, Kotaro has been planning this invasion for years and bid his time well and prepared." Azura explained. "Unable to defeat them, the people of Kohga cried out for Hoshido's help to push back Mokushu but… unfortunately, their cries went ignored as Hoshido refused to help."

"What, why?!" Corrin uttered in shock.

"According to Lady Mikoto, Sumeragi's advisors pressured him to do so as he was still inexperienced as a King due to his heart being more focus on being a samurai at the time and long have the Hoshido Nobility sought to keep themselves away from the troubles of outsiders as such Kohga was no more and became annexed into Mokushu." Azura continued, angering Corrin over this revelation but she said nothing and waited for Azura to finish. "For ten years those that remained in Kohga hid themselves well, forming a rebellion to fight back against Mokushu and restore their homeland until they amassed enough forces to start a civil war in the capital of Mokushu that lasted for a year before Hoshido finally intervened."

"Why would Hoshido bother with helping when they didn't before." Corrin scowled.

"That's where things get even worse." Azura said not especially fond of this part. "Mokushujin Ninjas would out of the blue attack Shirasagi one night and attempted to kill your entire stepfamily but only succeeded in murdering Sumeragi's first wife and mother of Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi and Sakura, the late queen Ikona."

"What…"

"You can pretty much guess how things would turn from there, with the Mokushujins's resources exhausted so they didn't stand a chance and Kotaro was slain by the vengeful King." Azura said. "However, even with the corrupted Daimyo killed, the war continued due to Kotaro's Loyalists being just as ambitious and arrogant as him, and fortunately for them, before he was slain, Kotaro sent a message to Nohr, requesting aid from them to fight off Hoshido in exchange for an alliance since he had previously refused Garon's attempts for cooperation."

"And Nohr managed to turn the tide in their favor." Corrin surmised.

"They could've, however Garon had his spies survey the war for him ever since it's started and after what happened in Shirasagi, he suspected that Kotaro would never have done something as stupid as picking a fight with Hoshido while his country was falling into disaster and his suspicions were proven true when his spies uncovered a dark truth that the people who killed Ikona were actually desperate people from Kohga, posing as Mokushujins to trick Hoshido into helping the rebels destroy Mokushu once and for all."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Corrin growled in shock over how dark this tale is.

"Even after learning the truth, Sumeragi still became adamant on continuing the fight, blaming himself for all that's happened for not acting when he should've and was now keen on destroying Mokushu for their own actions but Garon's army stopped him in a vicious surprise attack and forced him into the peace treaty they have now. What was left of Kohga were forced out and into the West as refugees while fewer were lucky to have been allowed shelter into Hoshido in spite of what happened. I imagine it was Sumeragi's way of atoning for his inaction but he couldn't help all of them." Azura finished.

"Sumeragi… father…" Corrin mumbled, hard to swallow what she has learned and can only focus her gaze at the seas.

"I think it's safe to say that neither of us understand the burden of being a king or queen, after all while refusing to aid others isn't right, wanting to keep your people away from battles isn't wrong either." Azura commented. "I honestly don't think there were any right decisions in that period."

"Really, because the right decision seemed pretty clear to me from the start." Corrin muttered. "If Sumeragi had pushed harder and gotten involved than Kohga wouldn't have fallen so low and I would've never been kidnapped with his first wife still living and it being just me and Mikoto in Hoshido."

"That's a pretty way to look at it, Corrin but one thing I know for certain is that a true king is always ready for war but never seeks for it. Hoshidans are seekers of peace, and a warrior spirit is best reserve for sports and maintaining law and order, otherwise it serves only to create monsters." Azura lamented.

"Monsters? That's something Nohr excels well as of late." Corrin cursed.

"Garon has helped save many lives but they always seem to be out of personal gain than being a Saint, I really don't know what to make of father yet, at least until I see him again." Azura said.

"There's really no need to tell you how you'll sorely regret it when that does happened." Corrin uttered.

* * *

"I'll never understand women and their redundant need to force their way into a man's business." Robin sighed in frustration, coming back from his cabin and fully dressed, still sore from the untimely surprise of the girls and their inability to close the doors and mind their own business. "Just because guys have our scary dark sides doesn't mean we should be treated like animals." Right now he's in the left side of the ship, away from Corrin and could really use the privacy. But sadly, he doesn't feel the soothing sensation of solitude but the dreadful one of a stalker. This is one sensation he is all too familiar with.

"You can come out now, Saizo, your class can't hide from my sight, even if it's still hard to pinpoint your exact location." Robin demanded to the Ninja and in the blink of an eye the right hand man of the High Prince shows up from seemingly nowhere.

"Impressive, if this was the battlefield and we were truly on opposite sides, I wonder which of us would end up dead first." Saizo commented.

"Last time I check, the guy with magic would be the obvious winner." Robin stated.

"Bah, Magic is but one of many tools for death, no different than a blade that needs to be mastered." The Red Ninja scoffed.

"A Wise man's words, if not crude still." Robin partially agreed. "Any particular reason why you would be spying on me still. I understand the distrust but if I wanted Hoshido dead, I'd severed Lilith's head from her body without her realizing it to make sure there was no escape and sank this ship the moment we were far enough away from shore from everyone in it." Robin commented. "And electrocute the ocean just to be sure or draw the attention of all the sea-Grimm that have been passing us by for hours."

"You're not the first Nohrian turncoat to swear their allegiance to my people and not all of them proved genuine while the rest do nothing to contribute to Hoshido, and we all heard the way the Nohrian Royalties reacted to your choice, felt the intensity of their rage and their grief when you turned on them and took Corrin away from them. It's obvious that they have given you enough of a reason to remain with them, regardless of their malicious desires. It matters not that you now fight for the good of Hoshido, that kind of betrayal is disgusting." Saizo scoffed. To the naïve it sounds like Saizo actually feels a level of sympathy for Nohr, but that's not it at all. Robin's actions are seen by many as those of a man who harbors no real loyalty to anyone but of a man who looks for profit.

Truthfully, Nohr is the wealthiest country in the continent, possibly the world, however their resources are so lacking, some find it laughable how they have to rely so often on neighboring nations just to get by and too many people, noble and commoners alike have abandoned it, many more seeing no point in profiting from it, making siding with Hoshido all the more reasonable, and Robin, claiming to be a man with no past, who conveniently has deep ties with one of the Princesses of the most prosperous kingdom in the world and is the one who brought her back from her decade long ''imprisonment'', that just makes him look more avaricious, dangerous and untrustworthy.

Nohr has tried for centuries to fix the state of their lands through the use of immense magic but nothing bared fruit, even with Leo's Sacred Treasure, who's dark magic primarily works to give him free control over nature itself can't seem to fix it. There is something really wrong over there, and Robin doubts it has anything to do with the Dusk Dragon.

"Your distrust for me is sound, if you and your comrades started trusting me right up the bat because of a few good deeds I might start to wonder if there was something wrong with your society. Paranoia has its moments at being a virtue in disguised." Robin said, not holding anything against Saizo. "But it's not just me who you feel so much distaste towards."

"Naturally, it wasn't long ago that your Mistress lived as royalty of Nohr. Kaze and Rinkah even told me on how King Garon used them as guinea pigs to test her strength and it was only out of a whim of hers that they were spared, even if Kaze believes otherwise. How convenient that we should be drawn into her orbit now, and at the same time yours. She too is guilty of the same low as you when it comes to treachery. The moment you both try anything; I'll be the first to know." Saizo declared.

"You're welcome to do as you wish if you deem it necessary for the Royals you serve but don't be surprise when you find nothing that will make you throw your blades at us." Robin replied. "I don't know if it was Mikoto, Yukimura or Ryoma who put you up to this but I'm sure that what you'll tell them of Corrin are none of the bad they dread."

"This has nothing to do with my Queen or Prince, I'm doing it on my own initiative. Though we fight side by side at times, I'm not prepared to trust you yet."

"I get it."

"If either of you take even one step out of line, I will act accordingly. Remember that before you get any cute ideas." Saizo warned. "Your powers are no more than an inconvenience to me."

"I don't intended to. Still, isn't there anything I can do to win your trust?" Robin asked, not feeling threaten by the Ninja Master but more annoyed, and to be truly honest, hurt.

"Prove yourself to me." Saizo began.

'So, saving an entire Royal Family from a Dragon, stalling the first invasion of this inevitable war and saving you from a shameful death from a Lazy Demon is not enough.' Robin noted. 'Earning people's trust might as well be a poison, cause this is hard.'

"I'm keeping thorough surveillance notes on you, you know." Saizo said, conveniently holding a notebook that says, 'Surveillance Notes – Corrin & Robin'. Him holding that feels comical.

'At least he has a sense of humor hiding somewhere in that headstrong and serious exterior.' Robin mused.

"I'll be watching the both of you thoroughly. Always." Saizo swore.

"Always? Even when…"

"ESPESSIALLY then!" Saizo snapped before disappearing again.

'I better convince Corrin to take a group shower with her sisters today as an excuse to have a sisterly bond, no way he go as far as to peep at all three Princesses, four counting Azura but Kagero might be in this as well.' Robin noted. 'I should think of a way to do it discreetly so as not to have the wrong impression. Hana already thinks I'm kinky. If only things would stop getting complicated, except that they won't.'

Robin sighed, as with Saizo now put on 'hold' for now, he can now focus on the other nuisance, which is the monk Azama, he was walking by at the same time as Robin, not really following him but he did not mind his own business and kept to himself at a distance while he was having the discussion with Saizo. Normally people like Saizo would keep moments like that as discreetly as possible but they both know the rude monk won't say a word for whatever reason, likely wanting the Tactician's problems to remain as such for as long as possible. Either that or it's that everyone feels the same way and they won't fault Saizo for the hostility.

"Is there something I can do for you, Monk, you've been quiet back there and staring at me enough to make me very uncomfortable. Is there something you want to say? Saizo already had his turn and you seem to be next in line." Robin said, not wanting to put up with this but avoiding the issue may make it worse, though hearing Azama any time is problematic even when he goes easy on you.

"Well, now that I got your attention. There is something I've been meaning to ask." Azama finally spoke.

"I'm listening." Robin said, almost sounding displeased as he turns to meet the Great Master, face to face.

"It's undeniable that you play a rather significant role in our band of misfits." Azama stated.

"I wouldn't see it as significant, true that a Tactician is important to ensure the team is alright and have a better chance of victory but I myself don't see me as entirely necessary." Robin said, expressing self-doubts due to not taking Corrin's praises to heart.

"Ah, but there is truth in my words, even though Hoshido have yet to fully trust you, you've so far shown diligence in your efforts to bring us victory based on what I learned about what happened in Fort Jinya and Aikawa. If it wasn't for you we would've started a fight against the Wind Tribe, failed to save the Royals from Envy and you made sure to stay behind to confront Sloth with the orders to leave you. I say that in truth we should already trust you." Azama said, like he is praising Robin but the Tactician knows there's more. "Yet I wonder, don't you harbor something… different in the depths of your heart?"

"Something different?" Robin repeated, not liking where this is going.

"Yes, something very dark and very deep in your heart. Something most would not even begin to imagine just by looking at you." Azama remarked and confirming Robin's suspicions on how this was going to turn out. "You wish to help your master, yet there's also this secret corner of your soul… there, you feel nothing can be done to help, and that the future can't be altered. Sometimes I'm quite sure that you and I are similar in that respect."

'Did Takumi or Azura told the others about my condition?' Robin wondered. 'Takumi certainly but it is also likely that it was Lilith, she's an Astral Dragon, beings who are all about the spirit, and she too has her doubts about me, from the moment we met I knew she felt wary of me, meaning that she always knew of what I was going through.'

"That's the feeling I get when I look at you. Tell me, am I wrong?" Azama asked most curious.

"It matters not, as I really have no obligation nor inclination to discuss my issues with you, or anyone for that matter." Robin said lowly as he walks away, leaving the Monk behind.

"Oh my, he's run off. Well, I guess it's just me now." Azama said not looking or sounding disappointed. "Oh well, better luck next time."

* * *

"I really can't deal with this right now; I need something to cheer me up and not make me furious." Corrin muttered, not wanting to think about Mokushu and Kohga anymore. "Tell me something that's more lighthearted."

"Well… " Azura tries to think of something else to talk about, though she won't have to think much as the two begin to hear someone make a heavy sigh to their right and see that it is Kaze, walking to them but doesn't seem like he notices them and is carrying a bag of radishes.

"There's always something to talk about with Kaze." Azura suggested.

"Good enough for me. Hello Kaze, is something the matter? And what's with all those radishes?" Corrin asked, getting the attention of the ninja.

"Ah, Lady Corrin, Lady Azura. Greetings. A young lady, one of the sailors here, gave me these radishes as thanks for helping her find a family pendant she dropped by mistake in the interior." Kaze said somberly for some reason. "I assured her I had no need of these but she was very insistent."

"Looks like we're having a radish feast tonight! Lilith said that the Astral Plane can only create inanimate objects with water as the only exception so we have to come here to get food, though there is already plenty of food with Lilith in her realm that she brought with, but having more never hurt anyone, so this is pretty great, right?" Corrin asked positively.

"I must disagree. It is not 'great'." Kaze said disdainfully.

"Why? You have something against radishes?" Corrin wondered confused.

"No, it's just that Kaze has always had trouble with women, same as Saizo." Azura explained.

"I can assure you that is not the case, it's just that it feels wrong being rewarded for such simple kindness as returning a family heirloom I found by chance. This is not the first time something like this has happened, either." Kaze muttered.

"Really?" Corrin wondered.

"I can't figure out why, but… I find I'm often approached by women who wish to speak with me or give me things." Kaze explained.

"Oh, is that so?" Corrin said growing intrigued.

"It gets worse. If I speak even a few words, they'll often start shrieking or hugging me. Sometimes, they'll give me letters or garments of clothing or, like today, food. None of our allies act that way, of course. Just strangers. It's… frustrating." Instead of feeling sympathy or say anything helpful to him, Kaze gets playful chuckles from the two Princesses. "What?"

"It sounds to me like you're just popular with the ladies!" Corrin winked at the Ninja, who can only look in confusion.

"Popular? With… the ladies?"

"Exactly. Women are just… well, they're curious about you. It's because you're kind yet mysterious. Being a ninja doesn't hurt either. In fact, when we were still in Izumo and about to leave, I noticed some women staring directly at you and I overheard one of them say, 'That sorrowful look on the green man's gorgeous face is waaay too dreamy'!" Corrin repeated what she heard playfully.

"I heard that too." Azura smiled.

"Argh, I wish you hadn't told me that. I appreciate the praise, but… I would prefer to focus on my duties and keep such silly distractions to a minimum." Kaze said, feeling down on himself. "You're sure you didn't heard them wrong, our group is full of impressive men, maybe they were referring to one of them, excluding Azama perhaps. Like Lord Takumi or Robin?"

"Probably but I didn't pay too much attention." Azura said. "You shouldn't be so gloomy about it Kaze, most men dream of that kind of attention, Hinata especially."

"I'm simply behaving as any self-respecting ninja should. That's all there is to it. In any case, they are mistaken. I'm not a good man." Kaze said now having a hint of sadness.

"You Ninjas and your habit of darkening any mood, I sometimes question why you people aren't soldiers of Nohr instead." Azura said but not in a rude way but more of a curious one.

"I wonder that myself sometimes." Kaze confessed. "Though, they do have Dread Fighters in their services so that counts."

"Either way, Kaze, you shouldn't think so lowly of yourself, much less take your looks for granted, handsome men should be kind, helpful and sincere after all." Azura lectured, regarding her personal opinion of men. "The less of your twin brother the better."

"H-Handsome!" Kaze become speechless, not sure how to respond to that and begins to blush.

"Aww, you made him blush." Corrin laughed in amusement. "Don't take it the wrong way Kaze, it's just that like it or not, we're only going to see you for how great you are so try not to be so sour."

"I… guess."

"Wait a minute, what was that you said about Saizo?" Corrin asked Azura, only now grasping on the last thing she said.

"That the less of his twin brother the better." Azura repeated.

"Kaze and Saizo are twins?" Corrin said mildly surprise. "You two are so different and you don't even have the same voices and your hair colors are different, so fraternal twins maybe."

"No, Saizo and I are identical twins. I can't say for certain why we ended up being born with both our parents' hair colors, him father's and me mother's but we are definitely alike in looks."

"Wow… the more you know."

"It's not really that big of a deal." Kaze said.

"I disagree, Saizo is such an asshole in comparison to you who are such an Angel. Of Death, if you still want to be so sour about who you are and your profession." That made Kaze chuckle a little bit.

"Anyway, I must be off now Milady, Saizo, Kagero Reina and Orochi are patrolling the sea for danger and I would like to join them." Kaze said.

"Sure, don't let me keep you from anything." Corrin replied.

"I promise to be at your side if you're in need of anything." Kaze bowed with respect as he departs.

"You think I was too hard on Kaze?" Corrin asked in concern. The loyal retainer seemed okay but Corrin can't help but wonder if she went too far when she laughed at his embarrassment from Azura's comment.

"Maybe a little but I'm sure he won't hold it against you, after all this isn't the first time he gets embarrassed like that, despite what he said Orochi, Reina, Hana and Oboro have unintentionally done worse to make him resent his good looks." Azura commented.

"Poor guy, I should really make it up to him." Corrin wondered.

"Doing that will only make him feel inadequate if you are the one cheering him up, when that's his job." Azura pointed out.

"Good point." Corrin chuckled as the two go for another walk around the ship and eventually notice young Mozu carrying four tall boxes in her arms with a smile on her face, and they look heavy for someone so small to carry alone but that doesn't seem to be the case.

"Hi Mozu, good to see you in high spirit. Wow, those boxes sure look heavy." Corrin said, getting a better look at the boxes she is carrying.

"Hello Lady Corrin, Lady Azura." Mozu replied.

"Any particular reason why you're carrying them?" Azura asked.

"Oh, these are just some things that the ship's crew need below deck and me, Hayato, Hinata, Oboro, Subaki, Setsuna, Kagero and Lady Hinoka volunteered to help." Mozu explained. "Mister Robin may have paid for this ride for the rest of us to rest easy but we agreed to contribute some more."

"That's great to hear, I better do so too." Corrin declared. "Here, those must be hard on your arms so I'll carry one or three for you."

"That's not really necessary Milady, but if you insist." Mozu said as she is really not bothered by the weight of these boxes, Corrin on the other hand does because as soon as she takes three of the boxes off of Mozu she nearly drops them, caught off guard by the surprising amount of weight they pack, if it wasn't for the fact that she had higher strength than most humans, she would've dropped them on the floor the moment she grabbed them.

"Qliphoth! What's in these things, it's actually hurting my back!" Corrin cried in surprise, also surprising Azura and Mozu.

"Yipes! Just set them down careful, and I'll take care of it!" Mozu insisted and Corrin reluctantly places the boxes down to allow Mozu to pick them up by first placing the one she was left with on top of the three and then carries all four of them as a whole with total ease, that she would be mistaken for instead lifting a bag of vegetables, making Corrin and Azura feel more inadequate in comparison to the younger girl. "Whew… You had me going there. You're weaker than you look, Lady Corrin."

"I don't think it's that I'm weak, so much as that you're shockingly strong." Corrin corrected.

"Just what are you implying?!" Mozu questioned, somehow seeing that as an insult.

"She meant it as a compliment young Mozu, truly Corrin is physically stronger than most men and even she has trouble carrying these boxes and yet you don't seem to have such problems despite having no warrior prowess." Azura spoke up next to ease the young Villager. "Quite honestly, you seem to be more physically gifted than even the Hoshidan Royals, the way you handled walking up the Eternal Stairway with no issue and took down three of those Invisible Soldiers of Envy."

"You mean the Veiled Monsters?" Mozu replied.

"I know what I said, and for some reason Rinkah seems convince that you weren't that scared when we confronted that Nuckelavee in the Wind Tribe Village." Azura added.

"Gush, you two are going to make me blush." Mozu mumbled flattered by the compliments. "Though I do have some practice."

"You do?" Corrin asked.

"Well, I worked the fields every day back home, so I'm used to putting in some elbow grease but my father, who was a soldier for Nohr would occasionally practice with a spear and bows and wanted to teach me to one day defend myself so I know the basics." Mozu explained.

"That explains a tiny bit of why you SEEM to be stronger than me." Corrin added, putting a bit too much emphasis on ''seem'', showing that she's more baffled than she appears over how a village girl seems so much more physically capable than a Princess who's been training to become a Top Commander her whole life, Azura would understand if this causes a rift to her pride, but that just makes Corrin look petty, and if so, then she has more in common with Takumi than the Songstress initially thought, or perhaps it is Nohr's Second Prince who she has in common with, she's heard some sad rumors about Leo.

This conversation seems to lower the mood on Mozu as she starts to frown, no doubt because of thinking back to her parents.

"Is something wrong Mozu?" Corrin asked with concern.

"Nah, it's nothing." She assured her but neither Princess is convince.

"Do you miss your old life?"

"Well… yeah, but… please don't get the wrong idea. I'm grateful for all you're doing for me, Lady Corrin. And you know I'm no weakling, so don't worry about me, OK?" Mozu insisted more upbeat. Sakura could learn a thing or two from this shooting star.

"Point taken." Corrin smiled back.

Close by to the three girls, one sailor is mopping up a part of a floor that is all dirty and smells like vomit, probably another sailor who drank too much and is nearly done but people have better steer clear as the floor is quite slippery. Unfortunately, one Hoshidan who is infamously known for getting into bad situation fails to notice the slippery floor while carrying boxes of her own as Setsuna draws close and the man mopping the floor doesn't bother to warn her on time as he finally finish and walks away, not noticing Setsuna stepping on the slippery floor and starts to slip, however the Retainer to the High Princess struggles hard to keep herself straight, despite her face showing any indication that she's actually trying, putting herself in a very tough situation as she starts to rapidly move her legs like a madwoman in a vain effort to keep her footing but ends up tripping nonetheless and falls off the ship, along with the boxes she was carrying.

"What the hell just happened?!" Corrin gasped in shock, along with Mozu.

"Setsuna happened." Azura sighed, quite used to seeing this happened.

"Setsuna!" Hinoka cried out for her retainer as she quickly starts to remove her armor before jumping off the ship to go rescue her.

"That woman gets herself into dangerous situations, possibly on purpose more times than Takumi upsets everyone around him." Azura explained.

"So like always." Corrin and Mozu concluded at once.

"Yep."

"Oh, hey, I think I see a shark heading this way." Setsuna said casually and unconcern as she does notice a shark while Hinoka holds on to her retainer as she swims them both back to the ship.  
"OH SHIT!" Both Corrin and Hinoka cried out at once, with the former rushing to the rescue, with her Dragonstone in hand to face the shark to protect her sister and retainer but doesn't jump into the water and just partially transforms her right arm into that dragonic-like spear, that stretches rather far and easily impales the predator, killing it rather easily and spilling its blood to the sea. Hinoka then wastes no time to grab a hold of the spear to allow Corrin to lift both women back up into the ship.

"Oh, Sephiroth, not again." Azura uttered in horror over the same situation happening again but to someone else and relief that it was resolved much quicker.

"Wow, that was a close one, thank you Miladies." Setsuna smiled gratefully to the two Princesses who helped her while she lies on the floor so wet like Hinoka. "I'm happy!"

"Don't mention it, Setsuna. You alright too, Hinoka?" Corrin asked her older sister while offering her a hand up but Hinoka quickly stands back up on her own while also looking away from Corrin.

"I'm fine, I better get myself dry." She replied emotionless as she walks away from the four women without batting an eye to them.

"What's gotten into her?" Corrin asked, feeling offended by the sudden malcontent.

"That is so unlike her." Azura said just as confused.

"Oh… that is weird, she's probably having one of her ''I'm worthless'' moments." Setsuna said raising her hand for Corrin to grab and help her up, which the Dragon Princess complies and helps her.

"What was that?"

"Oh, you should already know, Lady Hinoka has been desperately trying to get you back ever since you were taken by the Nohrians but everyone is always getting in her way and when you finally come back it wasn't done by her own hands like she hoped but because an actual monster showed up, beat you down and left you almost dead for our soldiers to find. You have an emotional breakdown in the first battle but she was so focus letting her hatred run loose to even notice your pain so it's up to the new guy that nobody completely trusts to protect you. She gets tricked into fighting Wind Tribalists and almost dies by Grimm, only for you to do the rescuing instead of her and now I trip and fall to be eaten by a shark, she tries to help only for her to be shark food too but again you do the rescuing." Setsuna explained easily, knowing how her Mistress feels way better than her own family, truthfully. "Like Takumi, she has an inferiority complex, though personally I think hers is more understandable, Takumi is just petty."

"I HEARD THAT, DUCK FACE!" Takumi cried indignantly from seemingly nowhere but only Azura and Mozu seek to find out where he is while Setsuna just goes and locks herself in her thoughts while Corrin contemplates what she just learned before soon following after Hinoka to talk to her.

"You're a wet mess." Rinkah said as she walks by and notices the wet Princess.

"You mind." Hinoka requested for the Fire Princess to dry her up with her magic.

"No problem." Rinkah replied as she extends her hand to Hinoka, heat beginning to rise up around her, feeling completely warm and quickly dries up, with no side effects whatsoever.

"Thanks." Hinoka said before walking to the front of the ship where her Pegasus along with Subaki's and Reina's Kinshi were left stationed, and Rinkah pays her no mind and minds her own business, even as Corrin walks pass her.

By the time Corrin makes it, Hinoka is already beside Rukia, comforting the delicate animal and offering her an apple, and also to Yuzu. Hinoka looks like she wants to be alone and though Corrin really doesn't want to open up any wounds she wants to leave this in suspense even less so here goes nothing.

"As gentle as usual when there is nothing to do, eh, Rukia? It's been a while since I gave you a clean brush, hasn't it. I shouldn't get your feathers all ruffled, otherwise brushing you will get hard, and I wouldn't be too much of a partner if I didn't keep you all clean and ready for any dirty conflicts." Hinoka smiled with compassion to the lovable Pegasus. "With all that has happened it actually feels like ages since I chose to be a sky knight among the pegasus riders." Rukia seems to agree and appreciate her rider's words but before she could reply she turns her head right as she sees Corrin get closer, prompting Hinoka to do the same and see her sister again.

"Corrin?" Hinoka spoke first.

"Sorry, Hinoka. I didn't mean to interrupt you." She apologized.

"It's not a problem at all. What can I do for you?" Hinoka asked more friendly.

"You know, most people who just come back from a flipping shark attack don't shrug it off as you have to quickly go and pet their Pegasus as if nothing happened." Corrin muttered, questioning her behavior towards all that has transpired.

"Corrin, with everything that's happened this week I think death by a sea predator of simple, yet pure gluttony is mercy compare to the rest. Besides, Chief Fuga said so himself that I'm screwed even if I survive this war." Hinoka shrugged.

"I get it but you could show a little bit more of a reaction. Don't get me wrong, I find it incredible how brave you are to not take danger like that seriously to let it get to you but even still, I expect this sort of thing from Leo, and he's not this unconcern for his own wellbeing." Corrin expressed her concern.

"Corrin, if I had a coin for every time someone complained about my attitude I wouldn't need to be Royalty to buy the entire Flying Unit of Pegasus Knights in Hoshido." Hinoka again shrugged, but this time with a little bit of humor, and Corrin got the joke.

"Alright, I suppose we have it in common when it comes to being stubborn to the point of being scolded endlessly. I just wish you would consider more on how it would affect those around you." Corrin added.

"Setsuna opened her big fat mouth and told you how she views me." Hinoka scoffed.

"She's obviously worried about you, she is your Retainer. And so is everyone else who makes you stop to think before acting."

"You wouldn't understand Corrin, After you were kidnapped, I was so mad, I didn't know what to do with myself. On several occasions, I snuck out of the castle, thinking I could save you." Hinoka stated.

"So I've been told."

"But I was always stopped, either by castle staff, Ryoma, or even Mother herself. I was just so angry that you were stolen away from us… And I was mad at myself for not being able to do anything about it." Hinoka growled while tightening her right fist. "Those damn Nohrian abominations took you and father from me."

Corrin knew that she wasn't referring to the Grimm but Nohr as a whole, and this triggered something in her as she can feel a fraction of her dragonic powers manifesting in her right hand, vaguely glowing blue but she is able to suppress this sudden spark of irritation, after immediately picking up her Dragonstone without Hinoka taking notice.

"Hinoka, you were but a child same as me and Ryoma, there was literally nothing that could've been done to save me, much less Sumeragi, nor were you really expected to." Corrin insisted.

"It was difficult to accept that at the time. Ryoma felt the same way, he was just more composed about it, at least when he wasn't alone." Hinoka remarked. "There's a saying our father used to say; 'In time all men and women will know what it's like to lose, to feel so desperately that their right about the choices that were made, yet to fail all the same. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives, but does that mean we should submit? Does that mean we've lost the right to determine how our lives should be? The strong may devour the weak but that doesn't mean they have the right any more than our lives being dictated with cruelty'. I didn't know what he exactly meant back then, I started out believing that things would turn out great because we were royalty and father was such a powerful Swordmaster but when that night happened, I knew exactly what he was talking about, or at least I think I finally do. As I got older, I realized that I was trying to do the impossible. I was so young; there was no way I could walk through all of Nohr and save you. And then one day I witnessed the Pegasus Knights sparring so graciously."

"So that was when you decided to become a Pegasus Knight?" Corrin concluded.

"Indeed. That decision has driven almost everything I've done since then. It's really made me into the person I am today, much stronger and determined." Hinoka said more determinedly. "As odd and bad as it sounds, I should thank you, Corrin, even though I wish you'd been spared. Father also once told me that there are bright sides to tragedies, no matter how unacceptable they are."

"I know I haven't behaved as fair as I should've to you when we first met but I really want you to know that I am grateful for the support you've shown me." Corrin said with more compassion.

"What support? I haven't done anything I swore I would do. Ever since you came back, one hardship after another has been thrown your way while I remained in the sidelines like I never existed while you had to depend on others for help and when things get out of hand, I'm the one who needs saving." Hinoka cursed under her breath, the weight of her frustrations coming out into the open, though not as loud as she expected, and also places her head on Rukia, feeling bitter. Yesterday and today was a massive disaster for her with blows to her honor as a Princess of Hoshido and an older sister. "I can't even keep Setsuna safe from her own self-destruction without ending up the damsel in distress instead."

"Hinoka…" Corrin muttered, not sure what to say about this except offer her comfort by placing her hands on her shoulders.

"It's pathetic, for me to break down like this, especially now when I should be thrilled. I finally got my sister back and even when growing up in enemy hands she's come back as someone so strong and kind, and yet I…"

"Enough, Hinoka, it's not right to feel this way, we all need you at your best after all, so please don't do this to yourself." Corrin pleaded with her. She's going to be here for a while.

* * *

"And that's the last of them." Hinata said as he places the last of the boxes below deck with Oboro, Mozu and Hayato beside him.

"Could've sworn there were supposed to be three left." Oboro noted.

"Oh, that's going to be a problem since miss Setsuna…"

"Say no more." Both Oboro and Hinata interrupt Mozu, knowing what's become of the remaining boxes.

"Remind me again why we let her help us." Oboro asked.

"I don't know! She comes along and people just let her do as she wants!" Hinata protested.

"You Hoshidans are as colorful as they come, I'm surprise there's not a single rumor of you guys originating from a freakshow." Hayato mocked.

"Hey, if they aren't broken, don't fix them." Robin said as she steps in.

"Yo, other boss man, how's it hanging." Hinata greeted.

"Just passing by, I was told by the captain that you guys were volunteering with helping the crew with the daily work. Nice to see not all of you are slacking off." Robin praised.

"Well considering that the whole crew are Mokushujins and they're all soar about having us here, we either keep our distance or earn a bit of their respect by helping out, and we chose the latter. Plus, we of the Royal Guard of Hoshido have to stay in top condition, in fact I could go for some sparring right about now." Hinata said, feeling like swinging his blade around and clashing with another.

"Hana always seems eager to clash swords." Robin offered.

"I know she is, always wanting to grow stronger for our lovely Lady Sakura's sake." Hinata replied.

"Just try not to bicker while you two are at it, every time you two argue, chaos spreads and chaos makes negative thoughts and Grimm are attracted to that." Oboro warned. And she spoke truth, one of the many abilities that all Grimm have in common is that negative thoughts, like anger, resentment, sadness, doubt, violence or despair are like perfume to them, they can smell it from so far away and seek out the source. Even though the Grimm among the seas will not attack non-hoshidan ships, they could become drawn to it and want to investigate what's all the commotion, either out of curiosity, they are animals in not just appearance but in based instincts as well, or as an excuse to attack ships and snuff out any Hoshidans being smuggled at seas to Nohr. In Nohr, the Royal Family use the Grimm to regulate and enforce their laws, whenever they sense negativity in their soil they are sent to investigate and there are any sort of violence going on that is unwarranted, the Grimm stop them while avoiding any casualties, unless there was no choice, subsequently reducing the need for Soldiers. Using fear tactics to prevent the populace from succumbing to aggression often sends a bad message that could denounced the Nobility, however because Nohr has been preparing for war against Hoshido for fourteen years, it's understandable why they don't want any hindrances amongst themselves.

"We'll be fine, Hana especially knows better than to blow a tantrum when it wouldn't do Lady Sakura any favors." Hinata shrugged. "How about you Robin, we have yet to see your swordplay yet, Lady Corrin says you can hold your own against Nohr's beast of a Crown Prince fairly well."

"I like to think I'm gifted when it comes to all manner of combat." Robin agreed. "While we're added, we should start training Mozu as well, just in case she gets caught in a fight again since she refused to run off during the last one, it's best to ready her for the worse."

"Certainly."

"I don't know how useful I can be but I promise I'll do my best." Mozu swore, agreeing to Robin's idea.

"Just don't push yourself so hard, too much training can be as bad as no training at all." Robin advised before turning to Oboro. "How about you Oboro, Mozu seems to prefer polearms so I could use your help in training her."

"Pass, I don't want to get involved in anything that literally screams out, 'come get us you stupid blackhearts'." Oboro declined.

"Since when do you back out from training?" Hinata questioned.

"Hey, I'm trying to keep us safe, the seas are more terrifying than ever."

"Don't be a baby, it takes the negative thoughts of more than two people for even Grimm so close to feel it."

"You're the only baby I've ever laid eyes on Hinata. Fine, just don't come crying to me when a Kraken pulls you under."

"Pardon the intrusion, my friends." Kaze said as he comes in as well.

"Hey, partner, anything worth noting?" Robin greeted.

"Yes but I'm afraid it's nothing good." Kaze said somberly, worrying the rest of them.

"Grimm?"

"Yes, it's best you see for yourself." Kaze said as the five of them follow the Ninja to the west side of the ship. "Saizo, Kagero and I have notice that Sea-Grimm have been showing up more frequently in the seas, they have been discreet about their presence that most sailors wouldn't notice but not for our eyes. Most of them would pass by and not pay us any mind except for brief glances, however this Leviathan in particular has been following us for seven minutes now, quiet and cautious as any true predator."

"And seven minutes is as good as any indication that it's looking for an excuse to sink us." Robin said as he uses a telescope he borrowed to investigate the southwest part of the ship that Kaze pointed and he notices a large dark creature underwater that can barely be seen following them.

"It hasn't attacked yet so it must suspect something, any chance any of the sailors are doing something twisted without our knowledge?" Hayato suggested, thinking of something that someone his age should never even think about.

"Unlikely, anyone who travels anywhere should beware negative thoughts otherwise they'll attract Grimm, I'm afraid its reason for following us is because of Lady Corrin." Kaze revealed. "Setsuna had an accident that resulted in her falling off the ship and Lady Hinoka and Lady Corrin provided her aid but a shark was nearby and so she had to use her dragonic powers to stop the attack."

"Great, and the strongest Grimm are able to sense magic, like this big beast, everyone in Nohr has to know by now that the only person in Horus that can turn into a dragon is her and every Grimm is out to get her." Oboro muttered. "But why hasn't it attacked yet?"

"It probably felt her power for only a brief moment enough to earn its attention but it's not sure if it's really Corrin, so it's just going to wait for anything that would cause her to unleash her powers again and knowing our rotten luck we can't take any risks and hope that she won't let loose." Robin surmised.

"And we can't pick a fight with it here, we'll endanger the sailors and attract more Grimm. Sure, we have Lilith who can pull us out into that pocket dimension of hers but we can't tolerate any more delays to find Lord Ryoma." Hinata said.

"We have many solutions to this problem, the one I deem the second safest for the ship, at least is that we draw it's attention elsewhere." Robin concluded as he puts the scope down.

"What, are you going to fly up to it, electrocute the ocean and get it to follow you." Hayato questioned.

"Not exactly but we are close to the three southern islands, I wager that thing's fast while underwater in spite of its size and the best solution is to get it to leave the ship alone. The hard part is convincing it to chase after me." Robin said.

"It will be difficult to fight it; a Leviathan's skin is the same as a Wyvern's in the sense that the best way to deal with it is with the use of Wyrm Weapons." Kaze noted.

"I'm aware, but I believe I can pull it off, after all, if the Leviathan is chasing us because it senses powerful magic that it believes a threat to Nohr, which is the case should Corrin lose control again, and even though my magic reserve is still low from my fight with Sloth I can still muster up enough of it to get it to turn away." Robin said.

"Hey now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, Hero, you can't expect us to just sit around and do nothing while you go fuck off and get yourself eaten by one of the biggest weapons in Nohr's arsenal." Hinata argued against the idea.

"Can you fly?" Robin asked sarcastically.

"No, but we have three others who can do good."

"No can do in sending Hinoka, Subaki and Reina, I've read the reports in all your battles at sea, every sky unit sent to so much as stall a Leviathan have been decimated rather easily. Leviathans have excellent aiming that Kinshi have to push their reflexes to their limit and it's not much without a human partner who's perfectly synchronized with its movement, and their fire breaths are mix with electricity, that's a combo no animal deserves to experience." Robin calculated. "Trust me, this is for the best, we may all work better as a team in an open battlefield but like you said, we can't tolerate any more delays in reaching Ryoma."

"The last time you set off on your own to fight a big evil monster, Lady Corrin sucker punched you and blew a tantrum, you do this you might end up as dead as a smelly goat." Mozu warned, knowing what awaits him if he comes back with Corrin waiting as there is literally no way to keep this event a secret from her.

"Hell have no fury like a woman's scorn, which is why being eaten by a giant sea-creature doesn't sound so bad." Robin replied as he jumps off the ship and dives down into the ocean and swims, well, fly towards the Leviathan underwater.

"Smart, that's why he's the brains of the operations." Hinata agreed playfully with Hayato nodding in agreement. Kaze remains silent not sure how to respond, especially when he notices Oboro give her famous demonic glare in offense, and even Mozu is also offended.

"Men!"

Robin gets closer to the giant Grimm and is able to get a closer look at it, and it is a true behemoth; a bipedal, reptilian-like sea creature with four humanoid limbs and a long tail. It has four gills on each side of its neck and a collection of dorsal plates protruding from its back, with red webbing between each plate. It has a dolphin-like head with a mouth filled with sharp teeth and three yellow eyes on each side of the head. Like many other Grimm it has external ribs.

The Leviathan turns its head to stare at the puny human that dares get close and can be squashed easily with its barehand and he would barely be noticeable. Robin again channels the power of Ignis, and even though the power takes the form of fire, it doesn't seem like water can extinguish it as they form into an aura around his body, and this definitely gets the monster's attention, as it can feel a vile surge of intense rage, destruction and power.

'That's it, follow the horrid flames.' Robin mused as he goes left, towards Notre Sagesse and as he expected, the Leviathan starts following him, and rather fast as Robin has to go full throttle, else it would've already caught him, though considering how exhausted he still is after fighting Sloth, he won't be as fast as he normally can, but enough to reach one of the islands rather quickly.

'Okay, this thing is faster than I initially thought but I can still pull this off.' Robin cursed as he almost gets caught by the Leviathan's mouth as it is gaining on him. He manages to evade again by going upward, briefly getting out of the sea with the Leviathan raising its head, continuing to try and eat him but only exposed its head for a brief moment as well before Robin went back underwater and goes deeper with the Grimm in hot pursuit.

* * *

"Damn, he's fast, their already so far away." Hayato noted as he, Kaze, Mozu, Hinata and Oboro are now in the southeast side of the ship, and he uses the telescope to see where he's going and if not for the Leviathan raising its head they would've never noticed the exact location.

"Okay, great, he managed to get the Leviathan off our asses but what are the odds that his stunt won't cause other Grimm to come after him?" Oboro questioned, nervously.

"Very high, though I sincerely doubt he didn't think that part through, though how does he intend to truly get away from the Leviathan and rush back here safely is something I wish he'd briefed with us before rushing in like that." Kaze cursed his 'partner' for his latest reckless stunt. "Lady Corrin will go berserk again once she finds out about this."

"Yeah, but look on the bright side, as long as it's not towards any of us, its all well and good." Hinata pointed out.

"Was that a Leviathan's head from afar?" Questioned Takumi as he, Sakura and Lilith arrive at the scene and they caught a glimpse of the Leviathan but are more surprise on what the retainers are doing here like they're looking out for something. "Didn't we agreed to remain in contact in case a storm came raining down on us? The Nohrian kind."

"Apologies, Lord Takumi but the whale problem we just got was one Robin seemed adamant on dealing with alone." Oboro explained, wearily.

"WHAT?!" Sakura and Lilith cried in horror.

"And why would that suicide bomber want to bother with Grimm when they usually leave Mokushujin ships alone?" Takumi asked, irritated.

"That one specifically has been tailing us for seven minutes now." Kaze explained.

"And seven minutes is as good as any indication that it's waiting for an excuse to sink us." Takumi hissed, coming to the same conclusion as Robin but still annoyed.

"W-We… we can't let him fight that monster alone, he could die!" Sakura begged dreadfully.

"Fighting that thing at its element is asking to be killed so he must be planning to lead it to the islands nearby." Lilith guessed.

"Forget the Leviathan, Corrin will do the killing when she finds out about this, especially with how she reacted after seeing how he turned out with that stronger Deadly Sin." Takumi hissed.

"Should we tell her?" Hayato asked.

"Yes, even if he does make it back safely, it won't be without getting a wound and I get the feeling that she'll find out about this one way or another." Takumi said. "She and mother are alike in that regard, making a big deal about everything, even when there's nothing."

* * *

"So, you're sure that they fed you right, not a single day went by without nourishment in your system?" Hinoka asked Corrin, wanting to verify that she was fed well during her time in Nohr.

"Yes, Hinoka, I know it might be hard to grasps but happiness in Nohr is easy to find, at least from how I saw things, my only real problem aside from the frustration of being trapped in a fortress always is that my servants were all overbearing, one of them being constantly paranoid and taking every minor issue I have as if it would bring about the end of the world. The real challenge was finding real solitude." Corrin explained to her big sister, pretty much everything she told Azura about her time in Nohr and more.

"Good, that checks out of my to do list on the number of paybacks I have in mind for Nohr." Hinoka noted relief to hear that things weren't as bad for Corrin as she feared for so long. "Listen, Corrin, now that you brought it up and considering all you first went through, I'm really sorry about what happened in the Canyon, I'm sure your servants were pretty great if you're mourning for them as much as you are."

"That means so much coming from you, Hinoka. You're Retainers are alright all things considering." Corrin said.

"Are you kidding! Those two numbskulls are nothing but trouble." Hinoka scoffed over her two retainers. "You can count on them when a fight is involved but with everything else, not a day goes by where I wish I had recommended Kaze to be my retainer instead of Azama at least. Don't get me wrong, those two are the type of friends you slowly warm up to until you're perfectly happy when you admit that you don't mind having them around but as Retainers, let alone members of the Royal Guard is serious work that those two take for granted too often, Azama thrives on insulting people for kicks and giggles while Setsuna had a boring silver-plate childhood that she no longer appreciates her noble life and kept wishing dying of boredom was possible, now she goes out of her way to throw herself into danger on purpose just to feel something. I lost count on how many traps I had to pull her out of. You think her tripping off a ship and into a shark is bad, you should've seen what she did when she fought a Grimm for the first time, you swear then and there that she was suicidal."

"Wow, this war must be a dream come true for her." Corrin said, immensely concern for the Sniper.

"She'd never admit it but yeah, she's been looking forward to this level of violence for a while, hence why she's always volunteered to guard our borders from Grimm attacks with me. But that's why she's my favorite of the two, I respect a person who thrives in combat for fun but still values the lives of her comrades enough not to go overboard when they're nearby." Hinoka said, now smiling in regards to Setsuna. "Azama as well, it's easy for me to say I hate him, especially if what Mozu said about him is true but I owe him a debt from all those times I almost got myself killed and he was the one to pick up the slack, I wouldn't trade them but I'll never feel shame in admitting how much I envy, Ryoma, Takumi and Sakura for having better retainers. Especially you now that you got Kaze."

"What, you crushing on my Retainer?" Corrin teased.

"Don't get smart with me, little miss, I'm the one who should be asking that. Relationships between a Royal and their own Retainers is not unheard of, my Grandmother was a simple Shrine Maiden of common birth until gramps set his sights on her to name one example out of many in our history." Hinoka fought back on the teasing since many have noticed how Corrin obviously feels about Robin.

"There's nothing going on between me and Rob." Corrin argued. "Especially now since I'm all riled up with his apparent thoughts at suicide."

"C'mon Corrin, you saw the state, Saizo, Kagero, Rinkah and Orochi were in when he pulled them out of there, no way we could get near this Sloth abomination without meeting the same fate, and you especially saw the state Robin was in when Lilith pulled him out of there. His will may be adamantine but if anyone can do that to someone like him, the rest of us wouldn't had stood a chance." Hinoka insisted.

"All the more reason for Robin not to put himself in such dangerous situations."

"You sound just like mother and Sakura, guess it runs in most of the family." Hinoka smiled.

"You think so." Corrin smiled back.

"Sakura? Lady Sakura?!" Hana can be heard heading towards them, looking a little anxious.

"Hana, you looking for Sakura?" Corrin called out to the loyal Retainer.

"Eek!" Hana is somehow startled by Corrin calling out to her, even though she should have noticed her before coming here. "Oh, it's you two. Do you need me for something?"

"Wait, did you say "eek" when you saw me? That's not a reaction I get very often… Never mind. Sakura isn't over here." Corrin explained.

"Oh. Well, thanks for letting me know. Goodbye, then." Hana said about to take her leave.

"Hang on, just like that?! Wait a minute, Hana!" Corrin demanded for her to stop.

"What is it? I really need to find Lady Sakura?" Hana said, growing agitated.

"I can already tell where this is heading." Hinoka sighed, with hints of amusement.

"I feel like there's some pretty intense animosity coming from you. Did I do something to slight you in some way?" Corrin asked, it wasn't that long ago that she said she wanted to be fast friends with Corrin.

"Well… not to sound disrespectful but you kind of did." Hana confessed.

"I can't think of what it could be, but I apologize for it just the same."

"Lady Sakura has spent years being sad over your kidnapping. I've watched her try and hide the tears countless times. And I don't like someone who makes my best friend cry!" Hana said angrily.

"That is completely not my fault!" Corrin argued. "I was the one true victim in that scenario."

"Well if that's how you feel than why should I bother wasting more of my time." Hana hissed.

"Sheesh… you do know that poor girl will cry for just about anything right, even when she's very happy she still finds an excuse." Corrin protested.

"Oh, so it's Lady Sakura's fault that she missed you!" Hana snapped.

"Well, she's not wrong, Hana." Hinoka spoke up next.

"Not you too, Lady Hinoka."

"I can already tell that you two will be getting along in your own pace, so let's do Sakura a favor and not start a fight against one another, like EVER." Hinoka insisted while in a really good mood. "And regarding Sakura, she's probably with Takumi, who else does she want to be with when not with you, Hana, heck she's probably with Mozu or Hayato. Their new in the group and she likes meeting new people and they're nice, in spite of the boy's ego and the closest to her age. And then there's Lilith, she's a Dragon and Sakura is fascinated with them more than the rest of the family so she'll definitely want to become friends with her."

"Lilith is very lovable." Corrin agreed.

"And look, here she comes right now with the four I just mentioned and more." Hinoka said, noticing her other siblings and the others, along with Setsuna, Azama, Rinkah, Saizo and Kagero walk to where the three women are.

"Sakura! There you are!" Hana cheered.

"You guys look worked up, what's going on?" Hinoka asked casually.

"Yeah, we've got a situation, I mean, we're not in any danger ourselves, much less the rest of the crew but someone is definitely in big trouble." Takumi explained.

"Who's in danger?" Corrin asked, worried.

"We'll tell you, but you have to promise to stay calm, Corrin." Azura said, very insistent on Corrin remaining calm when they tell her.

"Why would I need to… w-where's Robin?" She quickly demanded.

* * *

Robin flies out of the ocean and takes to the air with the Leviathan still in hot pursuit, pulling its head out and from its mouth it fires a fire breath attack, electricity in the mix with incredible speed but Robin manages to avoid it and in retaliation, he shoots a powerful Thoron at the ocean that in turn electrocutes the Leviathan, making it roar in pain but it is a mighty creature and recovers shortly after before diving back down to the water for a few seconds before coming out, literally jumping off the sea and going upwards towards the Mage Fighter. The beast nearly stomps on him but he manage to avoid it and quickly gets behind it, where Robin makes the next move by creating an enormous bullet of concentrated wind streams and fires it at the back, forcing it down back underwater and causing an enormous splash of water.

"If I somehow didn't get the attention of other Grimm before I sure did now." Robin said as he notices some newcomers arriving not far from him. The next Grimm to reveal themselves are six of one new type that are the dragonic Feilongs, enormous serpentine bodies with short arms with claws, a bone-scaled underbelly, and a spiked spine. They each have black skin and large external skulls, as well as red glowing gills on each side of their necks. At once they each fire lightning breath attacks at Robin that he is blocks by creating a barrier around himself.

"Everyone is in to lightning today." Robin said as he continues to fly off to Notre Sagesse. While three of them chase after him by swimming the other three take to the sky with large red wings coming out of the fins on their backs and begin to fly.

* * *

Frenzy hits Corrin hard once she learns what Robin is doing from the others, wrapping her hands on her head and starts screaming out of pure rage, while walking away from the rest of her hoshidan comrades, frightening Sakura as well as the Pegasi, while Reina's Kinshi looks at the mad princess warily.

"She's not calm at all." Takumi sighed.

"We can see that Takumi!" Hinoka hissed at him.

"THAT BASTARD!" Corrin yelled as she slams her fists on a large box that was left there by one of the sailors, reasons unimportant and with little effort, breaks the box to smithereens, afterwards she reaches for her Dragonstone. "Forget the Leviathan, I'll kill him myself!"

"But didn't you say you hate your dragon powers?" Mozu muttered.

"Not as much as I hate him right now!" Corrin snapped as she does not hesitate to enter her Dragon Form, with the aim to fly towards Robin. She has no idea on the actual direction he is taking but she doesn't have the capacity to think clearly now. Unfortunately, the Princess finds that her wings don't seem to be working as they barely keep her midair the more she flaps them. "What's going on? They're not working."

"You don't have the experience to fly on your own, Corrin." Lilith revealed.

"Why, she could fly amazingly well when she first transformed?" Kaze asked.

"Yeah, her inner dragonic consciousness could fly amazingly well but while her humanity is in control, her true form can't work at full capacity, due to not receiving any training on how to be a dragon." Lilith explained.

"Oh, I get it, it's like a baby pegasus who requires a lot of time and training to develop decent enough muscle memory to even glide for a short time." Hinoka concluded.

"Precisely."

"For Qliphoth's… Fucking…"

"Please, calm down Corrin, I can help you. Just… don't destroy the ship." Lilith pleaded as she assumes her own dragon form and floats on top of Corrin and begins channeling magic from her Dragonstone, causing the immature wings to glow with an aquamarine aura and before anyone knew it, Corrin starts flying.

"This is more like it!" Corrin howled satisfied.

"Hold on a moment, Corrin, I'll go with you." Hinoka insisted.

"No, Hinoka! Robin's my loose bird, I'll put him back in his cage myself!" Corrin declared viciously as she flies off with Lilith towards Notre Sagesse, at least the little Astral knows the way.

"Did anyone else just shit themselves by her sudden monstrous attitude?" Hinata asked, admittedly scared by how Corrin just reacted. "Because I think I just did."

"We smell nothing so you're clean but I honestly wouldn't fault you if you did." Takumi muttered.

* * *

Robin makes it to the shore of one of the three islands south of Horus, arguably the smallest one and there is no one nearby to get caught in the fight and rushes into the forest to hide, shortly after the Leviathans and the six Feilongs arrive as well. Robin hides among the trees closest to the beach to freely examine the Grimm who begin their search for him, such as the Leviathan who comes out of the water.

"All or nothing now." Robin muttered, breathing heavily as he really is reaching his limit as he uses Ignis yet again and does something spectacular as he pours the flames out of him and gives it a shape that makes it look like a fiery copy of himself and sends it out to face the Grimm, who waste no time in attacking with Robin doing everything he can to have his spell avoid any in coming attack thrown at it, especially as the Leviathan steps in and fires its own breath attack, already spreading destruction to the forest and nearly hitting the real Robin.

'C'mon! C'mon!' Robin cursed as he manages to get his fiery self out of harm's way and sends it flying away east with hopes of luring them away from him now and pushing his limits, makes the copy fly incredibly fast. The Leviathan makes one of the most furious and frustrated roar Robin has ever heard that it makes him cover his ears, before the great giant returns to the sea to catch up to the copy along with the other Grimm, leaving Robin alone finally.

"Finally…" Robin sighed in relief while breathing heavily and allows himself to fall from the tree branch he was hiding in, now that the threat is long gone.

'That fire should fade away in a few seconds but by then those things will be far enough from the others. Though, there is a chance that they'll come back here to investigate so I better book it too if they do.' He mused. 'But I could really use some rest right about now.'

Sadly, the Tactician is not out of the woods yet as another large Grimm arrives on the island; a skull-like creature with three pairs of eyes, a pair of horns, and several tentacles, and uses one of them to grab Robin by the leg by surprise.

"A Kraken!" He uttered in a panic as the octopus-like Grimm pulls him in closer and he quickly sets himself free from the tentacles with his Levin Sword and slices it off easily, angering the raging beast as it launches all of its tentacles at once to catch Robin and this time he will not be able to defend himself with seven of them to counter now at once.

Fortunately for him, or unfortunate, depending how one looks at it, Corrin and Lilith arrive at the scene and stump down on the octopus grimm from above, destroying it instantly, and the shockwaves from the impact pushes Robin a few feet away.

"Crap… this could've gone better…" Robin muttered.

"Woo, that could've gone worse fast." Lilith smiled as she flies off the Dragon Princess. "I've never gifted someone with the Power of Flight before but I'm rather proud to have pulled it off so well."

"Yeah, that was rather enjoyable and all, nice job Lilith." Corrin praised rather emotionlessly while returning to her human form as her thoughts linger to someone else. "You on the other hand."

"Okay, before you get angry…" Robin began as he gets back on his feet, trying to come up with some way to get her not to lash out on him. Corrin ends up lashing out on him anyway by furiously sucker punching him again, this time hard enough to knock him to the sands.

"Whoa!" Lilith cried out, even though she saw this coming but what she did not expect was for Corrin to continue her tantrum as she gets on top of Robin and proceeds to hit him some more.

"You son of a bitch! If you want to die so badly, I'll kill you myself!" Corrin goes crazy angry and won't stop hitting Robin.

"Lady Corrin, please stop! He has serious Magic Overuse and needs to be treated pronto." Lilith pleaded with her to stop.

"Get back to the ship and leave us alone, Lilith!" Corrin ordered.

"But…"

"I SAID GET BACK TO THE SHIP!" Corrin stops her assault and points menacingly at the faithful stable girl, causing her to squeal in fright and reluctantly leave.

"Please try not to die Robin. Also there are Grimm heading this way."

Corrin turns right to see the Grimm Robin previously chased away come back, probably because of Corrin's dragonic presence and just growls at them for interfering.

* * *

"So… are we just going to leave them in the island until she stops beating him up, they decide to kiss and make out." Takumi asked Lilith as she explains to the rest of the whole group what happened.

"No, I'm sure she stopped hitting him and is just going to yell at him for a while." Lilith said. "There's really no need to worry, I've marked the island and the ship as well so we can just pull them in when I'm sure their done."

"Why can't we just put them in the Astral Plane and their conversation can be done within minutes for us." Hana asked.

"I panicked, Corrin is kind of scary when she's angry, I mean she's certainly become scarier as of late but it's obvious as to why she would be like this." Lilith muttered.

"Where did she get that temper from, I thought she had happiness in that fortress prison of hers?" Hinoka wondered.

"Oh, she and Lord Leo have always had this playful and sometimes competitive rivalry that really riled her off over the years, combined with how frustratingly overbearing Lady Camilla and her butler Jakob can be, as well as her resentment towards Garon for only acting like a father when she shows more progress as a knight, so yes, she's had a lot of suppressed pent-up aggression, just not the one any of you expected." Lilith explained.

"That doesn't sound so bad, and no real excuse for her to be so hostile either." Orochi said.

"I know but I'm sure things will work out and we should be safe for now."

"That's a big if, why was that Leviathan following us anyway?" Hinoka questioned.

"That was because of Corrin using her dragonic powers. Grimm are drawn to all forms of negativity and us Dragons are chaotic in nature, even the most peaceful and levelheaded of our kind represent a form of danger due to the power surging through us having both positive and negative qualities." Lilith explained in regards to the previous incident. "Even though it was only for a brief moment, her using it drew the attention of the Leviathan, we're just lucky that it didn't attack immediately and it was the only one of its type around at the time."

"My bad, guys, I should've been more careful, especially with the dangers lying on every corner." Setsuna apologized and taking responsibility for this.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Setsuna, I should've known that the aquatic life were going crazy with all the Grimm and brought along something to be ready for the worse." Hinoka stepped in next, also feeling responsible.

"Take on a shark underwater with just a Spear? Don't be delusional Hinoka, the fault is all Corrin's so let's not deny the truth." Takumi objected.

"Hey, I'll have you know that a scratch from a Beast Killer is all it takes to kill a shark."

"I bear some responsibility since I should've warned all of you of the risks of her becoming a dragon when in the presence of the Grimm." Lilith intercepted.

"Ladies, please, putting the blame on someone doesn't solve anything but encourage others to hold grudges that the rest of us don't have time for." Kaze intervened. "This was an isolated incident, just like everything else that's happened today, so let's leave it at that. Grimm attacks will happen no matter how hard we try to avoid it."

"He's right, like it or not this was bound to happen, the amount of times that we can actually rest in Horus is sorely limited, it will be a miracle if we go through the rest of the ride unscathed." Azura surmised.

"That much is undeniable." Takumi added.

"T-That's right, what matters is that everyone got out of it okay, no need for anyone to feel responsible." Sakura insisted, with mostly everyone agreeing.

* * *

Nighttime had fallen, Corrin and Robin are still on the island, both lying down on the sand, Corrin had disposed of every Grimm that showed up with her dragon form on her own but it wasn't easy and Robin was in no condition to help, because of him recklessly overusing his magic and her beating him. Robin is now staring at the night sky with the stars more visible due to the lack of clouds tonight, though he can only see clearly with his left eyes since his right one is now black because of a punch Corrin delivered, and a few more bruises on his face, while the attacker in question lies next to him, staring right, refusing to look at him and they've been dead silent for hours because she warned him not to speak to her, much less leave her side until she did not specified. She especially didn't let him talk while she was abusing the poor man.

"Am I allowed to talk now?" He finally asked annoyingly to the berserk princess but she remains quiet, causing him to sigh for the fiftieth time. "You can't stay mad at me forever, you know, I know it wasn't a smart idea at all but it's not like any of us would've wanted to risk starting a fight in the ship with everyone in danger, so I chose to take the path that put everyone in less danger."

"Less danger Pegasus dung, Robin. The way I see it you were just trying to make an impression so that the others will trust you more." Corrin scoffed.

"You know that's not true, Corrin, I don't care enough about Hoshido to be friends with any of them. All of this has been for your sake alone." Robin countered.

"Not at the expense of your life, dammit!" Corrin scolded as she sits up straight. "I never asked you or anyone else to be my fall guy, nor do I want one! EVER!"

"There's almost always going to be a fall guy in war, Cor, and I'm the outsider that barely anyone knows so it's quite appropriate that I be the one carrying everyone's weight for as long as possible." Robin declared.

"Forget about the others!" Corrin protested and gets on top of Robin again but no punching this time. "Don't forget that I'm an outsider too and it's obvious that not all of them are ready to truly trust us yet. Kaze, Azura, Hinoka and Sakura aside, you, me and Lilith are all we really got now. I don't want either of you getting hurt."

To make sure she fully remembers her own hypocrisy, Robin points a finger on his black eye.

"Could've fooled me." He muttered sarcastically.

"You're missing the point!" She snapped.

"No, Corrin, I do see your point of view, and I'm sorry I worry you, when worrying can be the equivalent to torture for those who hold those they care for deep in their hearts but you have to understand." Robin began solemnly. "This is how I do things. I can't possibly begin to understand myself but deep down I know this is who I've always been before I lost my memories."

"Really, does that mean that being berated and punched for such actions give you Deja Vue frequently?" Corrin questioned.

"Pretty much." He sighed.

"Then I'll keep doing both until you get it into your thick skull that I'm not letting you die for me!" Corrin continues with her endless berating. "Don't you dare ever forget that you once told me, on your first night in the Fortress while Xander, Camilla, Jakob and Gunter expressed concerns of you being a danger to me, you assured me, and me alone that you'd never hurt me. You promised!"

"**DADDY**, **COME BACK**! **You said you**'**d never hurt me**. **You promised**!"

Her words caused a sort of flash to surface into Robin's thoughts, a painful memory buried deep within not his mind but his heart.

"I know I did, and I told you, I'm made of adamantine, I'll find my way back to you if the worse does happen, so just smile and let's get back to the ship." Robin insisted with a genuine smile, and somehow, that smile is enough to calm Corrin down and smile back at him.

"Alright then, as long as you learned your lesson, we can get back to the others now."

"Wonderful, but how exactly do we get back, I know Lilith marked this place before she left but how do we call her?" Robin asked, causing Corrin to groan.

"We… never bothered to ask her that important detail…"

* * *

**This chapter was purely conversational and give the characters time to relax and enjoy themselves, and support with each other and boost their morale and trust, and if you read all the support conversations, I'm sure you notice that Robin's conversations with Saizo and Azama were actually C-Supports that Corrin and Azura have with them respectively, and while I felt that they fit right well with Robin considering the level of distrust everyone has and deemed them appropriate. The shark joke seemed out of place and a lame subplot to start the fight but I needed an excuse to introduce more Grimm since I want to get them out in the early chapters.**

**Anyway, this is all for now and don't expect any more chapters next week or the next, it's not that I have finally hit writers block, is that I have some family drama to deal with, one of my uncles had an accident. He's not hurt physically but he is going through a very tough time and my mom wants the whole family to be there for him so we'll be staying with him for a while and I've always been a team player so I'll try to do what I can and I'm not sure when I can get back at this.**


	11. Chapter 11: Cyrkensia

***Chapter 11: Cyrkensia**

"Okay… I think I figured a way around this." Corrin said as she is back in the interior of the ship just hanging out with most of her friends, Robin and Lilith mainly, Azura, Kaze and Mozu as well, along with Hinoka and Sakura. Takumi and Saizo are also there but they're keeping their distance for reasons Corrin cares not for as she is more focus on solving this challenge Robin gave her. "You let the main force rest but send a small strike force of your best fighters. That way, you minimize risk while also having the best chance of taking down the foe. What do you think about that?!"

"It sounds reasonable enough…" Robin replied, only partially satisfied with her answer. Corrin decided to get back on her training in tactics and enlisted Robin to tutor her due to his expertise, she could barely keep up with Leo's lessons for reasons she refuses to talk about so perhaps Robin will be a more reliable teacher. Granted, he has offered her a few pointers during her studies since he seemed to catch on fast to what he's heard but everyone kept shutting him off. Corrin's gonna have to remember to bitch slap Leo when they see each other again, which is eventually, and provided she doesn't go numb upon seeing her… adoptive brother now as enemies.

"But what if their retreat was just a ruse, and they littered the mountain with traps?" Robin raised the stakes of his tactical scenario.

"H-hey! You didn't say anything about traps!" Corrin protested.

"Without knowing anything about the path ahead, sending anyone is a risk." Robin noted.

"Yeah, and so that's why you send your best men and minimize casualties."

"Indeed, it's likely that by doing this victory can be achieve, however the Nohrian Army is nothing if not tenacious and dreadfully deceiving, and their terrains are constantly in the dark so it's easy for them to plan traps that at first glance seem hard to spot and Hoshidan soldiers like Ninjas, Kinshi Knights and Basaras are known for always catching their prey so they have to know that even though they managed to escape there's a high chance they were followed to their camp and have to be ready to defend themselves." Robin advised.

"By that logic then we shouldn't pursue them at all and not waste a single casualty." Corrin replied.

"Yes, that would be the logical course of action, even if some would object to being too cautious."

"You mean Takumi?"

"Shut up!" The younger stepbrother snapped offended as he too has a talent for tactics and does favor caution over offense, not that Corrin will acknowledge it, giving their rocky relationship.

"Let's look at it like this then, we're the ones who are hiding out in enemy territory, the place being the Woods of Forlorn, no loss of lives yet and our equipment is in acceptable conditions to last as for two weeks at best and we're on our way Niflheim to meet with the Ice Tribe who are too rebelling against Nohr and have managed to remained perfectly conspicuous up until they decided to send a message to us to know that they can protect us but in doing so the Nohrians finally catch wind of this as soon as they find us and we have to take them down before they inform the Capital and send Grimm to attack the Tribe for their actions. The enemy is defeated but most of our equipment is lost in the fire, such as most of our Healing Rods and the few we have left must be expended wisely and the enemy retreated and we have to catch up to them before all of the main force learns of what we know but there's a high guarantee that we be walking into a trap. What must be done, do we go for it and prevent the Ice Tribe from getting ravage, knowing that we must lose some or more of our own just to forge this alliance and restock, or do we save ourselves and leave the Tribe behind?" Robin raised the stakes even higher.

"Oh, C'mon! That's even harder than it was earlier!" Corrin cried out.

"Truly, but such hard choices are to be expected in war, better to fail in a scenario and learn from it than to fail in real life." Kaze spoke up. "Just answer with how you think for now is what's best."

"Okay… well in that case I would choose to go after the fleeing enemy and make sure the Ice Tribe doesn't get exposed." Corrin made her decision. "If we are expecting a trap than we should obviously sent a scout group by air? Like pegasus knights or whatever. They map out the area, nail down the enemy's position, and sniff out any traps. THEN we send a ground force to take out the enemy. There's the risk of explosive mines, sure but even though they'll be expecting Ninjas to spot the traps doesn't mean they'll be completely prepared for them, especially if we enchant them with Magic to make their movements soundproof or at the very least actually invisible."

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere." Robin said more intrigued.

"The aerial units are covered from archers by ground troops with archers of our own and the aerial units make sure the ground troops don't go in blind." Corrin finished, feeling proud of herself. "How is that?"

"It's a C+ plan, with an A+ for effort." Robin praised.

"No, no, that deserves an 82% B, at best." Corrin whined.

"It's a great idea, Corrin, but the scenario I gave you lacks air support. In this hypothetical situation, there ARE no sky knights or… whatever to send. That's why pursuing the enemy and stopping them from exposing the Ice Tribe is a huge risk in the first place, otherwise there be little room to argue about not saving the tribe." Robin tutored.

"Y-you can't do this! You can't keep making up new rules all the time!" Corrin cried.

"Corrin, he literally told you before you started this that he would put you through scenarios where you can't have aerial support and are completely earthbound, you're lucky he doesn't give you a C minus for blindly ignoring the handicaps." Azura reminded her, causing the novice princess to groan loudly in defeat.

"Sephiroth, she's so loud." Takumi hissed.

"You seriously can't afford to go easy on me, I am still a rooky in all these tactics." Corrin pleaded.

"Not really, no." Robin muttered a bit smugly, showing off small hints of a grudged for the beating she gave him days ago, even though he's completely healed, thanks to Lilith.

"Prick…"

"Why do you want to learn to be a tactician, we have Robin for that?" Mozu asked.

"I won't always be around, either because I was taken out or was needed elsewhere, so it's best to keep everyone prepared on what to do when things get out of hand. Sure, sometimes the best defense is a good offense but when an enemy is known for focusing on more offense caution is key." Robin advised. "Look at it this way, Corrin, unlike Nohr that is a country rich with metal and steel, Hoshido is rich with wood and iron. Nohrians rely on perfecting strong bulky tower outposts made of steel, Hoshidans are masters of the art of woodcraft; making buildings of wood that can blend with the surroundings of a forest, using iron to dim the light that would give away their position when hiding from Nohrian scouts, usually by ninjas, and plan decent ambushes. Regardless of our current strength we have to pride ourselves in our offense being a good defense, at least that's how I see it."

"He's right, Hoshido's military has always favored high speed, defense and resistance over strength, not that we don't have any to back up our might, of course but our tacticians, such as Yukimura always favored using strategies that offer us minor casualties as possible." Kaze added. "We're no strangers to sacrificial moves and more potent tactics, though naturally those are used as last resorts but are always put into consideration and due to our current numbers being very small we must remain stealthy and on the defensive as long as preferable."

"That is a lot to process." Corrin sighed.

"You'll get there, Corrin, all it takes is time, for now focus on what you're good at and that is fighting unpredictably." Azura said.

"Unpredictably?" Corrin repeated.

"I've been there for most of your recent battles and was there during your spar with Hinata and later Hinoka this morning, you seem to favor speedy and strong attacks but the way you move makes it seem like you're leaving yourself wide open but almost always parry every hit on time. I don't think I've ever seen Hinoka struggle so much like that, though it was obvious for a while that you were the better fighter." Azura noted.

"Ah, yes, Corrin was trained her whole life by Nohr's finest swordsman, former Supreme Commander Gunter and Crown Prince Xander, though she picked up on both their fighting styles neither suited her and in her attempts to make her own she found that she has a habit of seemingly letting herself wide open to, as you said catch them off guard when she parries, though Lord Xander has noted that she does this subconsciously since she prefers to go with the flow." Lilith explained.

"It is a peculiar, if not concerning fighting style that can prove effective if used correctly and it seems like it's right for you." Hinoka added.

"I don't know what made me cry more, the thought of ever fighting Xander while he uses Siegfried, since he never uses it when training me, or all those times he scolded me when I kept fighting like this." Corrin muttered, recalling all those painful moments when Xander criticized her for doing something he does not approve of. "I don't even know why I fight like that, nor how to stop, it's just something inside that clicks whenever I am force to make an answer with my sword."

"Well that's one of the things that makes you special apart from all the other supernatural qualities, unpredictable is good." Robin praised. "Makes the Weapon Triangle more inadequate."

"Isn't the Weapon Triangle just a game mechanic for that war boardgame the Scholars in Notre Sagesse invented?" Azura asked.

"Yes but there is merit to it in real combat, for example, swords are swift and can flow past an axe much better than a lance, an axe's bulk allows it to deflect a lance's thrust better than a sword, and a lance's range keeps a sword at bay more so than the typical primitive range of an axe. No weapon is greater than the other, each bests one and is bested by another. Tomes are also known to have a greater advantage against bows, just as bows have an advantage over Shurikens and Shurikens have an advantage over Scrolls." Robin tutored. "Every little detail counts, and always overestimating the enemy means you're always cautious but of course there's no shame in improvising and going with what you'd got, even if it's not enough."

"Y-you're really w-w-well versed when it comes to w-w-war… aren't you?" Sakura said next, raising the question that everyone, not including Corrin has been wondering ever since Robin joined their ranks and has been offering much aid in their endeavors.

"That is the big mystery of the moment, ain't it?" Robin replied, sounding both longing and sad over his lost memories. "Makes me wonder if perhaps I was a part of another conflict of high states before all this happened."

"There's no point thinking about the past now when the future keeps busting our door open every time we close it." Corrin advised. "Who knows, maybe if we're lucky we'll run into someone from your past over the course of this journey. Heck, for all we know you already did and sadly you can't remember."

"Appreciate the wishful thinking, but don't you think said person would've shown themselves to me sooner once they saw me, that is unless they didn't care for me and are minding their own business." Robin replied.

"I'm just saying, no need to be all paranoid."

"Hey guys, Nestra up ahead." Rinkah called out as she enters the interior to inform everyone that their journey at seas has ended.

"So much for my vacation." Corrin whispered lowly so that no one could hear her.

The made it by nighttime to the west of Horus, directly in the coastal country south of Nohr, Nestra. Corrin stares at the city in awe, as even at night it is quite the beauty and rather bright.

"This place is amazing, it looks almost as grand as Windmire, though not as big but way more beautiful." Corrin said amazed, as she and the rest of their group exit their ship.

"I figured that be your first words here. This here is Nestra's famed Resort City; Cyrkensia." Robin explained to her. "Nestra is another neutral kingdom, Like Izumo. As you can see, this city is known for leisure. People from both Nohr and Hoshido vacation here, even in times of war."

"Wait… this is… Nestra's Resort City?" Corrin muttered, a lot of bad bells ringing in her head.

"You guessed it; this is where it all began. Where our father was murdered and you were taken from us." Hinoka explained, sadness and rage showing in her face but her voice is more compose. Corrin can see that although most of the Hoshidans seem to hold Cyrkensia in high regard, she has notice a reluctance from them coming here due to what Garon had done in this very city.

"This is where it all began." The once stolen Princess whispered, once again trying to recall her lost memories but alas she comes off with nothing yet.

"Enough dilly dally, the sooner we get to Cheve, the sooner we get Ryoma back." Takumi insisted as he does not want to dwell on such dark thoughts for long, granted he has nothing against Nestra, he actually adores this place, but since this is where his father was stolen from his life, he understandably also has mix feelings about staying.

"Will it be safe for us to travel without any trouble from any of the Nohrians that are staying here?" Corrin asked.

"We should be, Nestra's King has long since been a willing supporter to King Garon, helping with Nohr's food shortages so a truce was forged that Nohrians are not allow to engage in any sort of conflict, this is the same for any Hoshidan staying here and so far neither side have started a skirmish of any kind for over thirty years. That is known to the public at least." Robin explained.

"Furthermore, the Nohrians are forbidden to bring any Grimm into these soils, otherwise the King will become agitated." Kaze added. "I've never seen King Garon lose his temper and behave like a savage, but I have seen King Alexander lose his temper and he is quite the beast."

"Yes, what a wonderful warrior he is." Reina chuckled, reminiscing on another event that she experienced years ago.

"You and I have very different opinions on how bad that day really was." Orochi muttered, recalling that day differently.

"Hey there, I thought I smelled a familiar scent." A new voice comes from their left as they see a newcomer who is a young man, probably in his early to mid-twenties with orange hair, dress in blue and black attire resembling those of Hoshidans and he's not human, due to the fox ears located on the top of his head and the pretty fox tail on his back.

"A Kitsune!" Hayato gasped, surprised to see someone such as him here.

"Those scary people who can turn into fox monsters that live secluded in the Mountains of Hoshido?" Mozu asked just as surprised.

"That's rude, calling me a monster without getting to know me first." The Kitsune pouted, looking offended but with a hint of playfulness, giving Corrin the assumption that he may be used to prejudice to an extend that it doesn't bother him so much anymore, which saddens her a bit. "And the name is Kaden, just to avoid any more bad names."

"Sorry, we're just surprise is all, your kind don't usually leave your Hamlet due to distrust over humans." Azura said apologetically.

"That's okay, I can tell you're good people and from Hoshido." Kaden smiled cheerfully as he asked.

"Well… yes and no." Corrin responded, not sure if they can reveal anything to a stranger.

"Hey now, there's no need to be shy or secretive, I can tell the majority of you are from Hoshido by your scent alone. Kitsunes have excellent noses, nowhere near as vast as Lycans but good enough." Kaden explained. "Most of you are Hoshidans while the whiteheads not so much, the mean male looking lady is from Muspelheim."

"What was that, asshole!" Rinkah snapped vastly offended by the Fox's description of her.

"Who are you kidding, hothead, your women features are hardly noticeable because of your ugly muscles." Hayato mocked.

"Boy I will smack you!"

"The pretty, pretty white lady and cute Bluenette are Nohrian." Kaden referred to Corrin and Lilith, which makes sense since they've lived in Nohr for most of their lives. "You also smell like a deer and fish respectively. That's weird, and now I'm hungry."

That last comment made Lilith nervous and intimidated enough to hide behind Corrin while the Princess can only sigh over her dragonic self looking more like a deer.

"The little village girl smells like both Nohrian and Hoshidan, and… stone." Kaden said intrigued as he stares at Mozu, whose father was Nohrian while her mother is Hoshidan.

'Stone?' Rinkah mused. 'Is that what my burning blood's been sensing ever since I first saw her in Aikawa?'

'It seems Corrin made the right choice in bringing the girl along after all.' Takumi thought, thinking the same as Rinkah.

"And you… you I can't make out." Kaden said looking at Robin strangely. "Your scent is really ominous; I think I just found myself a mystery."

"Story of my life." Robin sighed, feeling sad upon Kaden saying that, not that he will admit it and just take it as a compliment of sorts, since there are plenty of people who revel in being considered mysterious. "Anyway, Kaden, is there something we can do for you?"

"I sure hope so; I'm looking for a songstress." Kaden revealed.

"A Songstress?" Azura repeated, wondering if he is referring to her.

"Well, you know how the Humans of Nestra are like, they have a reputation for being great singers and dancers, and their best performers give shows at the famed Opera House of the resort city of Cyrkensia."

"Yes, that is common knowledge in Horus, apart from their impressive military power." Azura replied.

"Right, but the thing is, the Opera House is about to make another performance tonight with Nestra's most famous singer Layla supposed to perform." Kaden continued.

Corrin remembers Elise and Camila talking about a performer named Layla. That's it, Layla is so famous that Nohr's royal family often comes to Cyrkensia to see her perform, Elise in particular is so taken with her that she inspired the young Princess to become a singer as well. She and Camilla promised to bring her here when she would finally leave the Northern Fortress. But now she'll never get the chance.

"And… she can't now?" Robin said.

"No she cannot, you see her mother is rather old and is expected to die soon so she left to see her but was originally pressured to stay because tonight's performance is another big one." Kaden continued.

"How important are we talking here?"

"But more importantly, why should we care about it?" Takumi spoke up next, unconcern with Kaden's problems.

"It's important because King Garon and his daughter are coming to see the Opera House." Kaden revealed, causing most of the group to gasps in shock.

"Gods, Garon is here!" Corrin begins to panic. She's not ready to face him after her desertion, much less Elise of all people, she has to be the one Kaden is also referring to.

"That Devil is coming here to see some play while he sends his demons to take away our homes!" Takumi growled in outraged.

"I know, what a jerk. Anyway, Layla was forced to ignore her poor mother and perform for the Nohrian Royals but I encouraged her to go to her hometown, Nestra's Capital, to see her mother while I take care of things here." Kaden explained.

"Why would you do that for her?" Corrin asked.

"Simple, the Nestrians are really nice to me, heck almost every human I meet outside of my home is really great, though for some reason the ones who come into my hamlet are really evil, but anyway, Layla did me a solid a while back and this is me returning the favor, and now I have to find a songstress who looks and sounds like her to perform in her place otherwise the old man who runs the Opera House will be really mad at me and will do something that most bad humans who come into my home want to do to Kitsunes and cut off my fur." Kaden muttered nervously.

"Why not just run back to Hoshido then?" Hinoka asked.

"I could but if I do, Layla might get in trouble when she comes back but if I follow through with this and find a suitable replacement she might be in less trouble and not get fired."

"Well this is quite the conundrum you got yourself in but I don't see how we can help with this." Robin said. "We have a Songstress with us who is arguably the best in Hoshido but she looks nothing like Layla."

"That aside, I would be please to help you Kaden. I personally always wanted to perform in the Opera House." Azura volunteered.

"What?" Corrin gasped.

"Oh no." Robin muttered knowing what she is plotting.

"Hey, that's great, now all we got to do is dye your hair pink, make it shorter, disguise your voice to make it sound more cheerful and we got us a good play." Kaden smiled happily.

"We have magic for that." Orochi commented.

"W-What is she planning?" Sakura wondered.

"Kaden, can you wait here for a moment, our group has something to discuss, promise we won't be long." Azura said.

"Sure, just remember that the show starts in three hours."

"No problem at all." Azura smiled as the whole group returns to the Astral Plane to begin a plan, so Kaden won't have to wait long.

"Okay, can someone please tell me what's this about, cause last time I checked, we still have a missing Ryoma?" Corrin demanded.

"Don't you see, Corrin? This is our chance to take the enemy by surprise. We shouldn't waste the opportunity!" Azura explained.

"What?" Corrin uttered in shock.

"While King Garon is distracted by Azura's song, we can approach with little resistance. If we capture Garon, Nohr would have no choice but to negotiate for peace." Orochi said getting the plan Azura has.

"Assault Nohrian Nobility while in neutral territory! We just discussed how the King of Nestra is in good terms with Garon and wants no sort of violence between our nations in his property!" Corrin snapped, against this plan.

"This is a little something we Hoshidans like to call Karma, Milady, and we're not really going to kill Garon, too risky since we don't know for certain if his direct defeat will stop the Grimm or just make them more feral." Reina stated.

"I'm against this as well guys, succeed or fail, Hoshido will be accused of violating the Nestrian Accord and the Nohrians could use this as the excuse needed to encourage Nestra to side with them against us." Robin objected.

"We know that, but none of the Nestrian higher ups are gullible enough to believe that they can stay safe from the War all the way to its end, a fight like this one was inevitable." Takumi pointed out.

"It's true that many here won't fault you guys after what happened to your King and made support us as well but all the same this attack is ill advised, even if we will not be facing any Grimm, their human forces are not something to underestimate, Garon is not arrogant enough to travel anywhere without his army at his side, especially now if he has his youngest child traveling with him." Robin persisted.

"You won't change our minds, Robin, like it or not we're taking this chance and we're bringing Garon down." Takumi declared, with most of the Hoshidans nodding in agreement.

"No! This is insane, there are so many reasons why this will backfire on us and worse." Corrin is adamant on not letting the team go through with this.

"Corrin…" Azura muttered, understanding why she would be against this but is still troubled by her reluctance to not want to cease the opportunity to end this War as swiftly as possible.

"You have a better idea then, because last time I checked prolonging the war even longer isn't the kind of person I imagined you to be." Takumi scoffed.

"Not one of you want to end this war as much as me, not ONE OF YOU!" Corrin yelled, while slamming her fist on a wall, leaving a hole in it, and causing Sakura to squeal. "And none of you know Garon as much as I do, he's not the kind of person that can be caught off guard, if you've seen how deadly and nigh-unbeatable Xander is than you know his father is someone to be feared."

"Last time I checked and by your own account; you don't know him at all either." Takumi reminded.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Corrin snapped ferociously with both her fist tighten and the red aura manifesting again but much dimmer that barely any of them notice.

"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Sakura cried in anguish, dreading that a conflict between her two siblings would happen.

"Takumi you're only making things worse!" Hinoka protested at her brother to cease the antagonism.

"I'm not the one defending the enemy!"

"I'm not defending anyone, I'm just…" Corrin would've proceeded but Robin places her hand on her right shoulder, which is enough to get her to keep quiet again, lowering her head to be covered by her bangs and let him do the talking for her.

"If we're serious about doing this then you have all better make up your minds now, and you have better be prepared because the likelihood of all of us making it out alive of this mess is slimmer than you can comprehend." Robin advised as there is really no convincing the Hoshidans. "Not to mention that you're all forgetting one important detail that will jeopardize everything in a heartbeat, especially you, Azura."

"What is it?" Azura asked.

"Your mother." Robin reminded, making her widen her eyes. "You said it yourself that she taught you Lost in Thoughts All Alone and gave you the pendant that grants you your magic, meaning that she knows about this power way more than you and how to counter it and she is guarantee to be here as well, the only perfectly reasonable reason why Garon would bother to come here is to please Elise after what the poor princess went through in Kurosaki, and of course Queen Arete would come since those two get along so well. She's not your replacement, much less Camilla but this is definitely something she would do."

"Well, shit…" Takumi hissed.

"And let's be real here guys, there's no way the Nohrians would travel anywhere without having a way to smuggle their Grimm around to make things easier for them to handle any situations, they're the ones with the most use of Spatial Magic." Robin continued. "There's a huge pool within the Opera House, so I bet you they'll have, or already managed to place a few Feilongs in there, those dragons are known for being unnaturally stealthy when in water."

"Well what do you suggest mister know it all, since you seem to have all the answers." Takumi sneered with agitation.

"At this moment, I have neither the strength, nor do we have the manpower for this sort of assault. With our stealthier allies and Orochi's magic we can survey the Opera House and with the Astral Plane increasing the three hours we have before the show starts I might be able to devise a plan that can help us overpower Garon's defenses, and if we're really lucky confiscate any tomes from his Dark Mages, in particular their Warp Tomes to prevent anyone from escaping and bringing in reinforcements." Robin computed. "There's also the matter of civilian casualties, people may get caught in the crossfire no matter what we do. King Alexander cares for his people deeply and if even one of them gets hurt because of our actions, and Gods forbid are killed, that will be enough for him to raise arms against Hoshido, making capturing Garon and forcing Nohr to agree to a peace treaty completely pointless if we end up picking a fight with another nation. Plus, the Nohrians can just lie and say that we slaughtered many Nestrians there and still put everyone against us."

Robin's words hold truth, making the Hoshidans reconsider this course of action.

"Look, I know it's not really my place to speak out and decide anything for any of you but believe me when I tell you that this is not worth it. If we had bigger forces, I be more up to this, the sooner we end this war the better, sure but let's be real here, the odds remain against us." Robin noted.

"I… you're right." Azura uttered in defeat.

"Dammit…" Hinoka cursed, as she too wanted to do this but Robin raised a lot of good points.

"I… I think I may have an answer to this blockade." Lilith spoke up next, turning everyone's attention to her with looks mostly comprise of hope, while Corrin's is a dreadful one, wordlessly begging Lilith not to do anything to go along with this but the Astral Dragon did not offer her mistress her own expression as she raises her Dragonstone that glows silver and from her temple that's nearby something comes out, floating towards them, a white scroll with hoshidan markings that resemble the sacred scroll in the possession of Hoshido's religious group, the Dawn Faithful that contains the good word of their god, though smaller, and it makes its way into Lilith's hands.

"This is a special scroll that contains very ancient Light Magic, based on its design and the fact that it's a scroll it's Hoshidan in origin and it's one of the things that seemingly originated from here before I arrived." Lilith explained.

"Light Magic?" Hinoka breathed

"I can't use it but I have a method that allows me to understand how magic items work that I am not familiar with without seeing them in action ever, and whatever this thing is, it has the power to create objects and possibly semi-sentient beings made of tangible light." Lilith explained.

"Truly?!" Takumi gasped in surprise. "If that's true, why didn't you bring this up before?"

"I've had this since I was nine and always kept this in my temple ever since and rarely paid it much attention, I was lucky enough to have remembered about this when Robin mentioned how short in numbers we are." Lilith muttered. "Besides, activating this thing is seriously complicated because it has a unique seal that can only be remove by pouring large amounts of mana into it before it can ever be use. It alone is very powerful."

"How much Mana, exactly?" Robin asked intrigued.

"I can't say for certain but anyone can pour their magic into it but for some reason it doesn't accept dragon magic, it wants the power of humans, or at least other magical relics."

"And can this scroll allow us to create beings of sort somewhat similar to the Grimm?" Kaze asked.

"It should but how strong and the exact amount of how many constructs can be created depends on the strength of the user." Lilith continued.

"Well, Robin's unquestionably the strongest among us." Hinata said.

"Not at this very moment, the previous battles this week have pushed him to his limits and his latest stunt in pushing the Leviathan away nearly left him without any magic. Furthermore, his body's ability to absorb external mana to refuel his powers is unbelievably slower than it should for human mages, it took more than ten days to restore 30% of his powers using the mana of the Astral Plane." Lilith explained. "Which to him is enough to overpower any Warlock, Sorcerer and Dark Knight Nohr throws at us but not against the likes of Nohr's Top Tactician and Chief of the Dark Mages; Iago, especially their Royal Family. And from a strategic point of view, as Robin likes to put it, we have to assume until proven otherwise that the rest of the Royals will be in the Opera House, making this opportunity even bigger to take but even more suicidal because, each and every one of them, even Lady Elise is significantly strong and versatile."

"She's right, plus I lack the skills to use Scrolls, I'm a bookworm through and through." Robin added.

"Luckily for you lots, I'm here and apart from my Divine Blood, Scrolls are my bread and butter." Hayato said confident that he can use the Light Scroll to its fullest potential.

"There's also me, just want to make sure that I don't go forgotten for whatever reason." Orochi also volunteered to use the Scroll.

"You're needed to keep Azura under the illusion that she's Layla." Takumi instructed. "And regarding the seal, I should be able to unlock it."

"How, you have no aptitude for magic?" Lilith questioned.

"Not me precisely." Takumi said presenting his Fujin Yumi. "My Sacred Treasure houses massive amounts of wind magic power. Surely it will be more than enough."

"Well… yes, despite Sacred Treasures housing divine power they are mainly comprise of earthly elements so it should be acceptable for the scroll but, are you sure you want to use your most valuable weapon just to unlock another." Lilith asked, rather baffled.

"It'll be fine, the Rainbow Sage gave me all the instructions needed to carefully manage the Fujin Yumi, and like any Diviner and Magic Weapon, it is capable of absorbing External Mana to refuel itself at a pace much faster than any other, plus it be good to put its full powers to use, I've never dared use my yumi to its fullest potential due to not yet having the endurance to channel all of its stormy might, and I don't think I yet have what it takes to use its entirety so doing this feels like the wise course." Takumi insisted. "Any other Yumi will do for me."

"Okay, great, that's one problem almost dealt with, now all that's left is to commence preparations to get this started and train to use the dang thing." Hinoka said determine to see this threw.

"C-Corrin, are… y-you o-kay?" Sakura asked, noticing her sister's distressed expression.

"What does it matter how I feel, it doesn't matter to anyone what I even think, so what am I even standing around here for!" Corrin snapped angrily and walks away from the group, leaving Sakura squealing again.

"Corrin, wait! Where are you going?!" Hinoka tried to reach out to her.

"To my treehouse, where I know I can still feel like I hold some semblance of control in my life!" She yelled.

"Why did she recommend Lilith to build her a treehouse?" Hayato murmured.

"Because I always wanted one!"

"Leave her be, it's not like anyone really expected her to be up for this anyway, and she said so herself back in the Wind Tribe, she ain't got the heart to fight Garon." Takumi said irritated with Corrin but also a slight amount of sympathy. "It's actually for her own good that she doesn't get thrown into this mess."

"Wow… Takumi, I honestly didn't think you'd start to show concern for Corrin so soon." Hinoka said genuinely surprise.

"Shut up and get this show up and running." He hissed.

"What a mess this all turned out to be." Robin sighed, with little frustration while beside Kaze and Azura.

"It's my fault. However, as horrible as this may seem it has to be done." Azura said standing firm to her choice.

"You think this might really work?" Kaze asked Robin.

"I can't guarantee anything yet without the facts, and I'm not too keen on doing this either, the only reason I'm going along is to make sure none of you end up dead once this all goes down." Robin said. "I'm more concern for Corrin, and you as well Azura, whatever happens after this, I question if you're truly ready for the mess you're dragging all of us into, especially with the realization that you're raising your lance at someone who's your father too."

"Please do not wage your concerns with me. I've… been preparing for this moment ever since I made my choice to fight for Hoshido. Pain and misery awaits us everywhere and suspense makes it even worse."

'This woman… she has no idea how deep the pit she's jumping into truly is.' Robin thought, agitated by now.

"Should we even go through with the performance part if the chances of the Queen of Nohr appearing is high?" Kaze questioned Robin.

"We don't really have a choice since this whole thing depends on someone performing, and besides, there is still a high chance that Arete won't be there since she is the Head of all Healers in Nohr, and based on what I learned from my time there, something I'm sure you picked up on, Arete is known for frequently traveling the land and healing the people, as bandit raids are frequent in the West of Horus, not just in Nohr, not only to assure the people that the Royals have their best interest at heart but naturally to increase popularity and maintain the support of the populace." Robin explained. "The Shadow Queen's endeavors is actually the main reason why Nohr hasn't conquer all of the West because she has earned the trust of the many Dukes and Archdukes into assisting with Nohr's food supply and with the War going on she has to be overworked. The attacks that occurred the day after Kurosaki were small, yet ferocious but barely any city was attacked, this was likely due to Nohr needing time to recover from their first defeat but following the third day they got bolder and grew in numbers with both man and beast and you Hoshidans are no slouches in a fight, especially when you have the home field advantage so all their classes of healers are needed full time and the Nohrian Royals aren't one to shy away from a fight and if Camilla attacked Ryoma then Xander and Leo have to be leading their own assaults as well with Arete not far behind. And Garon? There's not much to say about him since I've never seen the old man fight but if Corrin's former tutor Gunter was a fierce warrior despite his old age, it's safe to say that we're lucky that he hasn't taken the frontline yet."

"Why hasn't he, though? Isn't he supposed to be this Almighty Warrior King of Chaos and Bloodshed?" Takumi questioned.

"Putting up with Nobles shoving themselves down his throat over how problematic the war will do to their economy by the aftermath, making sure there are no rebellions on his property, helping with the summoning of more Grimm since at least one member of the Dusk Bloodline is needed, take your pick? None of the Royals there know the meaning of Sloth." Robin replied.

"Then what'd you call what Garon is doing now?"

"Being a dick."

"Sounds about right." Takumi sighed, while few among them make light chuckles to Robin's response.

"Okay, but then how come people are calling Arete the Shadow Queen if she's such a renowned healer?" Oboro asked.

"She's Garon's wife." Robin reminded everyone, causing them to make a big 'OH' sound in realization.

"That makes sense." Subaki said.

"Wives are always being brought down when the man screws up." Hana noted.

"Hey, we aren't all like that, and do you really want to use GARON as a pedestal for husbands?" Hinata argued.

"Whoa there, I know where this is going and we are not doing this!" Robin interrupted, putting his foot down.

"Thanks for that, now how does this work, do you just touch the weapon and channel it's power into the scroll, or the Seal in general?" Takumi asked Lilith to get on with turning the Light Scroll on.

"More or less." Lilith said as she takes the Fujin Yumi into her hands and uses her Dragonstone to do as Takumi guessed, it glows red as it hits the Sacred Treasure with a harmless little beam, causing it to glow with the same color and likewise another beam is fired from the bow that hits the scroll, already the Astral Dragon begins to absorb the Fujin Yumi's Magic into the scroll to in turn harness its power, a process that only lasted a short while.

"Wow, that was quicker than even I could anticipate." Lilith said, surprise herself by the seal being already broken.

"Wonderful, but with my prize possession now a shadow of its former self for a while I'm gonna need me a fitting substitute." Takumi muttered, feeling a hint of regret for doing this.

"What, like a Pursuer?" Setsuna asked.

"No, as great as they are, they don't suit my standards"

"Actually, there is an… alternative I think would be great for you." Lilith offered.

"I'm all ears." Takumi easily complied.

"In the meantime, let's go and test this baby out." Hayato said as he takes the Light Scroll from Lilith and opens it up and like with all other magic scrolls there are inscriptions that are seemingly impossible to read but like those scrolls it means little as he can already feel it's power coursing through him and already summons a construct made of bluish white light in the form of a small ball, that later grows large spikes and then shapeshifts into a serpent, then a wyvern the size of a lizard. "Wow, never summoned a spirit that could take on various shapes before."

"The scroll doesn't summon spirits but more like constructs that are semi-conscious and are an extension of the will of the scroll's controller. If used correctly can create light soldiers as strong as any man or perhaps stronger, that depends on whoever wields it, which is you at the moment." Lilith explained.

"Sweet, I can do a lot with this baby." Hayato said as he lets his imagination run wild as he creates a massive and majestic beast; a four-legged Dragon whose appearance differs considerably from that of the traditional Dragon appearance. It's covered in tissue similar to bird feathers, rather than scales, the feet resemble bird talons as well. The head is covered in what appears to be fur and it's skull is somewhat broad and flat. The fur extends down the neck and to the upper chest region.

"A-Amazing." Sakura uttered in amazement.

"A shining sculpture of the Sky Dragon Ramuh." Rinkah said recognizing the design on illustrations she saw in scrolls back in the Flame Tribe.

"Yep, a marvel isn't he." Hayato asked smugly.

"Maybe but if you want a marvel, I have a real dragon in mind." Rinkah said as she snatches the scroll from Hayato's hands.

"As if a savage knows how to use a magic scroll." Hayato scoffed.

"Of course I can use other magics, you idiot, I have the blood of the Blaze Dragon coursing through me, harnessing tomes and scrolls is second nature to me, why do you think I qualify as an Oni Chieftain?" Rinkah spatted.

"Really, because I don't think anyone among us have ever seen you use any other magic that isn't the one coming out of your skin." Takumi countered. "… For some reason that sounded so wrong."

"I'm of the Flame Tribe, genius, what else would suit me better." Rinkah replied as she uses the Light Scroll and makes a construct of her Tribe's respective Deity. An enormous creature with looks that follow the usual characteristics of a Dragon: having a massive body, a pair of wings that allow it to fly, four limbs with claws, and a tail. However, unlike traditional Dragons, this one's body is not covered with scales, but it seems to be entirely made of flames, giving him an overall impression of a burning skeleton. And the appearance of this beast, horrifies Sakura to the point that she is struggling not to cry.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Azama asked, even he is disturbed by this monster.

"Gaze upon the visage of the Great Iblis, God of Fire." Rinkah said proudly. "Granted, he's actually crimson in color than bluish, though I suppose blue flames are more beautiful than red ones."

"You call this a dragon? It looks more like something straight out of hell that can burn even souls to ashes." Hinata protested.

"That sounds about right, given that his flames are said to burn everything in the world to cinders when angered, heck, he even destroyed his own flesh and bones when he Degenerated, forcing himself to live forever as a living flame." Rinkah explained. "Bet that must be fun."

"Sure it is, and I bet he must have a blast when caught in a rainstorm, he must especially love it when he's reduce to a teeny tiny fireball on the brink of being extinguish." Azama mocked.

"Fuck you, Hoshidan, at least my god gave my people real power!" Rinkah protested. "And no, Dragon Veins don't count."

"Hey, now, let's not get all religious all the sudden, those kinds of fights are completely boring." Reina stepped in, being the mature one and ceasing this argument.

"Boring is not a word that should be used when trying to stop an argument." Hinoka said.

"Potato Potahto." Reina shrugged.

"Who the hell says potahto?!" Hinoka snapped, fed up with that word.

"Apparently everyone but you." Takumi commented. "Alright, you two start working on learning how to get this thing to work, I have a feeling that this scroll is going to take some real effort to pull off, a team effort to be precise."

"And considering how well these two are getting along, I think it's safe to say that we should be expecting their wedding any day now." Azama joked, regarding how rocky Hayato and Rinkah's relationship is going.

"SHUT UP!" The duo yelled in outraged.

"Who would ever want to get married while in a war anyway?" Mozu asked.

"You'd be surprise, love can be really odd and persuasive sometimes, even during war." Subaki said.

"Right, and next thing you know everyone in the army will start using these pocket dimensions to safely give birth to their babies after mistakenly getting pregnant during a freaking war and decide to leave them in said pocket dimensions to grow into adults by themselves and barely visit and only give them the love and care they deserve once they are deemed good enough to join the army." Hinata joked drily.

"Hinata… you know I think of you like a brother and would storm every fortress in Nohr to find you if you were taken and would only sacrifice you if it meant saving my family, and even then I require a lot of time to get over it. But that has got to be the absolute dumbest thing that has ever come out of your mouth." Takumi scoffed angrily and indignantly before laughing loudly for some reason, even more questionably is that everyone else is also laughing as if it's the funniest thing they've ever heard as well as the dumbest. Heck, even Sakura and Azura, and shockingly Saizo but weakly, except for Robin who is just baffled.

"I know right, as if we would ever do something so irresponsible." Subaki laughed.

"Totally, not even Nohr is that horrid." Hana chuckled.

"I mean, I would totally do that but you people, aw please, we're not all misfits." Azama cheered.

"We're laughing together." Setsuna added.

'I don't know why but I feel like these people are in desperate need of some serious mood killings and extreme cockblocking and I think it has to be me.' Robin mused, deeply concern for his allies. 'And for some reason saying that feels ironic yet at the same time filling me with intense rage over years of insults. And now I'm also sad. I should definitely watch out for Corrin too.'

"Child abandonment is not really something to laugh at for either the one abandoned or the one that did the abandonment, personally I think the latter is the most unbearable." Reina said after calming down and showed a very brief glance of sadness, and apparently her words caused her friends to look at her strangely and dare she say, disturbingly suspicious. "What…?"

"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, while you're all doing your parts, I'm gonna go and talk to Corrin, make sure she doesn't remain too broken up about this." Robin said.

"You do that and chances are you might encourage her to be a part of this instead." Kaze stated

"Yeah, that is the most likely scenario but at the moment, she's a mess we got to keep clean, you coming." Robin asked.

"No, I better go out now and help survey the Opera House to give you more to work with." Kaze declined.

"Indeed you should but at the moment our Princess needs words of encouragement and be put at ease, so it's only right that we go to her first." Robin insisted.

"I know, however… you being the one who knows her the most out of all of us, I believe it best that you go to her alone, I fear I might just get in the way." Kaze said, somewhat sour.

'Wonderful… and now I have to deal with a partner with low self-esteem.' Robin muttered, already telling the real reason of Kaze's decline.

"Well… okay, be sure to come back safely." Robin replied as he goes to find Corrin.

"Hey, you okay, man?" Hinoka asked the green Ninja.

"Of course Milady, pay me no mind." Kaze insisted as he turns to Azura, Orochi, his brother and Kagero. "We should be off at once."

"Right, let's go." Lilith replied as she takes the five of them back to the Main World and on the ship where Kaden was waiting outside. "I better go and mark the Opera House to make it easier for you guys to return but right now I have to help the others prepare on their end. Also, if you need to return just remember to stand right wherever I have marked the entrance and call out my name, I'll be able to hear you from within."

The five nodded as they go to meet up with the Kitsune while Lilith returns to the Astral Plane.

"Wow, that was fast, it's barely been a minute." Kaden noted happily.

"I told you I wouldn't be long. The rest of my friends have other things to attend to while these five will accompany along the way." Azura said politely.

"Sure thing, but word of advised, the manager of the Opera House is wary of both Nohrians and Hoshidans, specifically those of their respective militaries, especially Ninjas." Kaden warned, giving a brief glance at the ninja trio in the group.

"Why is that?" Azura wondered.

"Well Nohrians are… well, Nohrians and Hoshidan Ninjas aren't known for being polite and he's got a bone to pick with one of them." Kaden explained.

"Well, our job takes us to very dark places so the prejudice is reasonable." Kaze admitted regrettably.

"Sure could go for at least one day in the West without being compared to the darker members of Nohr, though." Kagero sighed. Saizo merely makes a weak scoff, as he takes his job seriously and cares not over how people view him but Kaze and Kagero know that even he is not proud of some of the things he's done. "Then again Kitsunes aren't one to talk about skeletons in closets, or rather holes."

"True, I am no one to judge, so I will not. Anyways, let's skip the dark tones and try to enjoy ourselves cause that's what tonight is all about." Kaden cheered.

"R… Right…" Azura mumbled, as she knows that tonight will not be a pleasant one because of her.

* * *

"Well, here it is." Lilith said as she takes Takumi to her temple and once inside she presents him to a unique bow kept inside a glass container in the shape of a box left in display. The bow itself strongly resembles the Fujin Yumi but it's light purple and had this ominous aura to it that gave the master archer of Hoshido the creeps but also intrigued him a lot.

"This is it?" The Prince asked.

"Yep, this bow, yumi, or whatever odd names you Hoshidans like to give your weapons is called Skadi, it's one of the many things that have been in the Astral Plane long before I arrived and as you can already feel, it holds great power within it." Lilith explained.

"Is it a Sacred Treasure?" Takumi wondered.

"No, while the Rainbow Sage has created many weapons of unholy qualities there is none like this one in this world because it didn't originate here." Lilith said. "What I can best describe, this thing is most likely from one of the Outrealms, entirely other universes that are either mirror images of ours or completely different, whichever is the case this weapons definitely not from here."

"It feels like… it's calling out to me." Takumi said as he is receiving some sort of urge that is making him eager for battle.

"Yes, well, that is because the bow's magic power gives it a level of awareness to its surroundings and from what I could tell, it also has a bloodlust, like it yearns for battle and it was forged by a powerful entity that knows only war." Lilith surmised.

"Like a God of War, huh?" Takumi smirked, liking the sound of it. "Looks to me like it'll make a fine substitute until my true partner is back in action."

"I'm sure she will but bear in mind that dark weapons are known to drive their wielders insane." Lilith warned.

"Don't worry, I've had a lot of practice in keeping my bloodlust under control, the Fujin Yumi requires a lot of concentration and force of will to fire even a single arrow that's weaker than a real one. She's asked much of me and I've delivered so I'm sure I can handle this one."

* * *

Robin makes it to Corrin's current residence which is a treehouse Lilith designed for her. Corrin used to tell him that she always wanted a treehouse ever since she learned about them as a kid, the mere idea of living in a house on top a tree may be frowned upon by most nobles but Corrin never really struck him as a noble due to how sheltered she was, and her fascination for treehouses really is kind of cute. Still, this isn't what he thought she would want in one since this is a fancy looking treehouse, granted there are some amazing treehouses in Hoshido but he honestly thought she me more into the child-like types but that just might be him still seeing her as someone that needs to be taken cared off more than most, and Lilith was the one who built this place for her.

"Sooner or later everyone will want to give her what she wants, I guess. Though, tonight is one of the rare exceptions." Robin sighed as he walks the stairs and goes to open the door but soon stops once Corrin's grumpy voice is heard from within.

"Unless it's Lilith, Kaze, Azura or anyone else that hasn't hit on my nerves yet don't even think of coming any closer." She warned, though it didn't sound like a warning but more of a whiny brat, which is accurate.

"It's a good thing I can take a hit so well." Robin joked as he opens the door and enters anyway, and the first thing he sees is a punch straight to the nose by Corrin, and miraculously it did not break but it still hurt. "ARG! I really can't catch a break…"

"Qliphoth, what you excel at the most is not listening to what I say." Corrin hissed as she walks back inside with Robin following before closing the door. The inside of the treehouse is even more impressive, the furniture almost reminds him of her large room in the Northern Fortress. A nostalgia that Corrin surely doesn't mind since she never truly hated her life there.

"So let me guess, you're still going to play along with this obvious attempt at Regicide?" Corrin sighed as she sits on a couch.

"Can't say I have a choice, Takumi especially is dead set on this and the rest, beside maybe Reina, are dead set on ending this war as swiftly as possible and doing this is actually as clean as we can be." Robin sighed as well. "More on that later, look Corrin, I can't really begin to imagine what you've been going through with all this, and this assault must especially give you more heartache but as much as I am against this, we both have to face the facts that this is still an opportunity too good to pass out, even though all logic dictates that we should just continue to march for Cheve."

"I get that much, at least but I meant what I said about them not knowing Garon as much as I do, he's no fool, he help mold Xander, Camilla and Leo into the Nohrian Champions they are today, and he spared no expense in making Leo the new brain of the family, he's going to see this attack coming a mile away even if his thousand eyes fail to spot our three ninjas." Corrin said dreadfully.

"I'm aware enough of Nohr's might to say they are Horus's true superpower, especially if their Seers are everywhere." Robin noted.

"Don't suppose we can just push harder into convincing them to drop this whole thing completely." Corrin suggested.

"We could but I argue that doing so will just raise tensions higher between you and Azura, especially your stepsiblings since Garon killed their father in this city." Robin reminded.

"Hypocrites." Corrin scoffed at them. "What to do, what to do…"

"I don't have all the answers and the consequences are high and everyone here knows that, and once this starts there is no going back." Robin said. "With this in mind, there is one thing that I need to get out of the way before I can do anything else."

"Which is what?" Corrin asked.

"Corrin, I think it's best that you don't participate in this attack." Robin let out what he wanted to say, and in truth, he was expecting her to lash out on him again, because even though he's not used to it, he can't help but feel that he should, but to his fortune, his Princess express no anger, nor a semblance of shock and instead shows a numb expression, as if she doesn't know how to feel on the matter.

"Oh…?"

"Glad to see that you're not overreacting about this and really it's no surprise, you're the most reluctant to go along with this and for good reason. You aren't going to be at a hundred percent when you face Garon and that puts you at risk of being overpowered and endanger the rest of us. And in spite of what he's done, he is still your father at heart, same with King Sumeragi, even if you don't remember him." Robin said more warmly to her. "This kind of conflict, no one should ever partake in at all."

"I know that but… how is sitting back and do nothing more right than taking up harms against the nation I once called home?" Corrin questioned as she lowers her head. "I'm gonna have to face him eventually and is now not the time?"

"Sooner does feel better than later to me but for this instance, I'm gonna have to disagree." Robin said as he goes to sit next to her in the couch. "There's really no way to make this easier to bear this burden but we can still share it, I can still carry you along the path."

"No you can't. Lilith said so herself after we kept you in the Astral Plane for ten days straight hours ago, you're not as strong as you were when you hid your powers from everyone in the fortress." Corrin muttered. "Not even I have seen you at your full potential but I know that ever since that Blight Dragon came out of me you've been overusing your magic more than any Mage should ever and your ability to recharge with external mana is laughably petty. I've never seen Garon fight but he was the one who oversaw Xander's training as he was growing up besides Gunter and his use of Sorcery isn't something to laugh at, if Leo and Camilla's talents are any indication, apart from Arete."

"I've seen them spar with their soldiers back in Windmire, I know what they're capable of." Robin replied, not particularly worried in appearance.

"And yet you're still set on helping them with this attack."

"I'm just being a team player."

Silence befalls the room, neither whitehead speaking another word, Corrin due to her struggling with all this and Robin trying to choose his next words carefully.

"Did I really make the right choice?" Corrin spoke up next again after five minutes of silence.

"It kind of feels that way to me, at least." Robin replied, knowing that she means about choosing Hoshido. "Is another argument with your other baby brother really worth questioning life choices?"

"I can handle a baby, especially a tiny pineapple but this is more about what you told me before you brought me back to Hoshido." Corrin said. "About… running away, choosing neither and never exactly betraying anyone?"

"I'm pretty sure that ship has long since set sailed, don't you think?" Robin asked.

"I know but… why did you give me that option? How would doing that had worked?"

"It was more of a hunch, and at the time it felt right, getting you away from all that, shielding you from responsibilities the two elder brothers should've known better than to leave you in, even if they never meant to do it." Robin confessed. "Taking a neutral stand in war may seem like an awful idea but I was sure that I could pull it off if given enough time."

"And now you don't?"

"Like I said that ship has said sailed, we're on the path of your "Birthright" and it would be a grave mistake to give up now just because it's too hard and I'm not one to give up on something I've started. Whatever you would've chosen I would've followed, Hoshido, Nohr, or any other kingdom, none of it really matters to me. I mean, saving lives sounds like something I would love to do always but that's not what's important right now."

"But why go so far for me, knowing the dangers, then?" Corrin asked with deep concern for him.

"Because you're all I really know in these lands and the first thing I ever laid eyes on when I woke up in those fields, and at the moment I don't have anyone to give me purpose in life but you." Robin made an exasperated sigh as he confessed, looking up at the ceiling, not noticing the impact his words had on his Princess as she can only look at him with a deep blush and longing in her eyes.

"Oh, Robin… I… but what about… Morgan?" Corrin quickly asked without thinking.

"I don't know who she is, or worse if… if I'll ever see her after this." Robin said with the first true hint of sadness and bitterness Corrin has ever seen him display and seeing him like this is shattering what's left of her already broken heart. "This war could be my final moments but I made my choice and all I can really hope for is that whatever regrets I'll make won't be too severe."

He closes his eyes as he attempts to make himself relax some more because the stress is finally getting to him. Thinking about Morgan always made him feel a strong sense of longing and desperation, how badly he wants to find her, but he also feels a lot of despair and regret. All this train of thought made him fail to notice Corrin get closer to him, placing her knees on the couch to raise her head above his and places her left hand on his. Honestly, she is moving purely on instinct, as she moves her head closer to his and closes her own eyes, about to…

She is forced to stop as she hears a knock on the door, and immediately she sits back straight, struggling not to let out a loud gasps, purely flustered and embarrassed, and Robin none the wiser of what his master was about to do, he was just that deep in thought that he didn't even feel all that movement in the couch.

"That's probably your sisters. Just because they hate Nohr, well, it's impossible to believe Sakura hates anyone but they'll no doubt want to make sure you're alright more than me." Robin said.

"Yeah! Yes, of course." Corrin uttered as she quickly gets back up on her feet and rushes to the door, quite fast that Robin is suspicious as to why.

As soon as she opens the door, she sees Hinoka, Sakura and Lilith who were about to greet her but quickly halt, startle by the very irritated and flustered face Corrin has right now.

"WHAT?!" Corrin asked louder than she intended.

"Whoa there! You look like Ryoma when he was forced to confess about Scarlet to us and legitimately threatened us and Takumi not to tell mother." Hinoka muttered.

"That's none of your business." Corrin hissed before forcing herself to calm down by taking a deep breath and breathing out. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That was totally uncalled for and unfair of me, I'm just really stressed out."

"We can see that and we thought that Rob would've set you at ease to an extent." Hinoka said.

"Only I get to call him that. And yes, he did, but then I stressed myself out over something else." Corrin muttered. "I do that to myself some times."

"It's true." Lilith affirmed.

"I know that pain." Hinoka mused with sympathy.

"Anyhow, anything I can do for you three?" Corrin asked.

"Nothing, we just wanted to check up on you, I know we really let Takumi and Azura toss you aside by going along with this and we also wanted to tell you that…"

"If you're going to try and convince me to not participate in this mad plan, don't bother because Robin is already doing that." Corrin interrupted, just assuming that's what Hinoka was going to say.

"I… was hoping to be the one to give that talk but I supposed anyone would do just fine." She muttered. "Anyhow, I think a little bit of girl time might do us some good, you've been busy most of the day learning tactics with Robin, or rather days learning tactics. Dawn, this alternative time flow things needs more time to adjust."

"You have no idea." Lilith mumbled to herself, recalling her first time in this place.

"Yeah, that would be kind of nice." Corrin agreed.

"And that would be my cue to leave then." Robin said, as he exits the treehouse and gently walks past the women. "Talk to you soon Cor."

"Yeah, thanks for coming, Rob." Corrin waved at him as the four of them enter the treehouse and she closes the door.

"Did w-we… int-terrupt something?" Sakura asked her sister nervously, still troubled by the previous expression she flared at them with.

"Yes, yes you did but don't worry about that too much." Corrin insisted as she places her hand on Sakura's shoulder, not wanting to think about what transpired today and at least wait until tomorrow to make up her mind about what is about to transpire tonight…

'Maybe this whole pocket dimension thing wasn't such a good idea, after all.'

* * *

"We're back." Orochi cheered as her group return to the astral plane, and while to them they've only been gone for two hours and twenty six minutes, the rest who remained in the pocket dimension haven't seen them for more than five days. The first thing the five of them see upon arrival though is a battle going on between ten individuals who look human enough except that their bodies look to be made of bluish white light and are dressed like Hoshidan Soldiers and are having a five on five showdown, beside these warriors are Rinkah and Hayato with the Light Scroll floating between them and glowing with the same light as its power is active and creating these constructs. Corrin, Hinoka and Sakura are also there watching the fight with expectations.

"You about ready to call it quits yet, punk? Because this match is all mine." Rinkah said to the boy smugly, confident that her constructs will be winning this fight.

"Not a chance, I'm not stopping until I get a tie breaker and take you down eleven more times for good measure." Hayato declared.

"Really, only eleven?" Rinkah smug, pretending to be impress.

"Why stop at ten?" Hayato replied back more smugly.

"Oh, that's a good one." Corrin mused.

"And guess what." Hayato began as one of his Constructs that's dress in the common uniform for Master of Arms cuts the Oni Chieftain of Rinkah's men in half, defeating it. "My time to shine has begun."

"What the hell just happened?!" Rinkah demanded in outraged over her main light soldier of this fight having just been defeated.

"Katanas beats Clubs, that's what." Hayato smirked victorious.

"NO! NO THEY DON'T! Want to know why, because the Weapon Triangle is BULLSHIT!" The Flame Demigoddess yelled.

"I'm beginning to question if it's true or not." Corrin mumbled

"In case you're beginning to take it more serious, there's a Dual Katana you can use just in case Lancers ever cause you trouble." Hinoka advised.

The clash between Light Soldiers is put to a halt as eight violet arrows are fired at the remaining light soldiers and destroys each of them instantly.

"Hey, what was that for, Princeling!" Rinkah yelled at Takumi who was the one that fired those arrows and is walking to the scene.

"Sorry about that, ran out of target practice since I broke all the steel dummies Lilith made for me and you guys were making too much noise." Takumi said with a fake apology while wielding Skadi as he quickly got the hang of this new weapon.

"Nice to see that everything is going wonderfully here." Azura said.

"Good, you're all back. I was worried I go mad with all these days of waiting over mere hours on the other side." Corrin said relief to see the five of them back safely.

"I for one like this whole Time Theft deal." Takumi replied. "So, I take it everything's ready on your end?" He asked the five.

"It was apprehensive but we manage to survey the Opera House thoroughly enough to have a clear view of what we are up against." Kaze informed his partner.

"Good, let's gather everyone and start planning." Hinoka said and soon enough everyone gathers in a war room Lilith creates, with a large table with a map containing blueprints of the entire Opera House.

"Based on what we've seen and according to what we've heard from the gossips, the security will be mainly run by Nohrian Knights, they don't seem to trust any Nestrian soldiers with safeguarding their Royals anywhere outside of Nohr so we can easily expect no friendlies inside." Kaze explained. "Every entrance and exit is being guarded as if their lives depended on it, and they probably are at risk."

"That's no surprise, I've heard that the Nohrian always do this when they visit the Opera House, mostly by bribing security." Reina added.

"Why would anyone ever used soldiers for security in a play?" Corrin asked.

"Pride mostly, that and violent incidents have occurred there in the past that have even led to the death of a performer, three of them were caused by Hoshidans and Nohrians so security is expected to be tight." Azura explained.

"There are more Knights put on guard, several Warlocks too but there are more Rangers there than we're used to seeing in one place." Kagero continued.

'Warlocks?' Corrin repeated in her head. 'Oh, right, that's the alternative name for Nohrian Dark Mages, kind of like Diviners are really regular Mages with a different name to distinguish them from other nations' Mages. Don't hear that name as much as I should, though.'

"Rangers are King Garon's favored class among his army, while those of Nohr's Royalty are expected to be trained as Paladins or Dark Knights primarily, Garon chose to be more akin to a Mercenary in his youth, hence his affinity with Axes once he was officially one himself." Robin explained. "No surprise why they serve as the bulk of his Royal Guard, which are surely all here, apart from the Retainers that serve his wife and children."

"Garon doesn't have Royal Retainers assign to him? That seems impractical for Nobles in this day and age." Hinoka said.

"So he's been lectured about ever since he became King." Corrin replied.

"And in this day and age, regardless of how well balanced and deadly they are, relying on one class too much can cost an army dearly, which can work to our advantage to an extent." Robin began planning.

"Wait, I thought the bulk of Nohr's army were the mages among them that can use Dark Magic." Hayato wondered, with Robin giving him a hand gesture of half and a half.

"Dark Magic tomes are ironically enough, not that common in Nohr, which is a shame considering that they're arguably the strongest offensive spells and they mainly use Anima, so addressing them by their alternative name; Warlock feels almost appropriate." Robin explained.

"How did I not know that…" Corrin whispered to herself.

"Anything else worth noting that should concern us?" Robin asked.

"Garon has yet to show his face there and is expected to arrive when there are only ten minutes left and we have pinpointed where the roped off area he will sit to watch the show is, right where it is reserve for VIP, naturally but there was no mention of Princess Elise, or anyone else in his family arriving with him." Saizo informed. "There's more, I overheard two women dressed of Nestrian nobility whispering among themselves and acting strangely."

"How strange are we talking here?" Takumi asked.

"The way they moved and presented themselves and spoke to one another didn't feel like what any of us would expect of these people, they felt false to me, and while they didn't say anything noteworthy, one of them seemed nervous and being chastise by her friend to keep a cool head and not draw attention." He explained.

"Not draw attention? Azura, have you heard anything strange while pretending to be Layla?" Corrin asked.

"Afraid not, most of the people I spoke to were merely expressing concerns and apologizing to me, as Layla over what she's going through with her mother and how unfair it is that she/I have to perform of all times." Azura said. "Pretending to be her is hard but her situation made it easy to fool everyone to think that my 'sudden' stoic attitude is me coping with the stress, something the real Layla did at one point, according to Kaden, who I and Orochi kept close to avoid further suspicion since he is quite popular in Cyrkensia."

"Kagero and I haven't noticed what Saizo described but based on our best assumption, we strongly believed there are many among the spectators tonight are really Nohrians in disguise, hiding in plain sight." Kaze concluded.

"What? Why would they do that. Garon's not the kind of person to act all paranoid?" Reina questioned, having had the chance to confront the King of Nohr once before and noting him as a man with an unwavering warrior's spirit in spite of his dark tendencies.

"It's seems obvious in a way." Robin said realizing the issue. "They have a trap ready for incoming danger, meaning that they're expecting an attack to occur in the Opera House."

"Makes sense, does that mean that they know we're here too?" Corrin asked, growing concern.

"That's a big possibility, it's likely that one of their Seers have been following us for some time but between the fight against Sloth and warping into Mokushu's harbor so suddenly, I doubt we were being followed to that extent while at sea." Robin said.

"Impossible, we did a thorough check in the harbor before sailing and we're sure that we were in the clear." Orochi stated.

"Either way, they have the manpower ready for an attack but what about the true bulk of their army. Any Grimm?" Takumi asked.

"None that we could spot inside and among the Dark Mages keeping security, none possess a Warp Tome, though it's likely that there's more of their forces being hidden elsewhere, like the sewers." Kagero said. "But even that is unlikely since attacks underground the city have happened before and because of the war, the military here must be tightening their security and any possible location for invaders to operate in."

"So we're still going in blind, still with what we have at this very moment, I'm sure Robin can cook up something great." Corrin said more confident in her Tactician, though Robin makes no sort of reply to her comment and is left to his machinations.

"Does that mean you're onboard now." Takumi questioned but Corrin is unable to respond with Robin talking first.

"Alright! Let's see what I can cook up." He stated.

* * *

**I had more than a troubled uncle to concern myself with but no harm done and I've had a swell time. Anyhow I'm back but making these weekly might not work out for me anymore, can't say I didn't give it my best shot. But one thing I can guarantee, I ain't giving up on my first story.**

**Ranger is the name I am giving the Hero class, while it is my favorite class when I played Awakening, the name itself is very inconsistent and it has been changed many times; Myrmidon in Gaiden/Echoes, Forrest in Genealogy of the Holy War, Mercenary in Thracia 776, Highlander and Bastard… in the TearRing Saga. Why? And Brave Heroes in Fates, again, very inconsistent since Nohr is portrayed as the bad guys technically so I feel that a different name is needed again and as such they will be called Rangers in my story and the mounted units of the same name have been replace with Bow Knights so there will surely be no sort of confusion.**

**And as for Dark Mages, well, last time I checked the only Dark Tome in Fates is Nosferatu and that one varies from Light to Dark so, again very inconsistent, and while I do intent to bring along the dark tomes from the other games, mainly Awakening, I will call the Class Warlocks from now on, and since it has the word war in it, I think it fits well with Nohr.**

**Also, Takumi is now wielding Skadi. Will this make him more of a jerk or will he handle its power better since Anankos won't be manipulating him, you will all have to keep reading to find out.**


	12. Chapter 12: Dark Reunion

***Chapter 12: Dark Reunion**

"Alright, is everything ready?" Takumi asked his comrades as they have all gathered in Lilith's Temple, the time has finally come to commence their assault and capture King Garon of Nohr.

"You know it, Milord, I am so up for this." Hinata said with a huge optimism while wielding a sword neither of Hoshidan or Nohrian design.

"Is that one of Nestra's weapons?" Takumi asked.

"Yep, I always wanted to wield a Rapier, kind of like those OP Brave Swords Nohr has, and this baby here is design to penetrate armor and beat up Cavaliers." Hinata explained. "I asked Lilith to make me one using this place's power."

"But isn't that thing design to pierce and not slash?" Hana questioned.

"Yep, hence why I'll be bringing the ever so beloved Venge Katana along for the ride while I wait for the golden opportunity to use the Rapier." Hinata smiled. "What about you Milord, is the new yumi to your liking?"

"Skadi's… complicated but I can handle the wild ones, the question is if my targets can take a hit or three hundred." Takumi said confidently in his substitute as his true weapon is still recharging.

"There's no going back once we do this so I hope you're all completely up for this." Hinoka said, refusing to go along with anyone who's not entirely up for this.

"Yes, I-I promise to do my best." Sakura said very determine and as usual, refusing to be left behind and is keeping a tough front.

"I'm up for cracking open Nohrian skulls but I'm not sure how I feel about Robin's plan." Rinkah said, expressing doubts.

"Speak for yourself, I think it's solid." Kagero countered.

"Well, of course, you Ninjas would approve."

"It's not about personal preference but more about staying clear and we are almost certain that we're going to fight directly either way." Kaze said.

"Well, either way, it just might work as long as there are no shocking appearances." Subaki said.

"And pray tell, what do you mean by shocking appearances, we're already expecting to face the entire Unholy Family and a horde of their strongest soldiers and Grimm for Sephiroth's Sake?" Hana questioned.

"I don't know, I just can't shake the feeling that we've forgotten a key subject other than Garon that could potentially jeopardize this whole thing." Subaki noted.

"Let me guess, you're referring to me." Corrin said as she arrives at the temple along with Robin.

"Oh… Lady Corrin, no, no, perish such thoughts, I'm just expressing my concerns is all." Subaki dismissed.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not here to see us off and wish us luck." Takumi guessed.

"Well, you would guess right because I made up my mind and I'm coming along for this." Corrin declared, getting mix reactions from the group.

"Corrin, are you sure?" Hinoka asked with much concern.

"I'm sure. I'm going to face him sooner or later and I rather it be sooner, and… I have to be the one to bring him in for his crimes." Corrin said stoically.

"You're not going to flip out and break upon seeing him or his kids?" Takumi questioned skeptically.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't, but what I know for sure is that I don't want any of you to die any more than I want to do this and a lot of blood is going to be spilled tonight so why avoid the problem by looking away." Corrin said, continuing to be stoic and gave Robin a quick and brief glance before returning to her stepsiblings. "Besides, I'm the strongest one among us at the moment so why cut yourselves short."

"Be that as it may, Milady, not one of us can afford to hold anything back, nor allow ourselves to be hindered in any way." Kaze warned, wanting to make sure she fully understands what she's doing.

"I know but regardless I'm still going." Corrin said adamantly.

"Be ready then, because it's time." Azura replied.

"You sure this is a good idea, Bossman?" Hinata asked Robin.

"I gave it my best shot, same as Hinoka and Sakura but it doesn't seem like we made much progress. Her stubbornness is as big as a mountain." Robin said.

"Well, that settles that, she's definitely the Queen's daughter. You know how many arguments she's had ever since she became our ruler and how many she's won?" Hinata jokingly asked.

"No, but all of them." Robin guessed.

"Bingo."

"Fine, let's just get this over with already." Takumi sighed.

"Not so fast, we have one final manner to take care of." Robin said, and that last detail to take care of is Mozu, who they definitely cannot bring along for this as it is just too dangerous to bring her, though if Corrin is coming and so is Lilith, then they have to leave her in the Astral Plane alone and that doesn't sit right with a lot of them but they don't have much of a choice since it's all hands on deck now.

"Sorry to leave you here Mozu but this is important." Corrin apologized to the young girl.

"It's okay, I understand, I know you guys have more important things to concern yourselves than with me." Mozu said being very cooperative.

"Hey now, don't make it sound like you're a minority or an inconvenience. Saizo and Takumi aside, everyone is equal in my eyes." Corrin smiled at her.

"I appreciate that, Milady. So how long would you be gone?" Mozu asked.

"That's really hard to say if we are fortunate, an hour in our time because this whole thing is going to happen so fast so… two days maybe." Corrin can only guess. "Robin?"

"Only if we're lucky, though knowing your darker family nothing ever last long so Mozu will surely only have to wait two days for us." Robin concluded. "Which, shouldn't be so bad, there's plenty of food for a month in here so you should be fine and safe until we get back and while it will be lonely here all by yourself there will be no one around to hurt you."

"Don't worry about little old me, I'm used to being home alone whenever my parents would leave the village for a whole lot of things for two or three days, I'll be fine." Mozu said assuring the two main grownups taking it upon themselves to watch over the little villager the most out of everyone.

"Alright, see you later then." Corrin said, before giving her a bye hug and the two depart to meet what hopefully will and must be their final battle.

"No going back now." Robin sighed, a little dramatically. "To pissing off a demonic warrior king and creating conflict in neutral territory."

"I laugh at your sense of humor and attempts to make me smile if I wasn't so depressed and riled up at the same time." Corrin muttered.

"I keep telling you that I don't have jokes. I regret to remind you that I am a very unfunny man." Robin revealed sadly.

"Robin, if we survive this we are going to have a serious talk about your self-worth, it's already bad enough you hesitate to take my compliments because of whatever other troubles you have hiding from me." Corrin hissed at him for his self-proclaimed flaws.

* * *

Agreeing to Kaden's request, Azura will perform in Layla's place, Orochi has a scroll that grants her illusion magic that will allow her to disguise Azura as Nestra's famed songstress and Orochi has seen Layla performed so that's the easy part, the hard part was for Azura to act like her since Layla is a lot more cheerful and upbeat unlike the Hoshidan Songstress who is kind but unintentionally has a habit of appearing apathetic to those around so getting her to act as someone else was actually funny to watch, a nice change of pace from such a dark moment but she somehow pulls it off well.

One thing to contemplate about was to rather or not let Kaden in on their true intention since the kind Kitsune ended up being no more than a convenience for them.

A few minutes left before the show starts and the Hoshidans are now inside the Opera House and it is more beautiful than Corrin was told, featuring a large, grand stage surrounded by a pool of water and boats are the main things to gaze upon.

"Everyone is in position and it is unlikely that we've been spotted or will be spotted at all." Lilith informed Robin.

"Good, but it's almost time for the show to start but still no sign of Garon." Robin said as he, Corrin, Kaze and Lilith are in one of the roped-off areas, same with the rest but are at a lower parts of the opera house remaining on standby and keeping a low profile, too many Nohrian guards on guard tonight, there is hardly ever this much security since the house is all about the show business but since a King will be watching the performance this is to be expected and they have managed to avoid being spotted by them so far, and hopefully Azura's magic will work just fine like she did with the Blight Dragon.

"He should be at the center areas since they have the best view." Kaze said as he examines the areas before them and thinks he's spotted him. "There, I believe that's him."

"An old man in his early sixties who looks to be much older who's almost always seen wearing the most impressive black armor befitting for a king?" Corrin asked.

"He is extremely noticeable and gives off this bad vibe that he could eat us alive." Kaze noted. "Though it is hard to see well from our position."

"I can help with that." Lilith said as she summons her Dragonstone into her hands and points it at where Garon is sitting and from her 'stone' his reflection can be seen but very zoomed in to the point that they can see the so-called Demon King clearly and right next to him is his youngest daughter Elise, who has been mistaken to be a Demon Princess due to being able to control monsters because of the darkish sacred blood running through her veins as well.

'Elise.' Corrin mused sadly and longingly. She looks so sad, a far cry from the bright and cheerful girl she is so known for that seems so far gone now. 'Oh, my poor sister, it feels like a lifetime ago since I last saw you. I'm so sorry for choosing to stand against you. When all of this is over, I hope you'll understand the decisions I've made…'

"I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe, That made my love so high and me so low." Corrin's thought shifted behind her as she hears an unfamiliar voice speaking a quote she is fondly familiar with. "You cannot have Liberty in this world without what you call Moral Virtue, and you cannot have Moral Virtue without the slavery of that half of the human race who hate what you call Moral Virtue."

The voice speaks again another quote that is of Corrin's knowledge and sounds like it is moving far away and this worries her more as she cannot help but grow worry for obvious reasons.

"Who's there!" Corrin called out with no form of concern or demand in her tone, however, the person outside did not respond, making her anxious to believe that perhaps a Nohrian really has spotted them.

"Active Evil is better than passive Good."

Growing more anxious by the second, unsurprisingly because of the stress of facing off against her former family, Corrin walks back on her own without informing the others to meet the stranger and once she does, she finds herself in a corridor devoid of sound and people, apart from herself and the stranger who she heard make the quotes and hears him again from her right as he speaks another quote.

"Can I see another's woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another's grief, and not seek for kind relief?"

The voice Corrin has been hearing all along is that of a man taller than her probably the same height as Robin, slender and young with pale skin, chin-length jet-black hair with long bangs swept to the left that obscures his eye. His clothing is unlike anything she has ever seen, the attire of a commoner perhaps but she wouldn't say he would count as a peasant per se. He wears a long, open sleeveless leather coat with the sides tied together by strings, inside pockets, and a sewn-in, corset-like vest in the front. He also wears black pants with a silver chain made up of skulls on the right side of his belt and a fingerless glove on his right hand and wears black sandals. He also sports many accessories, including a toothed pendant around his neck, silver ring on his left middle finger, and a plain leather bracelet and a spiked bracelet on his left wrist. He also carries a silver metal cane with a Japanese Jian blade design to it on his right, odd since he doesn't look like he has difficulty walking while in his left hand he carries a black book of poetry with the emblem of Nohr on the cover. He is standing before her that she can see his front clearly but he is not staring directly at her, being more focus on his book.

"Where mercy, love, and pity dwell, there Gods are dwelling too." When speaking a fourth quote, the Mysterious Man closes the book and looks up to lock eyes with Corrin, revealing his silver eyes to her red eyes.

"Ah… greetings, I'm actually a little surprised to find company here, this section has been oddly quiet for almost an hour. A fine place to catch on a good read." He greeted the Princess with a genuine smile.

"Who are you?" Corrin asked bluntly but not unkindly.

The Man responds with a short light chuckle before quoting again.

"I have no name: I am but two days old. What shall I call thee? I happy am, Joy is my name. Sweet joy befall thee!"

"Someone is fascinated with the Shadow Comedy." Corrin uttered, familiar with the quotes as they are words spoken in Nohr's oldest poetries, and are believed to have been written by the Dusk Dragon himself as many religious men would claim that the God of Nohr had a split personality, as a dragon he was a force of strength and authority but while in his human form as the Gods were best known for speaking with their followers through shapeshifting, was also a poet, painter and printmaker, also being the co-inventor of the three alongside his twin brother. The Shadow Comedy has long since been one of Nohr's most guarded treasures and most well-known poems, even to outsiders, filled with quotes that are still used today and have amassed a large following that have inspired many to join the Dusk Faithful, Corrin herself being one of them and still sees herself as a Follower of Qliphoth's teachings despite her desertion to the kingdom of the Dark Dragon.

"It's amazing, isn't it. Dark Deities are usually depicted as beings who personify destruction, chaos and evil but never has there been a poet among them, let alone of a legit religion that teaches it's followers to value honor and fatherland above power and glory." He smiled at her. "But we're getting off topic here. Call me Quill."

"Okay… Quill, sorry if I interrupted you, I was just feeling a little on edge." Corrin apologized.

"I can understand why, every time the Nohrian Royal Family come here to be entertained by Nestra's beautiful dancers they partially ruin it for everyone else with them always tightening the securities, making them feel unsafe instead of the contrary and now that the War between Dawn and Dusk has begun again everyone's fears for the worse has only increased." Quill said sounding bothered. "Shame on the Royals, you think that as Carriers of the Dusk Bloodline, they would respect the beauty of dance. Singers and Dancers are their own kinds of artists, you know. And Art is the Tree of Light. while Strength…"

"… Is the Tree of Death." Corrin finished for him as she knew right away what he was going to say next.

"Ah… a Faithful yourself, or just a lover of poems?" Quill asked interested. "I'm the latter."

"The former, though lately my faith has been put into questioning, though is not the religion itself." Corrin muttered. "You know, not everyone believes that the Royal Family are really descendants of a god, and just see it as religious propaganda."

"Of course, it's only natural, without proof of divinity, the feeble minds of men only see gods as exceptionally powerful mages, which they aren't exactly wrong but at the same time they're in denial." Quill mused. "Though, I have to question why you of all people would be troubled by the unnecessary amount of security."

"Huh…"

"There aren't too many who wear armor like yours. White or silver armor of Nohrian design is reserved for Nobles who have been honored by the Royals, or commoners who have made quite an impression that they are deemed worthy of a noble status, and armor like this is given as a gift by the King, Queen, Crown Prince or Crown Princess of Nohr as a gift and used as a symbol of sorts as proof that they are an ally of theirs and have their support more so than most, prompting all soldiers and knights to be respectful of those who have earned such privilege to wear such armor and be more tolerant of any mischief but with no real sort of immunity of the law." Quill noted, examining her armor as there is symbolism to Corrin's Princess attire.

"Well… me and my siblings have wisely chosen to stay away from the Capital during it's more crowded moments whenever we got the chance." Corrin lied, doing her best to show no sort of signs on her face that she's lying.

"Makes sense, though I advised you start getting used to it. If you and your family have come to Nestra to flee the conflict it might be short-lived. Sooner or later, the Twilight will engulf all of Horus the longer it prolongs." Quill warned, thinking the same as Takumi regarding the possibility that nowhere is safe from Nohr's Conquest.

"Thanks for the advise, Quill. It's funny, I've been feeling on edge ever since coming here, rarely does talking with a stranger ever make me feel at ease." Corrin confessed.

'Why am I talking with him so casually, for all I know he could be one of father's men posing as a harmless poet.' Corrin questioned herself over her sudden extreme carelessness.

"You're welcome, though it would only be fair to know of who I am helping be set at ease." Quill requested kindly.

'Crap, I can't give him my name, just because I was sheltered my whole life doesn't mean I'm not well known, I am, or was a Princess of Nohr now Princess of Hoshido. Corrin is a definite no.' Corrin thought, quickly coming up with an alias that should suffice.

"It's Kana." Corrin replied with a fake name.

"Kana? That almost sounds gender-neutral." Quill noted.

"I like to think it does." Corrin said fond of the name, mostly because it's a name Elise came up with, though the reasons why she brought it up were more embarrassing for Corrin but still appealing.

"Regardless, Kana, I suggest that you do get more used to a large crowd because when the time comes, all who can fight in Nohr will be called to arms, even the ones choosing to take a neutral stance will be dragged, with chains if need be, and when that does I hope you know your way around with at least a sword." Quill advised.

"Yeah, thanks for the tip." Corrin replied appreciatively. "Though, there's something I have to ask, being someone who looks to have no ties with neither Nohr or Hoshido and might have some words of wisdom to share."

"You mean about your King's reasons for starting this war?" Quill guessed.

"Yeah…" Corrin mumbled. "Is it true of what the Hoshidans are saying, are we… the bad guys?"

"Wars are forged through hatred and greed, opposition motivated by religious belief, desperation for resources, or just to respond to crimes too unforgivable for Justice to be met accordingly. Some battles cannot be solved through words and understanding, the human mind can sometimes prove too fragile and think irrationally." Quill responded as best he can

"That doesn't even answer my question." Corrin muttered.

"When you fight a war, you spent every day hating the opposition, you are taught to demonize your enemy. To your side their evil, their subhuman, and that your cause is the right and you're a hero. And after spilling so much blood and ending the lives of so many enemies, you can't help but believe that it's true. That it has to be true, otherwise what does that make you. One side wants to preserve their way of living while the other wants to improve theirs. At the end of it all, every battle needs a villain to hate, to put the blame on for all their suffering and destroy, believing that it will make everything better. And when in a conflict of this magnitude everyone always pays close attention to the execution, the method on how they operate and fight, whoever's execution is the most… ''unappealing'' becomes the villain."

"That sounds more like a script of a play than anything else." Corrin replied, unsure of his words.

"As I said, the human mind is a fragile thing, for all we know, I might be on to something." Quill said more sure of himself, making Corrin contemplate some more and remember something most unpleasant.

"**Your father sends his regards**." Wrath's final words to her come rushing back into her head, at first believing that he must've meant Garon but Sloth said something else that made her faith in her nohrian dad less shaken.

'The whole thing was a set up for me and start the war, I won't deny that and there is a third party involved; the Sins but if Wrath's was being literal, could he had been referring to my actual father?'

"Hatred? I can't tell you how many societies, friendships and families were destroyed because of it, I know so many and I wouldn't know where to start, especially when my thoughts have been so focused on one weeping maiden in particular." Quill said changing the subject.

"Who, the treacherous adoptive daughter of the Nohrian Royals?" Corrin asked sarcastically and bitter.

"No, someone else. There is a land, very, very far from Horus, a land with a lot of history of gods, men and war but with much grander stories, and it is currently ruled by a very young Empress. Born a prodigy of the mystic arts and swordsmanship, she dedicated her entire life to one sole purpose, and that is to live up to the expectations of her illustrious father. A hero unsung by himself and never acknowledged how grand he truly was, except that he was loved by so many up until his death." Quill explained this tale. "The one thing that he excelled at the most was as a master tactician, something his daughter was desperate to surpass him as, lusting for his approval even though she already had it. Her smile was truly something precious, though she remains a symbol of peace and goodness like her father, her hyperactive attitude and upbeat demeanor is what really made her so noticeable, so amazing and loved."

"And… she's not anymore?" Corrin asked, intrigued by this story.

"No, the smiles she shows nowadays are false, facades to hide her grief and everyone knows it. Accepting the role of Empress, agreeing to help millions with their turmoil and fix their homes is just an excuse for her to run away from her own problems, her grief and rage, and of course, her inability to look past her hatred for those she holds responsible for her father's death and sacrifice, the people her father trusted to his dying breath and who still mourn for him but the poor young Empress unknowingly dishonors his grave by pushing them away." Quill said now with a bit of sadness. "Even when pointed at the right person, hatred can be so poisonous and misguiding, and justice is equally corruptible, and there are no right answers to wars, what I am truly concerned with is that will the hate prolong even after everything is said and done, is there no way for true peace that can benefit everyone. Can love prevail, does the answer to the salvation of Horus lie with the Wayward Princess of two nations? That, I believe is what we should be looking forward to the most."

His words have a profound impact on Corrin, not that he seems to notice, and making her assume the worse, does he know who she really is, is he just playing with her and did she blindly walked into a trap? But more importantly, why haven't the others notice her disappearance and come to look for her?

'Did I just make a huge mistake?' She mumbled to herself as if the answer wasn't already obvious.

"The show will begin very soon, I better get to my seat pronto, and you should return as well before your, I can only guess you're with your family, start to get worried. It was nice talking to you." Quill said as he takes his leave.

"Yeah… you too." Corrin muttered, unsure of what to do now that she may have very well put herself in an early grave, her thoughts now a raging whirlpool, trying to process what to do. On one hand, she can't help but trust Quill but for the sake of her friends she can't help but want to be cynical but she can't start a fight here, and she left Yato back with Robin, Kaze and Lilith. The only thing she can think of to be the logical choice is to play it cool and walk back, not like they don't already assume the worse. With that in mind, her thoughts become clouded by another thing that she can't quite toss aside.

"One last question." Corrin said, catching Quill's attention to turn back to her.

"What else can I help you with?" He asked, happily willing to oblige.

"What's the name of this grief-stricken Empress and the name of this far away land? I can't help but wonder that perhaps this tale might be able to help me with another problem I have." Corrin asked.

"Of course, though I doubt you have ever heard of it, the continent's name was called Valm, though a long time ago it was preferably known as Valentia. And her current sovereign's name is Morgan." Quill revealed.

In that very moment, time freezes on Corrin as she tries to process what she just learned. Morgan? As in, Robin's sister? Wait… they never confirm that Robin has siblings, she just assumed that to be the case and he blindly agreed due to not having a clue?

"And… is Morgan really all alone, no immediate family to turn to ease her grief?" Corrin asked next, wanting to verify.

"Not that I'm aware of yet. No mention of a mother, only a father who's been dead for three to four years." Quill affirmed, making the hidden Princess turn cold, though there is a sudden shift in his face that if Corrin knew any better she might accuse him of being dishonest. "Although last I heard, there is a rumor going around that she has a son already but there is no mention of her marrying, much less of having a lover. A night of pleasure with a stranger that went south real quick, I guess. Poor, foolish girl."

"Right… thanks for that." Corrin uttered, trying really hard to keep herself compose until she turns around and he can no longer see her face that now mortified over this information. Who in the name of the Gods is Robin, really? He's been in Horus for perhaps the same amount of time that Morgan's father's been dead. Are they the same person? But then how can he have a daughter old enough to become an empress of an entire continent and can apparently have a kid of her own?!

"Who have I fallen in love with?" Corrin mumbled before walking away.

"I hope to see you again; I couldn't help but enjoy our talk as well." Quill said his farewell. "Till then, Corrin."

That was the last straw as Corrin alarmingly turns around to face him, unable to keep it in any longer.

"That's him alright." Robin commented as Corrin is out of the blue back alongside her three comrades and in the same position she was when she saw Elise again from the gaze of Lilith's Dragonstone, leaving her even more shock as she frantically looks around if Quill is nearby, half tempted to go back to the corridor to look for him while half tempted to remain with her friends.

"It's just him and Elise, no Xander, or Arete at least. There are at least four soldiers that are standing guard of them but there are certainly many more that we can't see." Her Tactician continued as he examines the Nohrian King's current position.

"Two of them seem more colorful than typical soldiers." Kaze noted, examining two of the guards, one of which is a female knight wearing pink armor, silver hair with a tired-looking face, rather young, likely early twenties, alongside who he assumes is a Fighter dressed in bright colors than most with a much too happy smile on his face, who he can only assume is in his early thirties with blonde hair.

"That's Effie and Arthur." Robin recognizes the pair.

"Oh yeah, I remember them, they're Lady Elise's retainers." Lilith replied recalling the two fondly, especially Arthur.

"How long was I gone?" Corrin asked out of the blue, catching the attention of her three retainers.

"Gone? Never." Robin surmised. "You haven't left our side ever since we got here."

'Did I just imagined the whole thing up?' Corrin muttered sorely confused.

"Were you having another of your zoning out moments again?" Lilith asked in concern, as Corrin is known for sometimes having something akin to blackouts when under a lot of stress and locks herself in her own head to calm herself, though they are extremely rare and only happened when she is under A LOT of stress, and she sees her transformation for the first time to be her biggest example, though that one was an actual blackout for her.

"I do recall you having one like that in the afternoon after becoming livid over failing another of Robin's hypothetical situations." Kaze said recalling something like this happening before.

"Yeah… yeah, that was probably it, seeing Elise again is harder than I thought but with Garon… I feel nothing." Corrin lied, trying to brush the whole thing off, however, she knows this wasn't another of her subconscious attempts to escape the frustrations of her reality by going to her dreamland, the conversation with Quill felt so real, he felt completely real.

"That makes sense, and an improvement from what I initially feared but half progress will mean very little right now. You do understand that." Robin said with concern for her.

"I know, and I'm ready. I Just… need to stay away from Elise and focus on letting out years of frustration against Garon and cut loose." Corrin forces herself to keep a strong front and takes Yato back in her hands.

"That feels infinitely worse than you being paralyzed with fear and guilt." Kaze expressed doubt with her reply.

"Very." Robin nodded in agreement.

"Fuck off, you two." Corrin scoffed in annoyance.

"And she's all better now." The three of them said at once feeling more at ease, with the Princess rolling her eyes but with a smile, satisfied that she could keep them from being worried over her for now.

* * *

"Come now, child, you shouldn't look so glum now, you're usually upbeat when witnessing Lady Layla perform." Garon spoke to her somber daughter without looking at her.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just so caught off in everything that has happened." Elise said sadly.

"It is only natural given what needs to be done but try to savor this moment, after all, there will not be any more moments of peace in the coming future with the rest of your siblings being overworked." Garon advised.

"You know I can help out too." Elise offered.

"Do not be naïve, Elise, your aptitude for magic does not excuse your inexperience, you weren't even supposed to be in that first battle to begin with, and though I applaud your efforts and coming back unscathed you still have a long ways to go." Her father lectured gently, making the Princess pout.

"What're you talking about, I'm better than any of our Rod Knights apart from mother, and I'm the greatest healer ever!" Elise boasted arrogantly with an attitude befitting of the strong princess Corrin knows she is. Her bold claim makes Garon make a very genuine light chuckle.

"A bold claim that each of your siblings can support but you have yet to demonstrate such talents to me so you have to wait for my judgment before you are allowed in the battlefield ever again." Garon declared.

"Oh, that's not fair." Elise pouted again in silly dejection.

* * *

"That's… more generosity than I've ever seen him show to anyone… ever." Lilith muttered, coming close to speechless as she has never seen the King of Nohr act close to casual as they can also hear them with her magic.

"Well, I suppose it is natural for any man to show humanity before their loved ones while seen as a monster to the rest of the world." Kaze concluded though he be lying if he said he too wasn't surprised by seeing Garon act this way when in comparison to all the evil rumors about him.

"Makes sense, though I imagine we'll see which side is the real Garon soon enough." Robin said as he looks to see Azura as Layla enter the stage.

"Ahem…" Azura prepares to begin her song with her necklace glowing with power, though none but her can see it at the moment.

"~You are the Ocean's gray waves…~"

"~ In the white light, a hand reaches through. A double-edged blade cuts your heart in two~" As the Songstress sings, water starts to manifest from thin air around her as she begins her majestic dance.

* * *

"Huh. Isn't that mother's song?" Elise gasped, all too familiar with this song as it is the one Arete would sing to her as a lullaby. "Where did Layla learn it?"

"What?!" Garon's demeanor becomes completely stern and hostile, seeing this as an obvious bad sign.

* * *

"~Waking dreams fade away. Embrace the brand new day~"

"~Sing with me a song of birthrights and love. The light scatters to the sky above~"

The water Azura controls spread majestically across the opera house above all the boats in the pool.

"~Dawn breaks the gloom, white as a bone. Lost in thoughts all alone~"

* * *

"I feel… sleepy all the sudden…" Elise starts feeling the effects of the song making her docile, same with every Nohrian within the vicinity.

"Damn… this isn't the hindrance I was expecting to have tonight." Garon cursed, resisting the song better than everyone else but still too feels docile.

* * *

"It's working! The Nohrians are enthralled by the song." Corrin said, watching in awe but then begins to feel a disturbance herself as if the song is also affecting her with black miasma coming out of her body. "What… what's happening…?"

* * *

"Now's our chance, let there be Light, you two." Hinoka ordered the tribalists standing beside her.

"On it." Rinkah replied as she and Hayato begin to channel the power of the Light Scroll and in mere seconds more than a hundred beings made of tangible light in the shape of Hoshidan soldiers are created all around the Opera House right beside the Nohrian guards all under the control of the two channeling from the scroll, though they aren't controlling them all at once with Hayato controlling half of them and Rinkah with the other half. The Light beings begin to assault the docile Nohrians, though with different methods since the ones Rinkah controls kill her targets with weapons of light, while Hayato instead resorts to further incapacitate his with knocking them completely out cold.

"Holding back a lot I see." Rinkah objected while both hers and his eyes have turned completely white, as the scroll also allows them to see everything through the eyes of the constructs.

"Piss off, you barbarian." Hayato shouted.

"Hey, no arguing you two, what matters is that you're doing your part." Hinata lectured. "How is everything so far?"

"The constructs are capable of understanding basic orders due to their semi-consciousness, assist and protect us, capture or destroy Nohrians, they're no different than well-trained animals but they get the job done even better." Rinkah informed. "This seems almost too easy."

"What about Garon?" Takumi asked, also there with them.

"They almost got him and luckily for Corrin, mine will be claiming tonight's trophy." Hayato informed as his soldiers are moving in on Garon, quickly pinning down his guards, as well as Arthur and Effie and approach the supposed Demon King to restrain him but shockingly, the old King is not so easily restrain as he strikes at the Light Soldiers first with his signature ax that he always carries with him, Bölverk and cleaves them almost instantly, causing them to evaporate into white smoke.

"WHOA!" Hayato snapped in shock.

"What happened?" Takumi demanded.

"Old bastard is diligent, that's what." Rinkah said as she and Hayato see King Garon push the light soldiers off his men. "Let's see how diligent."

Garon turns around as he hears the flapping wings of a Kinshi approach from behind and sees that there is also a Kinshi Knight of Light construct preparing to attack and throws a spear of light seemingly at Elise, though this was a ruse done by Rinkah to hit Garon and the King takes the bait as he uses himself as a shield to protect his daughter and gets stabbed in the back of his right shoulder instead but surprisingly, the spear of light dissipated as soon as it touched his armor.

"How dare you!" The King growled furiously but still falls to his knees as the effects of Azura's song are making more progress against him but at least Elise remains unharmed and nearly asleep and more light soldiers move in.

"Holy Hells, Rinkah!" Hayato shouted in shock over what she just did.

"It was a ruse and he fell for it, I'm nowhere near that savage, and he's predictably wearing Anti-Magic Armor." Rinkah hissed, justified.

"Please tell me you didn't use Princess Elise as bait to make Garon an easy target." Hinoka uttered as she noticed the light kinshi knight throw the spear from their distance but not to who exactly.

"Fine, then I won't say it." Rinkah shrugged.

"Corrin is going to kill you if she finds out and we're not going to defend you." Takumi sighed, just because he hates Nohrians doesn't mean he doesn't have standards and would never hurt a kid, not even he can deny that Elise is adorable and surprisingly pure for a Nohrian Royal, especially after witnessing her be so participant in the Battle on Kurosaki.

'What an odd family.'

* * *

"I'm going to kill Rinkah!" Corrin shouted, already guessing that it was her who threw that spear at Elise.

"Well… you can't say that Flame Tribalists aren't effective." Kaze muttered.

* * *

Just as hope seemed lost for the Nohrians a black and red portal opens up from Garon's left and from it his oldest son, Prince Xander comes out and swiftly eliminates the light soldiers threatening his father and sister.

"FATHER! SISTER! Are you alright!" Xander cried out in desperation and dread.

"You three took your time…" Garon muttered.

* * *

"Xander just arrive!" Rinkah warned the others.

"Then the real show can begin, and we need to pull Azura out now!" Takumi ordered.

"Kagero and Orochi have her covered." Oboro replied.

* * *

Out from the portal that Xander came from comes out a blue energy blast that flies off at the center and above the Opera House that releases a shockwave that completely dispels Azura's magic, including the illusion that makes her look like Layla.

"What…" Azura muttered as she can feel the pendant's power leave her. Another energy blast is fired directly at her this time, but at the nick of time Kagero arrives and pulls her out of the way while Orochi steps in and counters the attack with an Ox Spirit to clash and cancel each other out, though the resulting explosion did knock the Diviner to the ground. The next thing that comes out from the portal is none other than the Queen of Nohr, Arete, who the Hoshidans can mistake for an older version of Azura but with shorter hair, which is most accurate since she is her mother, wearing a black dress befitting of a queen among Nohr's Warlocks.

* * *

"Mother…" Corrin uttered in shock to see her adoptive mother again.

* * *

"Huh… what happened." Elise muttered while making a deep sigh and she is finally free from Azura's magic with all her energy coming back and is surprised to see her brother and mother here so suddenly, alongside her father with all three of them looking aggressive. "What's going on?"

"The ambush was not exactly how we expected it to turn out. To think they would actually manage to deceive Azura to be a part of this." Arete spoke in a somber tone, looking down at the stage and sees Azura with the Hoshidans with both her arms surging with a dark aura full of malice.

"Then let's get her back." Xander declared fiercely. "Take my sister out of here, now!"

"Wait, what?! I don't get it, what's happening?!" Elise panicked.

"Into the portal Milady." Effie said with haste as she takes her hand and rushes her to the portal, unfortunately, the portal closes up on them before they could get the young Princess to safety.

"What are you doing, you fool! Open it up again!" Garon demanded as the Warlock that manages the Warp Tome panics as he tries to turn it back on but for some reason the spellbook isn't responding.

"I'm trying to sire but for some reason, the tome isn't working, it's lost all power." The Warlock explained in horror.

"What?! But the ones we brought in are brand new and recently forged a week ago, they couldn't have lost power so soon." Xander argued.

"So they've cast a Nullification Spell." Arete quickly deduced the real problem and checks to see if she can still use her magic and thankfully, fire surges through her right arm. "But only for our most important magics, perhaps. We were unable to become the predators instead after all."

"Clever, little princess." Garon mused, already suspecting Corrin to be involved in this. "Though, I suspect the other one is more to blame for this interesting development."

"Robin." Xander growled in outrage and vengeance.

"So be it then, though they have yet to realized that it was lions that they've caught in their traps, not rats." Garon said ready for battle.

* * *

"HA! The spell worked, every warp tome in the Opera House is inoperable." Orochi cheered over her achievement.

"Couldn't you have done that a little earlier, we could've delayed the arrival of more enemy soldiers and Prince Xander for a little while longer, and he's as strong, if not stronger than Lord Ryoma." Kagero uttered.

"Hey, a spell like this requires time and I was put on guard duty as well."

* * *

"The Nullification Spell I gave Orochi to cast is a go, they're all right where we want them." Robin declared in half-triumph; the hard part now is keeping the targets detain.

"Wish she had stalled a bit longer for Elise to be escorted to safety." Corrin muttered regrettably.

"Nothing we can do about that now so we better get a move on, Rinkah and Hayato haven't yet mastered the scroll and those soldiers will only last for thirty minutes and Orochi's spell will only last for twenty." Lilith noted.

"No going back then. Onward!" Corrin declared, regrettably but her voice held only conviction to see this night through.

"We might want to jump first." Lilith said as she notices Xander turn around to stare at their immediate location, and while he can't see all of them from his distance he does spot Corrin's visage well enough, giving him more than enough motivation to attack as he points Siegfried towards them and fires a powerful dark magic blast at them.

"Jump!" Robin yelled as the four of them have no time to run and just jump and fall into the water below but the Tactician holds on to the three and safely flies them down to one of the boats.

"He's pissed off." Robin muttered, fully aware how obvious that is but still felt like saying it.

"Question is, which of us is he going to lash out at the most." Corrin mumbled.

"Not me, that's for sure." Lilith uttered as she assumes her dragon form.

"CORRIN!" Xander roared as he jumps off and down to the pool and boats with his mother casually following downwards and uses wind magic to safely propel them down on one of the boats.

"Definitely me…" Corrin uttered dreadfully.

"Behind us then." Kaze said as he and Robin step forward expectably as her shields. Several light soldiers surround the Queen and Crown Prince but the latter makes short work of them with his Dark Holy Sword, swinging the blade ferociously and releases a dark wave that swallows up the light and annihilates all who stand between him and his treacherous sister.

"Want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Robin sighed.

* * *

In other areas of the Opera House, the spectators and workers have already begun to panic and flee upon witnessing or hearing the attacks, while plenty of the Nohrians that have snapped out of their trance begin to defend themselves against the Hoshidan ambush but fighting off the Light Soldiers is no easy task considering how badly they were caught off guard, which is shameful considering that they were supposed to be in top shape to defend their King and Princess, with only a few among them holding their own, one of these knights being Silas, who is currently defending a fellow knight, a grown man with heavy black armor lying on the ground with a black shield on his left and a silver spear in the right, still trying to snap out of it. Hard to say if he's in his twenties or thirties by his face alone. He looks so intimidating, like a brute who has zero qualms about killing anyone, heck even is blonde hairstyle makes him intimidating.

"Come on, Ben, get up, I need you." Silas called out to the Knight as he clashes with a Light Samurai.

"I'm trying… just give me a few more seconds." He mumbled, though it almost sounded like he might actually be timid and at the worse time as more light soldiers are approaching them.

Luckily for Silas there really were Nohrians hiding among the spectators and weren't affected by Azura's song as she was solely focused on the actual guards, and one of these hidden soldiers is a very beautiful woman in her early twenties with long wavy blonde hair and assaults the Light Soldiers with a Berserker Axe and cleaves them just as swiftly as King Garon.

"Charlotte, you're a lifesaver." Silas sighed in relief.

"Oh, Silas, you know you can always count on me." The Female fighter said in a girly tone while blushing. "Now come on, we got some naughty bunches to punish." She declared as she tears off her Nestrian dress just as easily, showing off her actual attire, which is that of a white scantily clad outfit that makes the fishnet suits of Warlocks look modest. Seriously, how can she fight in that, sure the less fabric barely restricts her movement but she is so exposed.

"I really wish you wouldn't dress up like that." Silas mumbled while looking away with a deep blush.

"Oh, don't be shy, you know you like what you see." Charlotte replied seductively.

"I am not obligated to answer that and come on, you have to show more dignity than this, you're one of the Queen's retainers for Qliphoth's Sake."

"Speaking of our perfect Queen… BENNY GET UP! It's showtime!" Charlotte roared in a more vicious tone that is a far cry from her previous attitude, quickly snapping the down knight out of it.

"I'm up, I'm up! Please, no more yelling." Benny said quickly getting back on his feet nervously and pleading not to be yelled at again.

"Suck it up, it's time to kick some ass!" Charlotte declared as she charges into battle.

"Is it strange that I prefer your partner when she's like this." Silas asked.

"The former does feel toxic after a while." Benny replied more casually.

* * *

Complete carnage erupts within the Opera House as one of Cyrkensia's pride and joy succumbs to the madness of the Twilight War with both armies clashing and killing each other, well, the deaths are in this case reserved only for the Nohrians as the true Hoshidans have yet to suffer any real casualties with their construct warriors taking all the blows for them and rival the adversaries fairly well.

"Burn! You Nohrian Scums!" Rinkah roared as she charges towards a Nohrian Knight and bashes his head as hard as she can with her maze, easily cracking open the skull while setting the whole body ablaze and sending the grown tall man crashing into a warlock, setting him on fire as he screams in agony. Hinata and Oboro are beside her as they clash with anyone who gets near and forces them back.

"Man, it feels good to turn the tables around." Hinata cheered.

"Not so tough now that we finally have our own super army, I see." Oboro said smugly.

Four Warlocks gang up on them and attack with wind tomes but once they fire their tornados, an even bigger tornado comes crashing on them horizontally, consuming the smaller tornados and blowing them away. The one who fired it is none other than Hayato who is currently floating in the air, using his divine power over wind to fly by surrounding himself with his magic. He then creates six large arrows of tangible wind and fires it at six incoming knights.

"Robin's plan is working out so far and we got the aerial advantage and there aren't that many archers." Rinkah said.

"We should still watch out for Grimm; they could be underwater for all we know." Hana said arriving at the scene with Sakura closed by while Subaki, Hinoka and Reina lead the assault above while riding light constructs of Pegasi and Kinshi since they didn't bother to sneak their actual rides inside and so far they seem to be riding these things as good as the real deal.

"I don't think there are any, I mean the King and Princess of Darkness were just assaulted and those demons should've immediately sensed the danger and arrived as quickly as possible, which suspiciously seems to be almost on time and yet there are none yet so it seems that we have a bigger advantage than our newly Tactician predicted." Azama concluded.

"They must've chosen to heavily rely on the Warp Tomes and not hide them here with the risk of them being spotted and start a panic." Setsuna guessed.

"Wonderful, all the more reason to go all out and make extra sure that this doesn't go to waste." Takumi roared as he raises his new bow, pulls the string and manifest a violet arrow, radiating with dark power and fires it at three Berserkers, striking them with an explosion that not only blasted them away but also disintegrated their bodies, leaving only their skeletons behind. Satisfied with his first kill of the night, Takumi aims his bow at more targets, which are a few Warlocks, Outlaws and Dark Knights who arrive at the scene and he aims Skadi at them and fires a much stronger arrow that none of them can react against in time, but someone else does as an oak tree manifests from the water and is used as a shield to block the arrow and instead of blowing it up, the trees seems to be absorbing and containing the dark magic of Skadi.

"Fall back, fall back!" One of the Outlaws shouted as he knows what's about to happen and urges his comrades to back away and in the nick of time, the tree explodes but the energy surge is blow up into the sky that Hinoka barely notices and manage to evade in time while said blast bursts through the ceiling, causing a pillar of dark magic to be briefly seen across most of Cyrkensia.

"Did… a tree just do that?" Setsuna asked unfamiliar with this kind of magic.

"Forget the tree, it's who created it that matters." Takumi said with anticipation as his rival finally arrives, Prince Leo, and is the one leading the outlaws, warlocks and dark knights right now, and alongside him are two who stand out from the rest that Takumi recognizes as his retainers; Odin and Zero. Odin is the blonde man taller than Leo, wearing the fishnet bodysuit all Warlocks wear but he has a yellow design to his own. Zero is a bit shorter than the Dark Mage, with messy white hair, the right eye covered by an eye patch and a blue cloak covering most of his tanned skin. Both looked deadly and not to be trifled with.

"You filthy apes want us so badly, we're right here." Leo said more than ready to punish the fool Hoshidans who dare attack his father and King.

"Good! Because I'm about to end this war right here, right now!" Takumi swore.

"Leo…" Corrin mumbled as her group regroups with Takumi's at the same time that Azura's and Hinoka's group gather up.

"Hello, sister." Leo greeted but unkindly as the scorn in his tone is very evident even though his expression looks as composed as ever. "Nohrian Law is blunt on the subject of traitors, however mother is adamant on making this an exception, but that doesn't mean this will be pleasant for you."

"That look on her face is so full of despair. This will be most satisfying indeed, Milord." Zero said with a malicious tone and smug, readying his Killer Bow to fire.

"Holdfast, villains, for the day of reckoning is at hand and I, Odin Dark shall deliver it to you." Odin declared so dramatically and lightheartedly that it's hard to take him seriously.

"Don't let your blood turn too cold, dear, I rather your image not be too determine by your performance." Arete said also arriving at the scene with several more soldiers at her side, among them, being Charlotte and Benny who just barely made it and now stand beside their Queen.

"M-M… Mother…!" Azura managed to utter, rapidly trembling with a mix of emotions upon seeing her mother again after so long.

"My dear sweet daughter, at last, I've found you." Arete turns to her true daughter and now smiles at her with compassion. "It took opening the guts of Hell but you're finally within my grasps."

"I… I…" Azura cannot find the right words to speak. Just as Robin foresaw, she is not prepared at all for this as she had initially assured herself.

"Corrin." The hissing sound of Xander is heard to her left as, now facing her older brother once again, beside him is, oh gods, why, Silas. Followed by two others who must be the Crown Prince's own Retainers, Laslow and Peri. Laslow being the slender man with gray hair like his eyes build with standard Nohrian pauldron that is common among their mercenaries, and a chainmail of heavy armor. Peri has a childlike smile on her face that makes her seem innocent, marine and pink long hair wrapped in pigtails and white version of the standard Nohrian armor for female Cavaliers that is usually black but it's not to be confused for one such as Corrin's armor, too inaccurate.

"Xander…" Corrin muttered weakly, quickly looking away from him, unable to bear to be looked down by him so coldly.

"Big sister!" Elise gasped in shock to see her sister again after that fateful day still alongside the Hoshidans, while she is standing in the area she was previously at with her father but now it's just her, her personal retainers and several other guards.

"Remain by our side Milady, things are about to get intense." Effie advised, holding her close as she and Arthur prepare for the worse.

"So it's come to this. You dare to point your sword at our king… The same man you once called Father!" Xander curses Corrin.

"Quiet, you! Your chains can no longer bind her, and nor will your poisonous words corrupt anyone ever again!" Hinoka shouted, refusing to stand for Xander saying anything to bad mouth her sister.

"Your words mean nothing, High Princess, and you have no idea at all what you've started by attacking us in a peaceful neutral territory." Xander scoffed at his foes for their ignorance.

"We know exactly what we're doing, and no risk is too high for when we deliver justice on you tyrants." Takumi declared.

"Raise your weapons and attack us with everything you got then, show us your conviction and your justice with your wrath." Xander dared as he draws his sword to them while maintaining his glare on Corrin and Robin. "You especially Corrin, Go on! If you would oppose us, then kill your brother with your own hands! Destroy the very friends and soldiers who once protected you like the Scourge you've become!"

"Times up for you Nohrian Scums! One way or another this War will end with your heads as our trophies!" Hinoka declared.

"Come and claim our heads if you think you can handle us, dear, though don't be surprised when things turn to our favor." Arete said unconcern with her threats.

* * *

Right above the Opera House, there is one individual who has been watching the events unfold that lead to this deadly fight happening right now and was aware of the plan of the Hoshidans to take down King Garon but kept quiet and allowed this event to occur solely for his own amusement and lies down on the edge of the building eager for more violence.

"Marvelous, things aren't going exactly how I hoped they would but still exciting. Still, unless things don't spice up soon, I might get bored, and I certainly can't let that happened." The Evil One declared as he stands up and manifests a flaming sword into his hand. "So I better go and spice things up myself. I just need a good opening but first thing's first, someone's got to make sure that Hoshido's message is made clear to all."

Smirked the sinister demon that is Wrath itself.

"You're not going to do a damn thing, you lousy ogre." Protested the whining voice of a newcomer, and once Wrath turns around he sees that it's his brother, Sloth. "I finally found you, Wrath."

"Ah, little brother. How fair you on this lovely night." Wrath greeted warmly.

"Don't even pretend you're happy to see me, that just makes this even more irritating." Sloth scoffed remorselessly at Wrath. "Do you have any idea just how much trouble you're in."

"What, is Pride finally mustering up the courage to actually put his ass down somewhere nearer to the ground and thinks I'm the one who destroyed his chair." Wrath asked mockingly and unconcern.

"No, but we all know it was you who did something to it. I mean wasting off on your own and causing a scene, exposing yourself like you did and starting the Twilight War prematurely." Sloth lectured.

"Prematurely? Last time I check, the old fart running Nohr was planning on assassinating the Hoshidan Royals the same day I made my move, all I did was make it more stylish." Wrath shrugged.

"And what, were you expecting a medal, maybe a few dozen hot nuggets for your trouble. I'm talking about the High Deliverer. You were supposed to ambush him back in Mount Garou and bring him to the hideout, instead, you went slacking off in the Canyon and attacked Corrin." Sloth protested.

"Lust wanted a crack at him alone, the fact that he's still banging with his new Lord is their own failure." Wrath shrugged.

"And how could we forget you're latest stunt in stealing one of my Drones and making it attack Suzanoh." Sloth hissed referring to the Blight Dragon that belonged to him. "Honestly, Wrath, do you have any idea how painful it is to build one of those things, Pride is going to be all over my arse in making me make one more just to have a precise number."

"It's what you get for learning how to conjure life like a Mage Dragon." Wrath chuckled. "Now if you excuse me, I have a date tonight that I rather not miss." Wrath said as he means to join in on the battle going on down below but is stopped by Sloth who grabs him using one of his giant hands.

"I already told you, you're not going to do a damn thing!" Sloth said with a lot of authority in his voice. "Now quit acting like a baby and suck it up because it's time to go home."

The older brother does not take kindly to Sloth's demands as the Sin of Wrath easily breaks free from Sloth's hold through brute force alone and with blinding speed, grabs the younger Sinner by his throat and pins him to the ground, a predatory glare now all over Wrath.

"And what makes you think I'll ever listen to you." Wrath scoffed, seething with a lot of suppressing anger over his brother's attempts. "Oh, Sloth, you still don't know your place, do you, little brother. If Pride has a problem with how I do things, then he can come and express his complaints in person." Sloth doesn't seem even remotely threaten by Wrath's assault and is just feeling unsatisfied, even after Wrath releases his grip on his neck. "Now go and be someone else's pest, like Envy."

"I come back empty-handed, Pride will be forced to dirty his hands and you know that will not go well for any of us." Sloth said wearily as he floats himself up from the ground. "C'mon, Wrath, don't be even more stupid and make another scene, we can't afford to be spotted by Qliphoth's Kin. At least try to make an indirect approach when assaulting these fools."

"Well, enlighten me then, on how you would want to play this game." Wrath dared, annoyingly.

"I would rather not play at all…" Sloth sighed, seeing no choice now other than to try and convince him to come by entertaining his bloodlust without them getting direct.

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait. Now things are really heating up, with these long-awaited reunions, but which is the darkest? This chapter is less than the previous ones because for one I don't have a lot of time to myself at the moment but mainly because I decided to split Dark Reunion into more than one chapter due to how long it really is, or rather what I want to put in during the events of Cyrkensia, and I honestly don't plan on ever making a chapter that's around or over 20,000 words long, why, I like to read long chapters but not that long, there's much, and then there's too much but that's just me. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one like the rest and are eager for more.**

**I decided to address Niles by his Japanese name, Zero because it really suits him and gives an unsubtle depiction about his life on who he was before he started working closely with royalty.**

**On to more important things, Azura and Arete have finally laid eyes on each other after so long apart with all of the former's walls that she placed around her heart start to finally crumble, making her question herself on where perhaps her loyalty really lies. Robin can finally cross paths with Owain and Inigo again, wonder how will they react to one another now that they are on opposite sides. Also, I'm not sure I will be able to write Owain/Odin's character perfectly so I'm just going to go as steady as I go when presenting him from this point forward.**

**Corrin has learned new information regarding her love interest and the family he has been apart from for so long by a mysterious figure. Things are spicing up real good, especially with Round 2 against Wrath as well. Also, Please send me more reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13: Dark Reunion Part Two

***Chapter 13: Dark Reunion Part Two**

"Well, well, well. Just what do you think you're doing, Corrin?" The Dark King of Nohr said sternly as he steps into the battlefield alongside his wife and sons, staring down at his treacherous adoptive daughter with several Rangers and Sorcerers beside him.

"Father…" Corrin recoiled with dread at the sight of him but still maintains a strong front and briefly spares Arete a glance before returning to Garon. "Mother…"

"You've been quite the naughty girl, Little Princess, how rare it is for you to be in need of some discipline." Arete said also sternly but not as unkind, though the look of disappointment is eminent.

"I never gave you enough credit Corrin, the mere thought that you could actually outsmart us is truly foolish, but at the same time bold enough to earn my respect. Truthfully, I never expected you to be so competent or brave to pull something like this off, and yet here you are." Garon scolded, his right hand glows with dark magic and focus on to Bölverk. "Though, considering how little effort you put into learning tactics from your brother, the praise clearly belongs to another."

'How flattering.' Corrin and Robin mused at the same time and spare a brief glance at each other.

"Well… you made it easy considering that you came here of all places while waging your crusade." Corrin replied but with little strength in her voice.

"You dare mock me, child? There is nowhere in Horus where I don't have eyes to scour for my enemies, and I've been watching you ever since you defeated your old friend, Sir Silas in Fort Jinya. Though we did lose your trail back in Mokushu due to the mysterious deaths happening to the people there and I had to scramble my forces to secure the survival of my allies as we could from the supernatural pandemic that only ceased recently." Garon explained. "It was obvious that your hoshidan brethren would be tempted to come after me like the moths they are once they learned I was here. Every bit as arrogant and pathetic as Sumeragi."

"Bite your fucking tongue, serpent! And don't make your death sentence any more thrilling for us than it already is." Takumi warned venomously over the insult directed at his father as he points Skadi at him and readies to fire a dark arrow.

"Why shouldn't he, we're already at each other's throats, and there's no point in holding back now." Leo countered, smugly.

"How disrespectful of you people, this opera house is meant to be a house of enjoyment and relaxation from the sight of delicate women and proud men who pour their heart and soul into their singing and dancing for the purpose of entertaining and rejuvenating others. Mixing it all with violence is not only sad but a wasted opportunity to sooth the hearts of dashing maidens." Laslow said speaking flirtatiously but also with passion regarding the performers of Nestra.

"Time to break some legs, and I hope you Hoshidans are strong because your bones are going to sing for me!" Peri declared with a hint of malicious intent, contradicting her cute appearance.

"Indeed, we did come here to be entertained with music after all, and it seems that the music of your defeat will have to suffice. Starting with you. Robin!" Xander is the first to begin the battle and he instead goes after Robin. Moving as fast as a horse, conveniently odd seeing how he's primarily the Head of the Cavaliers and Paladins. The Tactician summons one of his Levin Swords and goes to face the Crown Prince, moving faster with the two clashing with their swords, both radiating with violent surges of power.

This uproar resumes the battle with the Light Constructs reengaging the Nohrians, the chaos reigniting but at the very least there are no longer any innocent bystanders to be caught in the crossfire so neither side has an excuse to hold back.

Hinoka roars, furiously delivering mighty slashes against her current opponent, which is Peri, but the young Dame lives up to her status as a member of the Royal Guard and holds her own against the High Princess, with neither having the chance to overpower the other, even when Hinoka succeeds in getting behind Peri, and strikes at her legs with the bottom tip of her naginata, knocking her to the ground, the knight was quick enough to make a backflip to avoid being stabbed in the face by the Princess for her to then make a horizontal swing with her silver spear that she nearly decapitates Hinoka with the High Princess narrowly dodging. This forces Hinoka to take to the air, returning to her Pegasus with the hope of using an aerial advantage, though this is still risky as Peri could best her by sinking her spear on her mount but Hinoka's swings are faster than hers and this Pegasus of Light is more durable and resistant than Rukia so she can still win.

Kaze faces against Xander's other Retainer, Laslow and keeps his distance as he throws his shurikens at him but the Mercenary is fast with his swings using his impressive looking single-edge sword that looks to be made of platinum or something similar, yet is just as dense as a Brave Sword, and repels all the throwing blades at him while he draws in closer, forcing the ninja to enter close combat with his silver katana as they clash and like with Hinoka and Peri, Kaze is the faster of the two but Laslow's reflexes are enough to hold his own against him, so Kaze will have to buy his time and wait for an opening that may never come, after all, if Xander is anything like Ryoma, his chosen retainers must be experts of their craft. Kaze has even heard Kagero explain what she knows of the Crown Prince's retainers as she and Saizo have clashed with their ''opposites'' before and she describes them as very odd but very competent and deadly so this won't be easy for him, even if he is his brother's equal.

* * *

Two Rangers confront two Light Oni Savages daring to get near their King and succeed in destroying them, unfortunately for them, two more savages emerge from the ground and grab them by their feet and drag them to the water with the intent to drown them. And it's not just with them, few other Nohrians are caught and dragged into the water by more constructs below them and forced into the same fate or have their throats cut while they are struggling.

"My, what interesting brutality." Garon said as he cuts off the hands of the constructs that were going to pull him underwater. He's then attacked by a Wyvern of Light, peculiar since he has noted that many of Hoshido's new army seems to be completely based on Hoshidan Classes and there are no Wyverns in the East of Horus but it makes a little sense why they would attempt to make copies of units from opposing armies to their advantage, though the Wyverns he has noticed aren't mounted like the Pegasi and Kinshi constructs. Garon raises Bölverk to block the Wyvern's teeth as it attempts to take a bite out of the old king, however Garon is shockingly strong for a man his age as he holds his own against the beast well until he channels his magical abilities, surging with dark energy and blows the wyvern to the ground, giving Garon a better chance to finish it off as he decapitates it. Once that is done and the construct disintegrates until all that remains of it is a single page that looks like it used to be a part of a Tome, giving the writing that explodes once set free in Garon's face.

"Your Majesty!" The nearby Nohrians cried out upon noticing the point-blank explosion that occurs upon their King, but to their relief, Garon comes out of that, completely unscathed without so much as a scratch on his unprotected face.

"Interesting." Garon said amused by the little trick. The Rangers who stand beside their liege quickly band together and raise their shields to block incoming arrows and javelins aim directly at Garon by the airborne Light Soldiers, among them is Reina as she lands to face Garon herself.

"Well, this is a flash from the past." Garon said, familiar with the savage leader of the Kinshi Knights.

"King Garon, it's been too long, I wonder if you're every bit as deadly as I remember or have those new pets of yours made you wallow in your ugly throne for too long and made you rusty." Reina boldly dared the vicious king to come and face her himself as she jumps off her mount.

"I invite you to come and find out." Garon said as he waves at his men to stand down as he will face the woman on his own.

"A pity this war has to end so soon, I've hardly had the chance to enjoy myself as much but at least it'll be all worth it after this." Reina smirked.

"The only pity tonight is that Gunter is no longer with us, he would've enjoyed seeing you again." Garon said, and his words struck a nerve with Reina now harboring a scowl against the King.

* * *

Near Leo's side of the battlefield, three Bow Knights intercept Kinshi Knights trying to get near their Prince and once they strike down one of them, it disintegrates, leaving a magic page that it also had inside, which releases a huge fireball that blows the three Bow Knights into the air screaming before falling down into the water.

"What the blazes was that?" Leo protested.

"By the Ghost of Ike! Our enemies are pulling the Page Bombing Technique." Odin said in another of his exaggerated tones.

"What are you blabbering about now, Odin?" Leo demanded.

"The Page Bombing Technique, I told you about it. You remove a page from a Tome and modify it into a bomb set to trigger a portion of the power from the tome it originated from." Odin said to his master. "It's a truly exciting ability I learn in my homeland. They must've shredded any Tome they've confiscated from us over the years and placed a page inside these majestic foes but clearly not all of them."

"Really, and how come the Hoshidans know this foreign technique? I am already certain that you wouldn't do something so stupid as to give away such viable information." Leo questioned.

"Well…" Odin uttered nervously while subconsciously turning to his left and witnesses the battle between Robin and Xander, the two fighting evenly so far with other unmounted Paladins ganging up on the Tactician and briefly making things difficult before Robin overpowers his foes and it's back to just him and Xander again, the Crown Prince holding nothing back, ready to claim his vengeance. "That one over there is also foreign to Nohr, maybe."

"Of course, the could've been brother in law." Leo scowled. "A pity Camilla couldn't be here; she would've punished that rat far worse than Xander ever could."

"Right… but maybe we should focus on something more concerning like a magical arrow being shot right at us!" Odin advised as Takumi engages the enemies and fires an arrow at Warlocks and with one shot, a deathly explosion occurs that strikes them down, along with the nearby Outlaws with only Leo, Odin and Zero remaining.

"Duly noted." Leo scoffed as he steps forward to face Takumi as he fires an arrow at him, of which Leo blocks by raising his hand up while enchanting it with his Tome's magic, that allows him to easily catch the dark arrow and stop it. "What happened to your other bow, I knew vermin like you didn't seem to mix well with the more majestic elements but this new toy of yours doesn't feel like you're kind of swine."

"Give me a few more shots, maybe you won't feel like that with holes all over your body." Takumi said as he fires three more arrows at once with the intent to hit all three of them, but the Dark Prince counters through the use of his Sacred Treasure and fires three tendrils of dark magic that collide with the arrows and overpower them, charging then after Takumi, only for Lilith to interfere and creates a magical forcefield around them to block off the attacks.

"What the hell is that thing?" Leo protested.

"My barrier only works on shots from the outside but it can't stop attacks that come from within." Lilith explained to Takumi.

"Lilith…" Leo uttered, recognizing her voice.

"Now that's music to my ears!" Takumi shouted as he fires a more powerful arrow that phases through Lilith's barrier without much trouble and destroys the tendrils and marches straight for Leo again, only for Odin to step in front to take the arrow instead and thwarts it through the use of an extraordinary two-handed sword that looks to be made of pure gold that swiftly cuts the arrow in two. Everything about it screams majestic and holds so much authority, a fine sword for a king.

"That sword is divine." Lilith gasped in awe at the sight of the blade.

"A Sacred Treasure?" Takumi asked.

"I don't know, nothing about it feels similar to the Fujin Yumi and Yato."

"These two are mine, both of you can go and apprehend the traitor." Leo instructed to his retainers as he cast another spell from his Brynhildr, one from below his two current prey, but Lilith notices the threat coming and takes herself and Takumi to the air by using the barrier to float while changing its shape to a sphere, narrowly avoiding an eruption of darkness that destroys part of the boat but it does not stop Odin and Zero from jumping to the next boat. Takumi continues to rapidly fire at Leo with Leo firing back with his magic but is yet to even put a dent in Lilith's barrier. "How much longer do you think you can keep this up before I finally get my hands on you, Takumi?! You weren't exactly holding your own back in Kurosaki." He questioned his current rival.

"I brashly chose to go at it alone! But now it's you who's made that mistake." Takumi scoffed, and at the same time, Leo notices a threatening presence behind him and turns just in time to block another arrow fired at him by another Takumi standing before him.

"What…?" Leo muttered.

"Seeing double." Both Takumis taunted in unison and fired their Skadis at once, forcing Leo to form a barrier of his own to block both shots.

* * *

Corrin overpowers and knocks out a Berserker that managed to ambush her but couldn't go very far with his assault, afterward she gets dogpiled by four Knights, though before her own strength it proves foolish as she blows them off her, one of them gets thrown into the water while two get dragged in by the constructs and the last of them gets back up to fight Corrin again but the Princess strikes first, swinging Yato at his lance that he uses to block but her strong slash knocks it off his hand and he is forced back into the ground, seemingly out. Corrin looks at her surroundings and wonders where the other three knights and berserker she just fought off have gone, not fully aware of the rather dark method her light soldiers are using to dispose of the Nohrians yet and while she does notice the bodies lying around in the water she's not sure if they all died by drowning yet.

She then turns to see how the rest of the fighting is going on and so far things are going in their favor with everyone following Robin's strategy to a teeth, the Nohrians don't seem prepared at all for this kind of assault, let alone these numbers with so far only her Nohrian family and their retainers lasting as much as she expected (and hoped). Though things were bound to turn ugly sooner or later with things heating between Hinoka and Kaze vs. Laslow and Peri, with neither so far getting any assistance from their respective armies yet. Kaze came close to bisecting Laslow until the mercenary backflips far enough away in a very stylish manner that Corrin could mistake him for a dancer in a way, and that's when things get progressively worse as Xander's most trusted soldier's weapon does something really grand as it either morphs into or is magically replaced by a spectacular looking bow, pulls the strings, which manifest an arrow of the same material and fires it at Kaze, that her Ninja narrowly avoids. Laslow then makes another arrow and fires it at Hinoka, that the Princess does notice but there's not enough time to fly up to avoid it so instead she is forced to move her Pegasus down to avoid the shot that was aiming for her mount, and this was a risky choice as Peri swoops in, ceasing the opportunity to jump kick Hinoka out of her Pegasus.

"Gotcha now!" Peri giggled in a childish tone that just made her all the more intimidating.

"You're welcome my lovely." Laslow smirked at his partner while his weapon changes shape again, and this time into a lance that he uses to face Kaze again and takes an advantage against the Ninja's katana, but Kaze can handle it and while he's at it, he throws a shuriken as hard as he can towards Peri who is about to strike at Hinoka while she gets herself back up and the shurikens hits the tip of Peri's killer lance hard enough to force her to drop the weapon and gets her to stop, giving the chance for Hinoka to deliver the same courtesy as she goes to kick Peri in the face, though the unmounted Cavalier raises both her hand arms up and block the incoming kick, afterward both women leap away from each other before picking up their respective weapons again to resume their clash.

Corrin decides to step in and aid them since she sincerely doesn't want to take any chances with those two. Xander would often brag over the upsides and downsides of his Retainers, what is it about them that embarrasses him or makes him proud and of course their fighting prowess, which impresses him a lot, and anyone that can impress Xander is serious danger in the battlefield so she rather not let Hinoka and Kaze fight them for much longer on their own. She, unfortunately, doesn't get the chance to help, forced to counter a fireball from Odin shot straight at her that she blocks using Yato to take the hit without any damage to it or her but this proved to be a diversion as she is next shot by a killer arrow straight in the right knee by Zero, causing her to fall to the ground in pain.

"Dammit!" Corrin shouted as she is forced to confront the two retainers.

"So, you're the little thorn in our master's side, are you? Normally when he sends me to confront someone it's usually to eliminate said target but both he and their Majesties want you alive, so I'll settle for kicking and screaming, and I sure hope your screams are loud and exhilarating." Zero said viciously, readying another arrow.

"Not another step, oh Fallen One! I am Odin Dark! Warrior chosen by the Darkness. It's a shame that we will have to bring you to your knees as a traitor, Lady Corrin, I had hope that our next meeting would be of one as brother and sister in arms in our glorious pursuit to free our people from the horrid hands of the Black Horseman of Famine but orders are orders. If only you had stayed true to our glorious and noble kingdom." Odin declared dramatically.

"What are you talking about?" Corrin asked, her baffled state somehow dulling the pain in her knee.

"Oh. That's not the reaction I expected." Odin said now speaking with sense but also hurt. "Do you not remember the darkest and most mysterious of heroes?"

"Don't waste your breath Odin, Lord Leo has said so himself that this pathetic woman has a memory as false as the supposed nine lives of a cat, unless she sees us frequently she remembers nobody and we've only conversed with her seven times, which is sadly not enough for her fragile mind." Zero explained to his partner while mocking Corrin.

"Oh, screw you both and Leo's propaganda!" Corrin snapped at them as she tries to get up and pull the arrow out, as naïve as that is without a healer nearby to help, however, she soon stops as she is beginning to feel more pain in more than just her knee, poisoned even.

"Oh, so you only now notice the venom in the tip of my arrow, but don't worry, it's not enough to kill anyone, just make you easier to deliver you to our Demon King." Zero said.

"Zero, you know Lord Leo doesn't like it when he is called that, I don't think the King himself likes to be called that giving how intimidating his scowls are." Odin lectured.

"The old fart always has a scowl on his face, Odin, it's physically impossible for him to smile at this point." Zero stated.

"How in the blazes did Leo recruit you into his service and are still allowed to live?" Corrin questioned after hearing such a bold insult.

"Pure charisma." Zero declared proudly.

"Not even remotely close." Odin objected.

"Mind if we cut in!" Hana shouted as she and Subaki come flying to Corrin's aid, Hana jumping off the Light Pegasus and goes for Odin, at the same time Kagero appears and goes for Zero. Odin reacts in time by using another tome he has with him and releases a gust of wind but on the ground between himself and his partner to propel both of them into the air and away from danger, and simultaneously, Zero fires another arrow at the female ninja, that she narrowly dodges.

As the duo lands back down they engage the three Hoshidans, Odin taking on both Hana and Subaki while Zero takes Kagero.

"Big sister!" Sakura cried as she rushes to Corrin's side and with her hear, Corrin without hesitation removes the arrow off her knee for Sakura to begin healing it. "I'm g-going to need e-xtra help with this." She said as she turns her attention to the water.

"H-Hello… I need a-assistance w-with h-healing, please." Sakura pleaded and immediately two light constructs come out of the water and soon transform into luminously blue gas that merge together into her rod, empowering it as Sakura uses this to heal Corrin's wound and does so spectacularly as the wound is already beginning to close up faster than Sakura has ever been able to heal anyone in her life so far, making Corrin sigh in relief.

"This feels so much better." Corrin said.

"Just hold on a little while longer, taking care of the poison is always the most troublesome." Sakura instructed.

* * *

"You're a very sick woman, Rinkah." Hinata protested as he thrust his Rapier down the back of a knight, piercing through the armor and hitting the spine, making the Nohrian gasps in horror and agony as he falls on to the ground in defeat, afterwards the Samurai stabs him through the back of his head, securing the kill. Another knight was going to ambush him from behind as payback, only for Rinkah to stop him by delivering a fire punch to the right abdomen that knocks him out and crashes into an unmounted Paladin and they both fall into the water. None of the Nohrian Units who use mounts are riding horses at the moment so the majority are 'easier' to deal with due to on-foot combat not being their specialty.

"And what pray tell am I so sick about?" Rinkah asked sarcastically.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe something to do with all the people being drowned to death." Hinata protested. "Just because these lovers of darkness deserve to be skewered to death starting with their balls, doesn't mean that we should be the ones doing the barbarism. Quick and painless deaths is more than enough punishment and not frightening at all as the common folk might think."

"Well, my fellow whiteheads insisted that we should make any kill we commit as clean and cut as possible." Rinkah scoffed as she grabs a Warlock by her throat and immediately sets her on fire, not paying any mind to her painful screams and leaves her lying on the ground. "And I assure you lots that drowning and setting them on fire are two very clean methods and there's barely any cutting, that's a plus."

"Yeah, and then they replied simultaneously with a ''what is the matter with you''.

"Oh, how is a Samurai even remotely capable of judging when your class is just as immoral and cruel as Ninjas, cleaning up the messes your precious Nobles want out of the public eyes." Rinkah hissed not having any insults thrown her way. "Don't even get me started on the bullshit your clan and Saizo's pulled on Shion!"

"Wow! Wow! Now I know why the other tribes treat you hotheads like Black Sheep. You are just the worse." Hinata mumbled, largely offended by her comments.

"Is now really the time to argue about our morals!" Orochi complained as she sends an Ox Spirit to burn a Bow Knight to death. "Gods dammit, guys, we're so close to ending this madness and get back home as heroes."

"I'm just saying, even in war we should try to maintain a level that's more humane." Hinata insisted.

"No, we don't!" Rinkah shouted as she bashes the skull of another Bow Knight.

* * *

Azura confronts seven fighters alongside Oboro and Azama while being provided cover by Saizo and Setsuna, which would've gone smoother but the Songstress right now has two different major problems to deal with, one being that Azura greatly dislikes Azama, like everyone else, as well as Saizo for how rude they are which makes it tempting for her to let out her ''Inner Nohrian'', as Takumi used to call it back when he distrusted her, and give them a piece of her mind now that so much adrenaline is pumping in her veins and despite working together very nicely the team can't help but bicker amongst themselves as usual. And then there's the biggest issue that if not for the adrenaline Azura would've lost the will to fight sooner as seeing her mother again caused her will to show cracks, her face indicates distraught, that Azama quickly notices and at first makes a brief insulting joke about her and her Nohrian family before he starts to show a more surprising concerning attitude.

"You know the internal struggle would be ''easier'' to bear if you stick to the sidelines and provide support with your singing as Robin instructed." Azama suggested while getting behind a Berserker and hitting him on the back of his right knee, making him fall down to be impaled in the throat by Oboro's naginata. Followed by a Bow Knight firing at Oboro but spectacularly, Setsuna intercepts it by shooting her own arrow which clashes and cancels both shots out, Saizo then goes in and shoots that archer down with a shuriken to the neck.

"No! I have to do this!" Azura argued as she pushes forward.

"Fool." Saizo whispered in annoyance, lacking confidence in her resolve while trying to remain by her side so that she doesn't get herself killed or captured, which is getting increasingly harder as Nohrians tend to be at their most savage when backed into a corner and are inclined not to hold back if they're going to die anyway, like a lion frustrated about being caged for so long and will soon get the chance to claim it's vengeance, something each of them are used to by now but it's still a hassle to go through, especially now that they have to deal with Nohr's elite, as Saizo and Oboro face off against Silas and Benny and while not as fast are proving to be rather bulky, Benny especially as he is certainly backing them into a corner, and it only gets worse as Charlotte rushes in and breaks Oboro's naginata with a ridiculous amount of strength that leaves the Spear Master baffled, putting them all in a brief standstill as they back away from each other.

"You're Silas." Azura said recognizing the young knight.

"And you're our stolen princess, influenced by the enemy to stand against us. Princess Azura. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't recognize you back at Fort Jinya despite your resemblance to the Queen." Silas proclaimed. "At last, the time has come for you and Corrin to come home."

"Don't make this harder than it has to be Milady. Your mother awaits." Benny insisted with compassion, unbefitting of his rough voice.

"N-No… I-I can't. I…" Azura nearly loses her usual composure that everyone knows her so well for, overtaken with strong mix feelings, unsure on what to do now with her loyalty rifted between Hoshido and Nohr.

'Is this… how Corrin felt when she was forced to choose…?'

"Get your head in the game!" Hayato shouted as he leaps into the boat and fires several wind blades at the enemy trio, who still manage to safely avoid the attacks and immediately receive aid from nearby Warlocks that create barriers to defend themselves and the knights but only a few of them actually manage to block the hits while the rest are destroyed rather easily and blow some of them into the water and Hayato lands right next to Azura. "No use in feeling down now!"

"Hayato watch out!" Azura cried out as she notices Charlotte who held her own better than most and rushes behind the boy and swings her Axe at him, though Hayato manages to block the blow with a wind shield but the woman's strength is too great that it's enough to knock him to the ground anyway.

"Seriously! How can anyone fight like that?!" Hayato uttered blushing madly at the sight of what the female Fighter is wearing, making Azura and Oboro scowl at the boy's sorry state.

"Oh, you like what you see, little boy." The Blonde Fighter said in a playful tone. "Naughty boys shouldn't be pulling bad stunts like this. You need to be taught a lesson."

"W-W-What are you getting at!" Hayato uttered. Benny then steps in behind the woman to shield her from arrows fired at her from her back by Setsuna.

"Please, you mustn't speak in such a manner to him, Charlotte. He is just a boy." The Man lectured with dismay.

"Oh, hush Benny, not like these pests don't have it coming." She hissed. "Someone grab the girl!"

"I don't think so." Robin said as he creates chains of magical energy from his palms to wrap around Azura and pull her away as that side of the danger zone is getting worse with more Light Soldiers and Nohrians moving in and Azura may prove to get in the way with her current state and drops her in another boat close to the one he's in while he's fighting Xander, just as the Crown Prince goes to deliver a horizontal slash at the Tactician to cleave him in two, but Robin reacts fast enough to fly away to avoid the Sword of the Timeless King. Xander however, manages to grab him by his leg and using all his might slams Robin on to the ground, pinning him down so that he can stab him with Siegfried, but Robin again counters fast enough as he shoots a lightning bolt at Xander's chest, not enough magic to hurt him too much and mainly push him back, right at the edge of the boat but surprisingly, the Crown Prince doesn't look hurt at all, not even flinching with the electricity absorbed into his armor.

'Of course, his armor has been enchanted with Anti-Magic defense, same with Garon and Leo no doubt, and if what Corrin told me is true, his sword Siegfried grants his body near invulnerability when he's carrying it and it's out of its sheath. Either way, I'll have to use much more power to break through.' Robin thought. The Tactician is then forced to fly away to avoid incoming fireballs at him from his right as another combatant enters the fight, and it is Arete.

"Your Majesty." Robin muttered in a poor attempt to greet the Queen.

"Robin. Always a pleasure." Arete greeted before turning to her stepson. "You've rushed in foolishly Xander, it's easy to tell that you can't beat him with brute force alone."

"I need no one's help mother, I'll execute this traitor alone." Xander declared.

"Can't take any chances with this one if the reports of Kurosaki hold truth, he needs to be handled accordingly." Arete said, wielding a different tome to strike Robin down alongside Xander.

"Mother… don't do it. He has nothing to do with this!" Azura pleaded with her mother to not fight Robin.

"Azura, at long last you've returned to us, and yet you still feel so far away." Xander said with mix feelings upon laying eyes on his lost stepsister again. "It's clear that Hoshido's hold on you is too tight."

"Yes, this is not the reunion I had longed for, and it seems I have no choice but to discipline you as well as Corrin." Arete said now with sadness. "Using the holy song of our homeland that I have taught you as a tool to enslave your own family when it is meant to appease the masses of any sinister intent. I did not think Hoshido would be so callous."

"I… I had no choice. It was to end this war as swiftly as possible!" Azura muttered, trembling some more. "I… don't want our nations to destroy each other but Father crossed the line."

"So even you believe that your father killed Sumeragi. I see." Arete scoffed. "So be it then, it's time to go home."

"Yes, but first we must dispose of him!" Xander roared and he thrust his sword at Robin and from it he fires a violent stream of dark energy that Robin has no time to dodge and blocks with a barrier. Arete joins in firing her own dark magic attack, the combination of the two makes it harder for Robin's barrier to hold as it starts to show cracks.

"Robin!" Azura cried in horror, not sure of what she can do, if she sings again, Arete will just cancel her out and she isn't at a level of combat that she can be of use to Robin.

* * *

With Elise, who could do no more than watch the battle unfold up until now but even she is not spared from the conflict, two shurikens are fired straight at her retainer Effie but Arthur notices the incoming threat and blocks them with his silver ax.

"Reveal yourself at once villain! What kind of heathen would dare raise their blade near a defenseless maiden! Step forward and face justice!" Arthur demanded with his ax ready for combat with six other knights standing guard, while Effie keeps Elise close, her shield in front of the Princess while she is also close to the Pink Knight's chest. A few Light Samurais step forward and engage the defending Nohrians.

"Change of plans, we don't know how many more are out there so it's best you leave Milady and make your way to the Warlocks." Effie instructed to the little princess, as she and her allies can barely fight in the small area they are in now, especially if they have Elise to protect.

"Okay. Be safe you guys." Elise pleaded as she gets behind her knight and picks up something she brought along with her for the ride that looks like a pitch-dark backpack for her size that has a bone-like mask plate with Grimm markings and a single yellow eye at the center of it. The whole thing gives an ominous sensation that it is not something a little girl as colorful as Elise should have but then again she doesn't have a problem with being surrounded by monsters so it shouldn't be a surprise. As she places the two straps on her shoulders, she begins to climb to the balcony to jump.

Elise is halted as a Light Ninja rushes inside faster than any of the Nohrians could react and catches Elise by one of her long pigtails, aiming to not just capture the King but all the royals if possible.

"Hey, watch the hair!" Elise cried while she struggles to resist and the construct is unable to capture her as a demonic black arm with a skeletal forearm and sharp fingernails like talons come out of her backpack, grabs the construct's arm and tears it off with its talons. The ninja is then forced to confront Effie who angrily thrusts her spear at it, while it succeeds in evading the blade, it is unable to avoid the second hit as Effie hits it by the temple with her shield, bashing him to the wall, and is then stabbed through the head by her spear, destroying it.

Freed, Elise jumps off the balcony and falls down straight towards the pool and battle going on below.

"Time to take to the skies, Bucky!" Elise declared to seemingly no one and a pair of black wings like the ones of a raven or crow manifest from the backpack and the Princess starts to fly, at first heading towards her parents but upon seeing the fighting going on, firstly the one Leo is having against Takumi and Lilith with the Hoshidan Prince and Astral Dragon who remain with the aerial advantage against the Dark Prince, she ultimately decides to involve herself.

"Change of plans again, Bucky, we're joining this fight." Elise declared as she rushes to the fight, towards the Princes.  
Whichever is the real one means little to Nohr's Second Prince, only that he must finish what he started in the First Battle. Leo creates a large tree around himself to serve as his shield, the magical wood way thicker than steel that it usually serves as a perfect defense but against Takumi, there always seems to be a breach of three hundred, and it is now more apparent with two of him as they keep rapidly firing with only a matter of time before they break through, but all Leo needed was enough time to cast another spell one strong enough to hit both targets as he summons two large wood-like, sharp stalagmites from below both targets.

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to!" The Takumi on the ground said as he anticipated what he might be cooking up in there as he points his Skadi on the ground and once fired, the arrow creates a purplish twister that blows him into the air to safely land on another boat while the stalagmite misses it's target but destroys the boat, and as for the one for the real Takumi and Lilith, it also misses it's target as Lilith flies them out of the way.

"Little pests." Leo hissed.

"Better safe than sorry." Lilith said regarding her stunt. Lilith then briefly looks to her left and gasps upon seeing the youngest Princess of Nohr with wings heading towards them. "Lady Elise!"

"You have got to be kidding." Takumi uttered just as surprised to see Elise flying but soon turns to shock when those wings of hers begin to morph and change into eight large and sharp spider legs. "What in the God Damn Hells!" He shouted, horrified as Elise comes in and launches her spider legs at the barrier, and her attack actually creates cracks on Lilith's barrier, possibly because of Lilith losing focus due to her surprise of the unorthodox attack.

"That's a good little sister." Leo praised as he fires another powerful beam at the duo, with Elise backing away with her wings returning and Leo aims for the cracks on the barrier, finally shattering it as Takumi and Lilith fall down on the same boat Leo is in but Skadi falls into the water and this seems to have an effect on the clone as the other Takumi vanishes into thin air.

"Well, that twin thing felt short-lived," Takumi mumbled.

"Hope you enjoyed the ride." Leo smirked as he prepares to fire again at point-blank at Takumi.

"Lord Takumi!" Lilith cried out with her Dragonstone starting to glow and from it comes out a sword made of clear crystal that lands on Takumi's left hand, with the Prince not thinking twice about using it against his Nemesis, swinging it right at Leo's hand that is surging with the dark magic he was going to fire on him, dispelling the magic and forcing the Dark Prince to back away. Lilith then makes her way to the water, no doubt to recover Skadi.

"This one is all mine, Elise, fly to safety." Leo instructed with Elise reluctantly listening, though she does not go where he instructed. Takumi goes forward and continues the fight with Leo at close range with Leo force to fight by channeling magic into his right arm entirely, increasing its density enough to resist the sharp blade and parry but he can barely keep up. Despite being a Dark Knight, Leo regrettably never took swordsmanship to heart like Odin or the rest of the order who are known for being more adaptable in combat than any other unit in the Nohrian Army. Odin is arguably stronger than him if it wasn't for his Brynhildr.

His father and brother often criticize him for this flaw and question his place in the Dark Knight Order and why should he take the role of leader as the Dark Crusader, especially whenever Xander caught him lecturing Corrin about her inability to use magic, unlike the rest of the family as Xander could also be a warlock but is simply too much of a swordsman at heart to rely on magic as much as his family. Takumi on the other hand, while he is clearly better suited as just an archer, he has extra training as a samurai in case of being forced in close quarters combat, probably knows hand to hand as well, something Leo also lacks, and so has a great advantage against him. But that doesn't mean that Leo is the lesser of the two.

* * *

"Uh-oh, Bucky, we got troubles of our own." Elise said as the Hoshidan's aerial unit spot Elise and begin to pursue her though not with the intent to kill, just capture and they begin by trying to surround her, thankfully the Princess' Winged friend is much faster as they are able to evade their pursuers but not for much longer.

"Protect the Princess!" One of the Nohrian Archers shouted as they provide cover fire to allow Elise to fully escape but this came at a cost as they left themselves open for the grounded light soldiers to overpower and subdue them.

"Well, that just won't do." Elise huffed and from the backpack, a Grimm arm comes off carrying a tome and presents it to her.

"Moonlight!" Elise enchanted her spell, firing several gray beams at the light soldiers but it doesn't seem to hurt them but rather absorbs them into Elise's spell, giving some of her soldiers a fighting chance.

"Thank you, Princess." One of the Knights said in gratitude.

"All in a day's work." Elise winks as she starts to use her Healing Staff that she never seems to travel anywhere without, on the wounded.

* * *

"You're all better now." Sakura said as he finishes healing Corrin's knee.

"Thank you, Sakura." Corrin said not bothering to rest while the fighting is going on and gets back on her feet, good as new. She witnessed the fight with Kagero, Hana and Subaki against Odin and Zero with Kagero fairing a lot better against the Adventurer, evading his arrows and then kicks him straight in the face, knocking him down.

"Odin! I could use a cold hand here!" Zero called to his partner for assistance, who's holding his own better against the other two retainers.

"Say no more, my one-eyed reaper. Behold! This is Fimbulvetr!" Odin cast a powerful chilling wind spell that hits only the three Hoshidans, knocking Subaki off his Pegasus and forcing the two women on the ground, giving Zero the advantage he needs as he fires another arrow at Kagero, this time with her unable to defend herself but Corrin steps in and blocks the arrow to save Kagero.

"Oh, look who finally decided to join the party. What happened, spine cringed at the last second over the thought of striking down your own family at the behest of your hardly known ''real'' family. I never believed Hoshidans to be the spineless vermin my Prince claimed them to be, he is known for grossly exaggerating when angered but it seems he was correct all along if they managed to warped you this much so soon." Zero's repeated taunts are really reaching Corrin's limits.

"SHUT UP!" She snapped and charges in recklessly.

"Milady, don't let him get under your skin!" Kagero pleaded but it falls on deaf ears as Corrin wildly swings at Zero but despite the ferocity, the Retainer is quicker and evades three of the Dragon Princess's swings, and upon avoiding the third swing, Zero picks up a dagger he carries with him and uses it to literally stab Corrin in the back, making her shout in pain but that doesn't stop her as she tries to make a fourth swing but again fails to hit as Zero makes a backflip and readies to fire again as Corrin removes the dagger from her back and resumes to fight.

"Corrin!" Elise cried out to her from above, her voice is like music to Corrin as she cannot help herself but look up to see her little sister again while she is in the air, with wings that make her look like a delicate little Angel of Darkness. How and why did she suddenly grow wings is beyond Corrin at this point since the revelation of the Grimm but at the same time she can't bring herself to care and just stares at her aimlessly not sure of what to say to her.

"Elise…" Is all she is able to say before getting shot in the back by a dark sphere of Leo that knocks her to the ground.

"You are no longer fit to even look at my sister, Hoshidan." Leo cursed, his antagonism towards Corrin intensified following her abandonment.

"Eyes on me, dickhead!" Takumi warned as he thrust his blade at Leo's chest that he is able to block by firing a dark shockwave to push Takumi back and near Lilith who returns with Skadi.

"Takumi!" Lilith shouted as she telekinetically throws the bow back to the Prince.

"I don't think so!" Leo yelled as he traps the two of them in a magical sphere and then slams them down right below the pool, violently enough to leave cracks on the floor and make Takumi lose his footing, falling down. "Next time keep your damn mouth shut when engaging, pineapple head."

"It's always something with Dark Mages!" He cursed.

"This will be a hassle to get out of, and… there's no oxygen." Lilith muttered as she barely realized Leo's true intentions and already begins to bust them out.

"Why do I only ever remember to do that when I'm backed into a corner?" Leo lectured himself.

"Leo, what did you just do to our Corrin?!" Elise demanded naively as if the hostility doesn't make sense.

"You only bring yourself harm by not yet realizing the severity of Corrin's situation, Elise." Leo scoffed at his sister's childish innocence.

"Leo…" Corrin muttered in anguish, forcing herself to stand up as Sakura, Hana, Subaki, Kagero, Kaze and Hinoka regroup with her while Leo, Odin, Zero, Peri and Laslow surround them, neither side having a clear winner yet.

"Well, I got to say that you guys have been truly blessed to have lasted this long, quite the renowned tactic you got, though I'm not surprised giving who's on your team." Laslow praised, and beside him is his partner who makes a girly chuckle in excitement.

"This is so much fun! This night is turning out so great but there is still not blood in their eyes!" Peri laughed in complete amusement. "Your uncle really is a genius, Laslow."

"Uncle…" Corrin repeated confused.

"Now is not really the time, Peri." Laslow said a bit nervously.

"We rather there be blood on your eyes!" Hana shouted, incapable of giving up with how riled up she is.

"I listen to her if I were you, samurai." Leo advised as he is about to cast another dark spell.

"Hey, ah, sis, don't take this the wrong way and I know you hate the other side of you right now but we could really use a bigger shield while our troops are on their way." Hinoka advised Corrin.

"I rather wait longer but when do I get what I want." Corrin uttered as Leo traps them in an identical but bigger sphere without oxygen to trap the Hoshidans but once Corrin enters her Dragon Form she merely rams herself into it, easily shattering it and freeing her allies and the shockwaves knock Leo to the ground, worse he drops Brynhildr as it falls into the water.

"Gods Dammit!" Leo cursed.

"Don't worry Milord, I'll get it for you." Odin swore as he is about to jump into the water but stops once Light Soldiers start coming out of it and surround the Nohrians. "On second thought, I've never been a swimming person."

"Well, the tables have turned nonchalantly." Laslow muttered.

"Aw, C'mon! No fair!" Peri cried. "These things don't even bleed. That's not right!"

"It's over Leo." Corrin said, already declaring victory on her brother, in which he just shrugs.

"How many times have I and Xander taught you to never declared victory until you know the enemy is not getting back up." Leo lectured. "Has acquiring the power to turn into a Dragon like our ancestors really made you even more naive?"

"A lesson you yourself never took to heart either seeing how full of yourself you've always been, little brother." Corrin countered.

"Yeah, you tell 'em, Milady." Hana boasted.

"I be more concern on other matters, like the fact that your replacement brother is sleeping with a fish right now." Leo mocked.

"The ''replacement'' is fine!" Takumi shouted as he and Lilith are freed and breathed in some air after such a close call. "And how about I show you what this pineapple head can really do!"

"And I'm not a fish!" Lilith cried.

"Why does she sound so familiar?" Peri asked confused.

"Corrin…" Elise uttered, unable to look away from the dragon Corrin has become but now there is only fear.

"Elise, wait. Don't be afraid." Corrin pleaded, picking up on the look on her face quickly. She takes one step closer to her as a Dragon and Elise's wings flap once to keep away from her, and from her backpack, the Grimm's arm comes out again, carrying a small transparent sphere with an orange liquid within.

"Drop it, Bucky." Elise whispered and the Grimm obeys, dropping the sphere and once it touches the water, it breaks with the orange liquid turning into a blazing infernal that spreads through most of the large pool, alarming everyone fighting and damaging many of the Light Soldiers, but not so much as destroy especially once they are all forced out of the water.

"Odin!" Leo commanded as his Retainer casts a strong wind from Fimbulvetr to blow himself, Leo, Zero, Peri and Laslow into the air and to safety with Elise following them.

"What is this?" Corrin shouted.

"Seafire. A special flammable substance that creates fire magic immune to water and spreads once it makes contact with any kind of liquid." Kaze explained as their group keeps away from the edge as the boat they are in is burning up fast, luckily Lilith swoops in and flies them to safety with a bigger barrier to carry them out. "Ever since the Grimm came into the picture it was discovered that their bodies could be harness into energy to siphon, the Nohrians have been able to use this ''dark divine'' power to perform fruitful experiments to forge all manner of never before seen magic tools so surreal but among the new weapons they've been building there are so far only prototypes."

"If this is a prototype, I hate to see the real deal." Takumi hissed.

* * *

"Elise, who gave you permission to even carry a vile of Seafire? Certainly not Xander or I, and certainly not father or mother." Leo demanded to his sister agitated, while they are all at a safe distance from the fighting for now and glances Odin a brief dirty and suspicious glare, making the Warlock Swordsman/unofficial Dark Knight nervous.

"Hey, how about a thank you instead, I just flew us out of danger!" Elise protested indignantly.

"What, you want a hug and some cupcakes while I'm at it." Leo scuffed. "What have we told you about messing around with our stuff. It's unbearable enough father ordered we do something so stupid like let you keep our first prototype for the experimental Geist-infused Gearapack. I didn't have that built for your amusement."

"You're a jerk, Leo, and now I'm not going to help you pick up your stupid book." Elise pouted, about to cry.

"I don't need your help, the Geist on your pack will go and get my Sacred Treasure out of the infernal you created right this instant." Leo demanded with the Grimm arm coming out again and about to stretch far to get Brynhildr back from the burning pool.

"Bucky no! You're not helping Leo with anything." Elise countered with the Grimm listening to her instead and the arm retracts back into the pack.

"You gave it a name. What did father and I tell you about treating them like they're your pets." Leo scolded.

"You can't tell me who I can and can't be friends with." Elise argued.

"You can't be friends with monsters Elise, they're not people."

"They're more people than you."

"In what sense?"

"At least Bucky has an excuse for being cold and… and… Hoshidan." Elise tried to make a proper comeback but came up blank, not that she didn't succeed in offending Leo while making the four Retainers beside them feel uncomfortable, minus for Zero who is very amused.

* * *

"Are we supposed to be offended by that?" Hinoka asked nonchalantly as they overhear the silly argument.

"I don't think we should because this is actually adorable." Takumi said with a sincere smile.

"She does seem too pure for this world like our precious Sakura." Hana added.

"I suggest we ignore them, as dangerous as they are they'll be held back guarding a defenseless Prince Leo as of now." Kaze suggested.

"Yes, please." Corrin pleaded as Lilith flies them off elsewhere.

* * *

The climax of this battle draws near with so few Nohrians left with only the strongest remaining, Robin's plan is nearly done, not that it's getting any easier, in fact it's getting harder for the Hoshidans, especially after Elise set the pool on fire and destroying so many of the boats but since it hasn't spread completely, there are still boats to stand on and the Nohrians are now just as wild as lions.

Speaking of Robin, despite Lilith's claims of his low amount of magic, the Tactician remains facing against Xander and Arete alone on near equal ground, with this being arguably the most ferocious fight of this battlefield, behind the one Garon and Reina are having, which actually looks more ferocious. The clash of swords echoes across the Opera House and Xander lets loose the tremendous dark powers of his Great Sacred Treasure with Robin holding off each swing better than even the Crown Prince expected he would. The two have had some sparring sessions in the Northern Fortress, simply competing for sports and getting to know each other as they possibly can with Robin's memory loss and while both have held back a lot, Robin always seemed to be struggling to keep up even then but now it seems that the Mage Fighter was holding back even more than Xander ever did even when training Corrin, and he still isn't using his second Levin Sword.

'Only by channeling my mana into the Levin Sword to increase its density can I hold my own against Siegfried, most weapons shatter to pieces after even one hit from a Sacred Treasure but even that might not be enough.' Robin bemused as he blocks another hit from Xander that nearly pushes him off the edge of the boat they are fighting on and then dodges another by leaping and getting behind him and prepares to counterattack from the back but Arete stops him by creating magic chains of her own to strap them around Robin's arms, stopping his assault on Xander and pulls him away from him, though Robin resists and stands his ground.

Xander takes this opportunity to strike him while he's trapped, however Robin pulls harder to rush back in time so Xander instead hits Arete's chains, instantly destroying them, Robin then proceeds to make another hit on Xander by channeling power into his left fist to punch him in the face but Arete stops him by summoning a black magic circle below his feet that erupts with a burst of darkness that blast Robin away from Xander, while the Great Prince received no form of damage from the explosion and Robin falls into another boat with Xander in pursuit.

"I'll make you wish we had left you bloodied and near death in that open field!" Xander swore as he goes forward, the two counter each other by each using their open hand to grab their sword arm, locking each other in a stalemate, though Xander has his sword near Robin's neck, inches away from putting at least a scratch on him.

"What did you do to her?!" Xander demanded with hate in his voice as he tries to force Robin to his knees.

"Nothing you yourself didn't see coming once she learned the truth." Robin replied strongly but there was no harshness as he musters up more strength than the Crown Prince can prepare for as the Tactician pushes him aside, knocking him to the ground and made him drop Siegfried to the water. Robin then flies off to the air to fire his next attack as he finally calls forth his second Levin Sword from Morgenstern, he's been careful on not using his more offensive magic against Xander since it would prove useless against him anyway but with Siegfried out of the way for now, he could overtax the Anti-Magic armor with both magic swords so the time to let loose is now to hopefully temporarily paralyze Xander. Before he does so he spares a brief glance at the rest of the battlefield while in the air and notices his comrades overpower what remains of the Nohrians. Corrin faces off against the remaining Rangers while in dragon form but one of them manages to sneak behind her and is about to attack with the use of a Wyrmslayer.

That could end badly as that sword was designed to kill dragons like their sister species, forcing Robin to intervene and shoot a lightning bolt from one of his swords directly at the Ranger, blasting him away from his Princess. This, however, proves fatal for the Tactician as he is left wide open.

"Xander!" Arete called out to Xander as she recovers Siegfried with a magic chain and returns it to her son before she grabs Robin by his leg with the same chain and with impressive force manages to force the White Mage down and crashes into the boat. This is the chance Xander craved as he leaps towards the briefly helpless Robin and swings his sword down on him while channeling more power from his Sacred Sword. Fortunately for Robin, Azura interferes as she manages to tackle Robin and drags them both out of the boat and into the water, escaping Xander's attack as he creates a small but still devastating dark explosion that destroys the boat and blows the Crown Prince safely near Arete.

"AZURA!" Arete cried out in a panic over perhaps her daughter being caught in the explosion but thankfully both Azura and Robin come out unscathed.

"I thought you were just a skinny little thing." Robin joked and complimented over her latest stunt.

"Dragon adrenaline. Told you I had it too." Azura smiled back. The moment is cut short with Arete sending more magic chains after them with Robin responding by dragging himself and Azura back underwater as he swims, or rather ''flies'' them to safety with the chains closing in but they only succeed in snatching the pendant from Azura's neck, to the Songstress's horror as she tries to catch it but is too late as the pendant returns to its original owner.

"Dammit, I only got half of my dearest treasure back." Arete cursed. "No matter, at least now I can put a stop to this lunacy." She said, planning to use the pendant's power to subdue the Hoshidans.

Once they are far away, Robin pulls himself and Azura out of the water.

"We have to stop her; she's going to use the pendant on our friends." Azura warned while Xander remains on guard to make sure none stops Arete.

"**We'll see about that**." Robin objected, while at the same time someone else says the same thing, startling both him and Azura.

"Who… said that?"

"We're not alone." Robin narrowed his eyes.

* * *

Corrin ceases her march alongside her allies upon hearing a very irritating ringing sound that hurts her ears, making her squeal in minor pain.

"Milady, what's wrong?" Kaze asked, noticing her remain in the back.

"Where is that noise coming from?" Corrin asked covering her right ear with her right hand, or where Kaze can only assume is her ear because if she thought her human appearance is strange than she clearly hasn't seen her own reflection while in her alternative form because everything about her, especially her mask face is just odd, in a fascinating way of course, but odd still.

"What noise do you mean?" Kaze asked, not hearing what she is referring to.

"The ringing, can't you hear it?!" Corrin said louder, lowering her head on the floor to use both her hands to cover her ears but nothing's working. "It's like my head is about to burst."

"B-Big sister, I'll help you." Sakura said as she goes to heal Corrin of her pain but the moment she lifts her rod, the healing tool starts to heat up so quickly that it burns the young priestess's hands, forcing her to release it as she cries out.

"Sakura!" Hinoka shouted as she holds on to her sister and notices how badly burned her hands are. "What the hell is going on?"

"What Warlock dared do that to Sakura?" Hana demanded in vengeful outrage.

"That couldn't have been the Nohrians, most of their Mages are dead and the remaining few are busy getting slaughtered." Subaki said.

"Help her Lilith! Damn it all, we're so close for any unwelcome surprises now." Takumi growled in turmoil.

* * *

"You've gotten slower old man; I remember you being much more tenacious back in the day." Reina said exasperatedly while breathing a little heavily as her fight with Garon continues, though, aside from the several scratches to his armor and the blood coming out of his forehead, Garon doesn't look all that worn out.

"Always barking more than biting, I see. As enjoyable as this little dance is, I rather get this foolishness over with." Garon said sternly.

"That all depends on you, your forces are outnumbered and outmatched with only your family and most loyal attack dogs holding their own but not for much longer so you might as well call it quits." Reina advised, causing Garon to make a menacing chuckle.

"Outnumbered? That's a frequent annoyance in my profession but outmatched? Foolish Sky Devil of Hoshido, you have forgotten how I despise to be underestimated. It seems I have to remind you of that grim fate all over again." He warned as his body begins to surge with a darkly purple aura.

"Bring it on, old fool. You know I can take anything you can dish out." Reina dared.

"No, Reina, you can do no such thing anymore." Garon countered as he goes to make one last show of strength that should end this battlefield in his favor.

* * *

Corrin is getting worse as her screeching can be heard across most of the Opera House and becoming more monstrous by the second.

"Corrin, just listen to my voice, we'll get you out of whatever is going on, I promise." Lilith assured her but Corrin may have not heard her at all.

"Make it stop! Make it stop!" Corrin cried and from her body black miasma surges through her and from her mouth she fires a water geyser at no target in mind, spreading destruction on her right and takes out most of the flames Elise wrought. It's easy for her allies to tell that she isn't doing this wisely with no clear motive, she even stated it herself that she has no idea how her breath attack actually works, like every other of her dragonic abilities apart from her enhanced prowess.

Her blast draws closer to Arete and Xander to strike them but the Crown Prince steps forward to defend his mother and blocks the deathly water with Siegfried, and while he does succeed in blocking Corrin's assault, the water does get cut into multiple, smaller beams that spread wildly everywhere and hit his foes and allies alike, among the former are just the constructs while with the latter, Garon is among them, who's big move is interrupted as he gets hit with a straight blast that his armor could barely defend and is knocked to the ground but not out just yet.

"So much for your big move." Reina scoffed.

"Corrin!" Xander growled in outrage, quickly assuming that she meant to attack them and clearly hasn't caught on yet to what he indirectly has done to his father alongside Corrin. "I am ending this now!" He declared before falling to his knees upon hearing the same ringing sound that is driving Corrin mad and with pain.

"Xander." Arete uttered, upon seeing him in such a state before succumbing to the same horrid sound.

* * *

"Am I seeing things or is Prince Xander and Queen Arete looking like they're hearing the same ''ringing'' sound as Corrin?" Subaki asked, noticing the state of the two, before turning to see Takumi and Hinoka looking like their ears, or heads are in pain. "Oh, Gods…"

"W-What's happening to them?" Sakura cried in horror in seeing her siblings succumb to the same painful state.

"I… I don't know." Lilith uttered not sure herself what's going on.

* * *

"Lord Leo!" Zero shouted as he holds on to his Prince who is also suffering from the same condition while Odin is tending to Elise and using a Vulnerary on her hands, due to suffering the same fate as Sakura's burned hands when she tried to use her staff on Leo.

"Is everyone slowly losing their minds?" Peri asked, witnessing most of the Royals in the battlefield ally and foe alike going nuts.

"It's epically hypocritical coming from you but it really does look like everyone with Dragon Blood is being assaulted by some unseen force." Laslow suggested, coming up with a few reasons for what this could be.

"But then why aren't I going through the same thing?" Elise muttered in distress by what's happening. "Father seems alright too."

"Well…" Laslow tries to come up with an answer but is stopped once more Light Soldiers pop up and attack them, one of them fires two arrows at Elise's back, damaging her Grimm backpack and causing her wings to dissipate and she would've fallen harshly on the floor if Odin wasn't close enough to hold on to her in time and quickly moves her to his back to defend her from the incoming assailants.

"Bucky!" Elise cried out to her Grimm but there was no sort of response from it, signaling its demise.

"Of all the rotten luck." Zero cursed as he tries to reach for one of his arrows to fire but fails to do so as he instead must push Leo out of the way as an Oni Savage rushes in and sucker punches the Adventurer out of the boat. In retaliation, Peri furiously assaults that same Construct by ramming herself at it, pinning it to the ground and starts to mercilessly stab it repeatedly with Soldier's Knives she always keeps with her but rarely ever gets a chance to use them.

"Zero!" Leo yelled out to his Retainer while it's up to Laslow to protect the Prince as his sword morphs again and this time into a majestic ax and uses it to break the naginata of a Spear Fighter before cutting open the head. "Dammit… to be reduced to such a feeble state." He cursed as he forces himself up his feet and extends his hand towards the Light Soldiers Laslow is fighting against for his safety and fires a dark energy sphere mix with lightning at his targets, consuming most of them.

"Lord Leo, you know the use of Tomeless Magic is incredibly risky to the body of a mage." Laslow warned over Leo doing something as risky as channeling his magic power without a conduit to support his body's endurance from the stress.

"Desperate times, Sir Laslow." Leo hissed as he fires another dark attack that's way more powerful than the previous one that it even vaporizes most of the soldiers assaulting Odin and Elise, and as Laslow warned using magic without a tome starts to weight him down much faster than usual, combined with the intense headache, he only succeeded in worsening things for himself as he begins to become clouded by a burning rage he's been suppressing ever since he saw Corrin again.

* * *

Corrin can no longer contain this madden state she's experiencing as she lets loose, raising both her arms upwards before violently slamming them to the ground, releasing a powerful black shockwave that results in a powerful explosion that knocks all nearby down, including those from Leo and Elise's side with many getting blown into the water, which is the worse place to be in right now as Corrin also creates a large and deep hole, probably goes as far as the sewers that begin to suck everything and everyone nearby in it, with the Hoshidans and Nohrians doing all they can to avoid being sucked in, such as jumping from one boat to another to get as far away as possible as is the case with Laslow, Peri and Zero, take to the sky as most of the Hoshidans receive aid from their aerial support and using magic to keep themselves airborne with wind magic, however not everyone is so lucky to receive aid, such as the two youngest Princesses who draw closer to the hole with no way to save themselves.

"SAKURA!" Hana cried out as she like the rest of the Nohrians and Hoshidans try their best to rush to their aid, though Leo makes it to them first, using the tomeless version of wind magic to levitate towards his sister and manages to grab not only Elise but Sakura surprisingly as well.

"ODIN!" Leo shouted to the nearest ally and throws both Princesses with enough force away from the hole for them to be caught by Odin, but Leo, now too low on stamina ended up falling into the hole instead and just in time with the last of the water to be sucked in as well.

"MILORD!" Odin and Zero cried out to their Master and Prince as he vanishes into the hole.

"LEO!" Garon, Xander, Elise and Arete cried out in even more horror.

None are able to rush to the Prince's aid as Corrin continues with her berserk rampage, such as grabbing Odin just as he was about to jump into the hole and throws aside, crashing right into Zero who was about to do the same as they violently crash into the ground with Laslow and Peri rushing to their aid.

"ODIN!" Elise cried out to the Warlock, just as her Retainer Arthur swoops in and drags her away from the feral Corrin who makes another violent roar that creates a shockwave that blows Sakura several feet away but with no harm to her.

The remaining Nohrians gather around the Royal Family to defend them against the now out of control Corrin as she sets her sights now on Garon and she fires another water blast at the King, that he and the few other remaining warlocks are able to block by creating a magic barrier around themselves, though it does hold on well upon impact, Corrin is still able to push them a few feet back and the barrier won't hold on for long, that is until Xander rushes in on his defense and fires the strongest dark energy blast he can muster from Siegfried directly at Corrin that proves sufficient enough to blast her to the ground, saving his father again, as he ceases the barrier.

Xander does not hesitate to charge directly at Corrin again but Robin gets in the way and fires a blast of wind to push him away from her but the Crown Prince resists rather well, but not against Kaze who makes the next attack through a surprise kick to the face, knocking him to the ground, allowing the two to rush to their Princess along with the others who regroup with the exception of Azura who gets caught by Charlotte.

"Going somewhere, traitor!" The Female Fighter sneered.

"No!" Azura shouted while struggling to free herself but she is unsurprisingly frail in comparison to Charlotte.

"Azura!" Takumi yelled as he immediately attempts to save her by firing an arrow straight at Charlotte's head, however, she is saved by Xander who fires another beam from his sword that destroys the arrow while it was three feet away from her, enabling her to forcefully drag the Songstress back with the rest of the remaining Nohrians.

"Dammit, this ringing sound in my head is worsening!" Rinkah protested as she and Hayato are in the same state as Takumi and Hinoka, who continue to suffer from the same headaches but the four are holding on much better than Corrin, and Robin can only conclude that this is intentional somehow.

"This… anger, growing inside my head, desperately trying to crawl out and destroy." Takumi mumbled as he is starting to lose focus and give in to the ringing and it's not just the Descendants of the Dragons as Robin also begins to notice that the rest of his comrades are starting to look strange with bits of black miasma coming out of them and even a faint glow of red in their eyes, with the exception of himself, Lilith and Sakura looking fine. And he's also starting to notice the same symptoms from the Nohrians.

"Anger? Oh crap…" Robin uttered, coming up with one horrid conclusion. "Gods dammit!"

"What is it?" Lilith asked.

"We need to leave. Get as far away from this place as possible!" Robin ordered out of the blue, earning gasps from everyone.

"What are you on about, don't you see how close we are to winning this!" Takumi protested.

"Forget about Garon! We're the ones who are trapped!" Robin argued and would've continued to press forward until Corrin gets back up and is about to proceed with her rampage, forcing Robin to get in the way and block her path. "Corrin! Stop! Stop! You mustn't give in to the madness. It's Wrath!"

"Yeah, Hoshido's Wrath, and we're not done dishing it out!" Takumi declared as he viciously shoots another arrow at Xander who blocks with Siegfried but it releases a shockwave that blows all of his nearby allies away and badly wounds them, such as Peri who immediately receives treatment from Silas with a Vulnerary.

"No! I mean the Demon Sin of Wrath! He's here!" Robin revealed, now really getting the attention of his allies.

"What?! Is that why Corrin's going…" Hinoka began but stops once Corrin starts spreading her wings and begins to fly, something that was previously established that she can't yet do on her own while in control of her dragonic form, indicating that she's lost control again and flies off to attack Garon but Robin stops her by grabbing her tail and pulls as hard as he can, stopping her mid-flight.

"Corrin, no!" He yelled in desperation.

* * *

"Well, that went south quick." Wrath smirked while holding a fireball in his hands that just so happens to be making the same ringing sound that the carriers of Dragon Blood have been hearing.

"He's nothing if not persistent, though it was kind of obvious at this point." Sloth muttered as making Corrin go crazy even with her Dragonstone was his idea. Wrath would've just wanted to charge in while infecting his foes with his parasitic anger inducement. "Well, aren't you gonna go and make them all go blood-mad right about now?"

"Nah, I'm beginning to see things from your perspective most beneficially, little brother. Why start a riot when you can make a proper show and settle with just a few actors." Wrath said finding a way to make this amusing some other way. "This is Nestra, after all. Show business is the best way to live here."

"Oh, so now you want to do things the proper way like the rest of the family should." Sloth scoffed. "Now if we could just get Envy and Greed to be more mature."

* * *

"Enough!" Robin yelled louder as he uses more of his magical strength and succeeds in pulling the Dragon Princess to the ground. "It doesn't matter what he's done, nor if he's the enemy, you can't kill your own father!"

Corrin redirects her fury towards her Tactician, stumping her right hand down at him, that he catches with both his hands, though the amount of force she uses was enough to cause the ground around Robin to crack, if she had used more force she might've made a small crater.

"Again with this shit!" Takumi hissed in shock over his stepsister's rampage.

This infighting amongst each other gave the Nohrians the chance to counterattack, if not for Lilith who channels as much power as she can to form a barrier to shield them while the remaining Light Constructs that didn't fall into Corrin's hole move in to defend them. Lilith then flies in on top of Corrin and releases from her Dragonstone a bluish purple beam on her that causes a sort of effect that forces the Princess back into her human form and she falls right into Robin's arms, breathing heavily with a shock expression while shaking like crazy. But what really shocks everyone is her eyes as the sclera are black.

"What the fuck!" Rinkah hissed.

"What's happening to her?" Kagero gasped horrified.

"O-Oh C-C-Corrin…" Sakura cried, the words too hard to come out.

"If that demon is here then where?!" Hinoka demanded enraged.

"Anywhere and nowhere where battles rage on." Lilith uttered, terrified. "But why are so few being infected?"

"Doesn't matter, cancel the Nullification Spell, Lilith and get everyone out of here, it's not safe for us, especially her to be here for much longer." Robin ordered the Astral Dragon.

"A-Alright!" Lilith said with haste and begins to cancel out the spell Robin had Orochi cast because the spell prevents everyone within the Opera House from using Warp Magic, with no exception to even them.

"You're not going anywhere!" Xander roared as he destroys Lilith's barrier with a single swing from his Sacred Treasure. In response, Orochi assaults the Crown Prince with a Tiger Spirit to force him back, though only by a few feet as he destroys the spirit easily, afterward Robin steps in and rams himself on to the great Paladin and forces him even more back as they again lock themselves in a standstill.

"Hurry Lilith!" Robin shouted as there's not much time left.

"No… wait." Corrin managed to utter under all the pain she's in with the ringing sound still clinging in her head.

"Get in the circle, Robin!" Lilith advised him as she forms her mark on the floor beneath them, though only she can see it.

"There's no time!" Robin shouted as he pushes Xander off him and then throws one of his Levin Swords near the edge of Lilith's mark in front of them and the sword generates a large dome of lightning to protect them as a massive tree is heading in their direction and slams itself on Robin's barrier, and the tree is coming out of the hole Leo fell in as the Dark Prince comes out of it through the tree he created using Brynhildr, the book is completely unharmed, even dried up after it got trapped underwater that was being incinerated and fell in the hole where it reunited with its owner.

"Things won't end like this, Hoshidan Trash!" The Prince growled furiously as he makes his tree entrap the Hoshidans further into it with the intent to suffocate and squash them and blocking Robin off from them.

"Be grateful that we have to leave." Takumi snapped at him, livid that they have to leave without settling the matter but they can't stay if one of the Seven Deadly Sins is here to ruin things, especially if it's the same one that started this war in the first place.

"Get out now!" Robin ordered them to leave and they'll have to go without him, especially with needing to hold off an enrage Xander, who looks to be going just as violent as Corrin and his strength seems to be growing.

'What is that demon plotting by infecting so few of us?' Robin questioned.

"Wait, Azura!" Sakura cried.

"Forget about me! Go!" Azura yelled pleadingly at them to leave her behind.

"I'll keep her safe." Robin insisted.

"Robin, NO!" Corrin cried out and aiming to run to him, punching a hole on Leo's tree, forcing both Kaze and Kagero to restrain her from leaving the mark as Lilith regretfully prepares to evacuate them.

"Run then, Little Princess. Run like the coward these vermin have molded you into but know that wherever you go I will always find you. It is your destiny to face me for what you've done and fall like the Scourge you've become!" Xander swore.

"Corrin… why…?" Elise uttered in misery, the full scope of what is transpiring finally sinking in because like Camilla, she has been in denial of Corrin's betrayal until now. Said treacherous sister doesn't seem to notice her as she and her comrades escape into the Astral Plane, leaving Robin and Azura behind, as the Tactician sighs and is unconcern with the predicament he's in. With them gone, all the Light Constructs fade away with the Light Scroll no longer in the vicinity.

"I'll see you soon, Cor." Robin whispered as he is forced to continue his fight with an even more pissed off Xander who manages to hit hard enough to force Robin to drop his sword, leaving him defenseless for a brief moment enough for the Crown Prince to slice into his chest, leaving a large gash on him as the Tactician falls to the ground defeated.

"ROBIN!" Azura cried, horrified.

"You have made your final mistake, Robin!" Xander growled as the Nohrians surround him to capture the fallen Tactician.

"Don't be… so sure, Xander." Robin mumbled, injured and above them, is Morgenstern as it again opens by itself and shines a luminous white light that forces all of them to cover their eyes for a few seconds and once they are able to open their eyes again, they see Robin gone from where he originally was, worse still, Azura is also missing with Charlotte lying on the ground with both hands covering her now broken nose, already bleeding.

"DAMMIT!" Xander yelled in frustration.

"AZURA!" Arete cried, again deprived of her daughter.

"MOTHERFUCKERS!" Charlotte shouted enraged over being sucker punched by Robin. "I WON'T FORGET THIS YOU!"

"Corrin…" Silas muttered in sorrow of what has transpired and then looks to see young Elise as she starts to cry in Arete's arms as the Queen gets on her knees to comfort the completely devastated Princess, to say nothing on how the queen is feeling right now with Elise's Retainers and Benny remaining at their side, not sure on what else to do on the matter.

"SPREAD OUT AND FIND THEM! THEY COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN FAR!" Xander ordered to his surviving soldiers, which aren't that many left, there's probably only a few dozen of them now compared to the three hundred they brought, even the ones standing guard outside were called to help.

"Well done, Corrin." Garon gives hollow praise as he wipes the blood from his face. "You got to accomplished one of your petty childhood goals and have earned my attention, and though I made not be your father, I will still slap you down like the petulant child you are." He then turns to see Leo, groaning in obvious pain over what he had survived and is immediately being tended to by the only survivor among their healers, not including Arete and Elise. "Still Walking Tall, I see, Leo."

"Tsk, pay me no mind, father, a dislocated shoulder never bothered me before." Leo said acting tough, even though it's easy for Garon to tell that he is in a lot of pain.

"Cease your bravado and accept this defeat, boy, you're no use to your men, especially your siblings by keeping your pain buried when it can be easily tended." Garon lectured his son, which seem to have an effect as Leo gets on his knees, his tough-guy exterior gone and replaced with a defeated one.

"I will not allow us to be humiliated like this again!" He swore vengefully.

* * *

"Well, the finale was not what I wanted but I be lying if I said I am disappointed by the result." Wrath said amused.

"Quite the result it is we have since this has presented us with a wondrous opportunity to spread strife." Sloth said. "In this modern age of magic, it only takes three days for news like this to spread across half the continent and you can work your magic and start a more political war in Nestra over rather or not they should get involve in the Twilight War and tear the kingdom down."

"Oh, it's been a while since I've seen you put your tactical mind to work. What's the occasion." Wrath sneered.

"For starters, you're still being an asshole and won't listen about coming home so you might as well do something that will make Pride give us both less of an earful, and I still have to find Envy. So there's that." Sloth hissed irritated.

"So I'm to help you make up for being such a weakling." Wrath chuckled in amusement. "Fine then, no harm no foul. What about Robin? He's still kicking and fighting him should be exciting."

"You know, I decided to think about that and I figured… why bother? That fool's fate was decided the moment he chose to lick the feet of that half-baked Precursor child. His death or his fate worse than death is merely a waiting game now." Sloth shrugged. "Not like he isn't asking for the former so not even you should even be wasting your time with the likes of him. He's nobody now, a broken shadow still of who he was when the Fell Dragon scarred his warped soul."

"Underestimating humans who are true masters of the mystic arts is a grave mistake, little brother." Wrath warned, knowing better than to think poorly of the Tactician. "Hey, whatever happened to that Kitsune that also indirectly caused all this mess?"

"Bolted and helped evacuate the Nestrians and is in the wind." Sloth replied.

"Shame, damn shame." He shook his head in disappointment.

"Quite." Sloth replied as he begins to use his staff again as it glows in green light.

"What are you cooking up now?" Wrath asked.

"Getting rid of those marks Anankos's runaway bastard left behind to serve as exits to her personal Deeprealm. In the off chance that the Nohrians are able to kill Robin for us, we best make sure he has no chance of escaping." Sloth explained.

"Yeah, I don't see that working out. After all, a man who has endured as many wars of high magnitude as he has cannot be killed by such a primitive army." Wrath said confidently that Robin will survive the Twilight War. "If anyone is going to finish him off and become the true God of War it's going to be me."

* * *

Robin and Azura make a run for it to the exit out of the Opera House, so far three steps ahead of the Nohrians and close to escape though it is hard for him to run as fast as he should, he's nearly empty on magic and is losing a lot of blood, Xander cut him too deep.

"Robin, you have to stop, you're losing a lot of blood." Azura pleaded with him to slow down, and he reluctantly stops to rest in an empty corridor with just the two of them.

"Not really in a position to rest, you know…" Robin muttered weakly while trying to cover up his wound by channeling much of the mana he has left to force the bleeding to stop. He's not really capable of healing himself but he can perform a very minor form of biokinesis to keep his body from falling apart long enough to find a healer to aid him.

"Now is not the time to be stubborn." Azura lectured as she examines the wound. "Siegfried is also called the Sword of the Timeless King, as it has the power to inflict wounds that can never be healed due to a curse infused into the wounds that only the wielder of Siegfried can dispel, and we both know Xander wants you dead."

"I know, he always refused to train with anyone while using his treasure with how dangerous it is." Robin said. "All the more reason not to let this stop us from getting out of here."

"No, don't push yourself any further for me." Azura begged, coming up with only one solution. "It's over Robin, let's go back, we're going to get caught sooner or later and if I turn myself in, I might be able to convince them to take you as a prisoner of war."

"Knowing Arete, that could work but based on what I know of Garon, they'll only keep me alive long enough to lure Corrin into surrendering and bring her back into his clutches." Robin countered. "The both of you are in a dangerous crossroad and whatever side you choose, you would've found more pain than salvation."

"I knew that from the start, I held up for as long as I possibly could and it seems I reached my finish line." Azura uttered. "But you can still make it through this, at least for Corrin's sake."

"That day, If I had taken matters into my own hands things might've turned out for the better for all of you." Robin barely whispered.

"Pardon?" Azura asked, catching what he said.

"I'm sorry. This is more my fault than most, which is why I can't rest until I set things right, and at least secure the place you and Corrin have in Hoshido." Robin said as his left hand begins to manifest darkness mix with a red aura.

"What are you going to do?"

"Calling in a reluctant friend." Robin said, reluctant to do what he's about to use as from this darkness a sword begins to come out of his palm, one with a black blade and red fuller.

"Stopped to plan things out? That was a mistake." The two turn to see that Laslow and Odin have caught up to them, and luckily it's just them so far.

"Crap… of all the people to have caught up." Robin cursed his luck as he cancels out the weapon he was about to summon and pulls Azura behind him to confront them.

"Of course we were going to be the ones to catch you." Laslow sighed, not even remotely satisfied over managing to stop their target.

"That's as far as you go, Pawns of Dawn, for it is time for you to submit to the Darkness that beckons for your defeat." Odin declared dramatically.

"That sounded weak. Do you two even want to do this?" Robin questioned.

"No… not really." Odin confessed in a more normal tone before becoming more serious. "But we are now loyal warriors of Nohr and we won't allow anything nor anyone to hold us back. Not even you, uncle."

"Uncle?" Azura repeated in shock by what this warlock just called Robin.

"I know." Robin said somberly, like he is very familiar with the two, not really wanting to do this either. "But are you both up for this? Stopping me hasn't exactly ever been a feat just anyone can pull off."

"In case all the adrenaline is going haywire, Lord Xander has given us a fitting handicap on you," Laslow said as the two of them point their swords at the Tactician. "Either way, we've got to at least try."

"Very well…" Robin sighed exasperatedly as he summons Morgenstern back to his side to fight the duo. "Though, before we do this, mind telling me why is it that you have Archangel, Inigo? Or why are you using THAT sword, Owain? I don't question your use of the blade but… that one's not in your family."

"Oh, so now you want to talk about home?" Laslow uttered while holding his sword tighter but flinching a little, same as Odin at the mention of their true names. "We've had plenty of time to talk things out back in Nohr, and Lady Corrin is not around at the moment to freak out over your nonexistent amnesia."

"What…" Azura feels like her brain is going to tear up from all the information forcefully being shoved down her throat. "You lied?!"

"I wasn't ready to talk about our home after what'd happened." Robin confessed remorsefully.

"Well… now is not the right time either but then again, our lives now are still pretty complicated, even if they are now more thrilling." Odin said.

"True, but it really is a shame that we have to be fighting on opposite sides, I didn't think this would ever occur to us." Robin said regrettably.

"Yeah, well you made your choice when you decided to support Lady Corrin. Though her choice isn't what I would consider the wrong one, we both know how this is going to end if the family keeps fighting like this." Laslow stated.

"If things turn out for the worse, I'll take responsibility for the wrongs my side makes as I know you two and Severa will for Nohr." Robin declared solemnly. "But until then I can't afford to be bested here, nor be strap in chains so I'm gonna have to ask you boys to get out of my way, or there will be consequences."

"Not to point out the obvious but there are always consequences when things don't go your way, uncle." Odin pointed out.

"And yet here you two remain." Robin sighed.

* * *

**Well, that's it for Dark Reunion. I apologize if the ending feels weak or anti-climactic but I really couldn't decide on rather or not to bring Wrath into the fight or not since I feel like I might be rushing things and I ultimately decided to leave it like this. Corrin's revenge against Wrath will be put on hold for now as there are far worse things to come, especially since the blood feud between both Kingdoms have only worsened because of this insult against the Nohrian Royals so expect things to only escalate further. Till next time.**


	14. Chapter 14: Nuisance of Death

***Chapter 14: Nuisance of Death**

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" Corrin lets loose her rage, cutting down with her immense strength the stone walls of Lilith's home in the Astral Plane, causing them to collapse and cannot bring herself to care. The depression of everything that went down in the Opera House is eating away at her, she lost Robin of all people along with Azura because she couldn't push hard enough to convince them not to go through with this, especially the actual Princess of Nohr since she was the one who wanted to see this through the most but in the end, she was just as in over her head as the rest, especially after seeing her mother again after almost fourteen years apart.

The rest of the group are being treated of their wounds, Lilith used the power of the Astral Plane's limitless Dragon Veins to create a healing ground to nurture their wounds, it was a deathly battle so injuries were unavoidable, though they were thankfully minor but still best not ignored, like Subaki's left cheek who's badly bruised because he was sucker punched by a Berserker, Saizo has a concussion from a bulky knight that hit him in the head with his shield that he did well to ignore until now, Setsuna received a poisonous arrow on her right shoulder, Hinoka has a gash on her left forearm she received from Peri, lucky that it wasn't too deep because of the armor she used to have there, and Rinkah has four broken ribs because of one of Queen Arete's retainer, Charlotte who Hinata made a joke about her finding a rival, which is actually true since Rinkah is itching to get even with the blonde bimbo. Reina seems to have the worst injuries due to fighting against King Garon, not that she seems to be actually bothered by the ugly cuts she received from the mighty Axe of the King, tough old knight, this lady. Queen Mikoto is lucky to have such a tank for a guardian.

"A-A-Azura…" Sakura sobbed in pure anguish over being forced to leave Azura and Robin behind while being held in a warm embrace by Hinoka who is just as torn up about losing Azura. Despite caring for the Songstress, Hinoka didn't always took the time to be there for Azura so focus on growing stronger to rescue Corrin, only now does she realize how sorely she regrets never truly acknowledging her third sister.

They were so close, the assault went perfectly and apart from the Royal Family and their most trusted soldiers, the Nohrians didn't stand a chance against them and their brand new ''Army of Light'', they outmatched almost every blow they threw at them and more. They really didn't give Robin enough credit, he truly is a Master Tactician like Corrin claimed, arguably better than Yukimura and even their precious champion, Prince Xander was so close to defeat. All of it proved to be for nothing since Corrin lost control and would've gone completely feral and attacked them as well.

"THIS! IS! BULLSHIT!" Takumi roared in outrage as he throws Skadi to the floor. "We had them! We were so close! Why did we have to leave it like that!"

"Shut up, Takumi! You felt that ringing sound popping into our heads just like the rest of us and that rage we were feeling was not entirely our own!" Hinoka shouted at her brother. "You saw the state Corrin was going through, she even attacked Robin, out of everyone for interfering and her eyes turning black. If we had stayed our rampage might've spread across all Cyrkensia."

"She's right, even though it was different, the rage-filled sensation was similarly as abhorrent like when we were struck by Sloth's corruption." Kagero mumbled, remembering vividly when she was attacked by the Sin of Sloth and can almost compare it with what they just experienced.

"Sin Poisoning." Lilith explained. "The Seven have the power to infect all living beings with the Sin they are named after, just like how Sloth killed all those Mokushujins by making them so slothful that they lost all interest in living, Wrath can make people succumb to mindless, murderous rage to the point that they become feral beasts that are beyond madness with no sense of reasoning and morality. The Blight Dragon was just a small taste of things to come."

"But why was only until the last minute that we all began to be infected with this Sin Poisoning and are we still infected now?" Kaze uttered, full of fear for all of them over succumbing to this mindless rage.

"I can never claim to know what goes on through the minds of Evil. Gods are known for working in mysterious ways, and Devils aren't so different either." Lilith muttered. "And I'm sure you're all still infected but we should be safe here, the Astral Plane's divine characteristics should purge us of any corruption after a few days inside."

"That's great for us but what about her who looks like she's decided to reclass into a Berserker but doesn't know yet that she should be using an axe?" Hinata asked, pointing at Corrin, who continues with her tantrum, destroying more of the great wall but this last blow held too much force and at the same time she wasn't aiming well and it was her hands, while holding the Yato's grip that hit the wall instead, and the impact, while still broke the wall, it was done partially with her hands and it causes the bones to crack so hard that the others could hear it and witness as she painfully drops the sword.

"Lady Corrin, that's enough!" Kaze shouted in desperation as he pulls her away from the wall and struggles to keep the enraged dragon girl from going berserk any further, assisted by Lilith who creates another healing ground below them, one that also emits a sort of blissful sensation meant to dull aggression with the intent to force Corrin to calm down.

Lilith wanted to use this sooner but she first thought it was okay to let Corrin let her frustrations out, she did lose another of her friends from her life in the Northern Fortress and had a dark reunion with her foster family, ending with more animosity.

"Corrin please, you mustn't let loose too much of your power in this state, otherwise you'll hurt yourself more." Lilith pleaded with her, and for the most part, Corrin listens, getting on her knees and remains silent, but the anguish was too great, however, no tears came out this time.

"What's happening to her, her anger is greater than our infection?" Hinoka asked in turmoil.

"She can turn into a Dragon, a true Blessed Child of the Gods, and the Seven Deadly Sins must have a grudge over their imprisonment by them so it's no surprise why she is the most unfortunate among us and we all know it's not the first time she went crazy and attacked us." Saizo said.

"Was her first rampage because she's been infected the longest by Wrath?" Setsuna said sounding scared.

"Makes sense, the Sin Poisoning in her must've been slow to activate and was held off until Corrin gave in to her own anger naturally." Reina concluded.

"Dammit! I knew bringing her along was a stupid idea!" Takumi snapped.

"Even if we hadn't had brought her, Wrath would have probably still been in the Opera House and focus his evil on all of us either way." Oboro countered. "We could've probably killed all the Nohrian Royals."

"Would that had been such a bad thing?" Rinkah asked.

"Obviously that it would have." Hayato sneered. "Even if we had stopped the war through bloodshed like that, the rest of the Continent may not have responded well."

"He's right, Garon aside, Queen Arete and Prince Xander are much loved by the public and killing them would've encouraged all of Nohr to continue the fighting regardless of their losses, not to mention that Princess Camilla is still at larged with her own motivation to destroy us. And we'd end up facing a political crisis and lose the trust of the other nations, Nestra especially and give Mokushu a reason to declare war on us as well." Orochi stated. "This was never about killing them but capture them."

"Well, now we've hit the world's most terrifying blockade because now Nestra may end up rising against us unless our supporters among their Nobility do something about it and stall for more time." Azama added.

"So, now what do we do?" Hana asked feeling lost.

"We proceed with our true goal and find Lord Ryoma." Saizo declared.

"He's going to be enraged when he finds out about this epic failure." Kagero muttered.

"He would've been pissed if we had succeeded regardless." Takumi mumbled.

"Now, you should all rest first, time here flows differently, so there is no need to worry about wasting time, an hour in the real world is more than two days in here, after all." Lilith suggested.

"That's music to our ears, especially if we really are in danger of going feral ourselves." Kaze said gratefully.

"Now might be a good time for that hot spring." Hinata suggested to Takumi.

"Way too tempting to pass out on now, especially since we really need to calm down." Takumi sighed in frustration.

"Hot spring…?" Corrin muttered in response to that.

"Crap…" Kaze, Lilith, Hinoka, Saizo, Rinkah, and most surprisingly of all, Sakura uttered as they know there is going to be another outburst.

"Two of our own are now in enemy hands, and you want to build a hot spring!" Corrin uttered.

"Corrin, that was just Hinata lightening up the mood, no one wants to stay feeling down like we do now." Hinoka stepped up, pleading for her sister to stay calm.

"I am not in the mood to be ''lightened up''. What I want is to get out of here and get my friend back." Corrin growled.

"Not as we are now, Milady, we'd made a miscalculation with the Light Scroll as it lost all power sooner than we expected." Kaze objected. "We'd be going in shorthanded and the Nohrians have surely begun to call for support with their Warp Tomes."

"I DON'T CARE! Don't any of you understand! For all we know Robin could be dying right now! He needs me! Open the portal Lilith!"

"I… can't." Lilith declined.

"That wasn't a request!" Corrin snapped violently at the younger dragon.

"No! I mean I can't open any of them, they're gone!" Lilith uttered fearfully.

"What'd you mean?" Hinoka demanded frantically.

"Something went wrong, the marks I put in the Opera House have been removed by some outside force, we're at the moment trapped in here." Lilith explained.

"How?!" Takumi uttered. "Was it the Sin?"

"Possibly. the Seven are somehow able to use Dragon Veins despite having no sort of association with the Precursors, who knows what other dragonic magic they've acquired over their centuries of rampaging and corruption." Lilith said. "We can't make our way back to them."

"I… can't save… Robin…" Corrin mumbled in horror, about to lose it again.

"Would you calm down already, Corrin! You especially out of all of us should know how powerful and cunning Robin is, so I'm sure he'll be fine and there's no way Azura is in any danger so with luck she could convince them to show him mercy." Takumi said confidently.

"What do you care?! You never even liked Robin!" Corrin yelled at him. "NONE OF YOU DO! He was just some outsider you thought you could use. Just like the Chevians and just like me!"

Her harsh words make Sakura flinch and sob even more.

"Corrin, you know that's not true." Hinoka argued and pleaded with her sister to see reason.

"You're really stepping out of line here, Corrin!" Takumi growled.

"I told you not to go through with this crap! WE told you that things were going to end badly regardless of victory! What did we even accomplish tonight aside from pissing off an already insane and angry old man with the greatest army in the world and break a neutral accord that could give us yet more enemies to point their blades at our backs!" Corrin yelled.

"Yeah, well that insane and angry old man has been pissing us off for more than just fourteen years so I think making a point was worth all that." Takumi scoffed.

"You self-absorbed **FUCKING ASSHOLE**!" Corrin's wrath only grows even more to the point that black miasma begins to manifest around her body, alarming the Hoshidans that she is about to break loose with her dragon powers.

"If Robin does end up dead by Nohrian hands, then it's more your fault than any of us!" Takumi snapped at her, finally having enough. Those last words, however, proved to be the last straw for Corrin as her rage intensifies so much that the sclera of her eyes become blacken again, giving her a more demonic outlook.

"C-Corrin…" Sakura weakly squeals, horrified by what's coming next.

"You… how… **HOW**… **DARE**-" Before Corrin could snap herself and assault her stepbrother, she is silenced by Lilith who cast a spell on her that forces her to fall into a deep sleep and falls into Kaze's arms.

"I'm so sorry Corrin." Lilith uttered regretfully.

"Holy Dawn, that Sinner really messed her up big time." Hinata muttered.

"Oh, Corrin." Hinoka sniffed as she gets on her knees and places both her hands on her sister's.

"Great, just great." Takumi sighed exasperatedly. "Lilith, how bad is her condition?"

"Very bad. Even though I knew that everything she was going through was consuming her with grief and anger, it never should've reached the point where she might actually be Degenerating naturally." Lilith griefs herself while wrapping her hands on her head, growing with shame for not realizing what her master was really going through.

"Degenerating? You mean the supernatural condition that causes dragons to lose all cohesion and succumb to their beastly urges unless they turn into spirits or are wielding Dragonstones?" Kaze asked alarmed.

"Yes, the corruption of the Sins is too strong, even for our Dragonstones to do anything about them, some say that the Seven are the ones responsible for driving the Precursors to madness and started the Precursor War."

"N-NO!" Sakura becomes horrified by this revelation, just as the rest.

"It… can't be." Hinoka mumbled just as horrified.

"Oh great, so all along we've been traveling and sleeping with a ticking timebomb!" Takumi grows more frustrated with the growing problem that is Corrin.

"No, I refuse to accept that Lady Corrin is in danger of going mad." Kaze insisted.

"We'll have to go with a long-term effect instead and keep Corrin in this slumber for as long as possible." Saizo declared.

"Great, so we're going to be here for a while, even still there's the matter of returning to our world now that our exits are gone." Takumi said. "Lilith, you said that it was possible to travel to the other Deeprealms from here and each one has an exit that leads to our world. Is there one that will lead us straight to Cheve?"

"Yes, I know the one but getting there will be complicated, even more so to reach the exit and mark Cheve with the hostile environment as that Deeprealm in particular, is filled to the brim with the foulest of dark magic; Necromancy." Lilith explained.

"Necromancy? You mean the ancient lost magic that can reanimate corpses to create undead monsters?" Orochi asked with dread.

"Yes, that Deeprealm, dubbed the Dead Zone is crawling with inhabitants of the dead, the worse of them all is the Necrodragons who sovereign it. It's pure chaos there, undoubtedly worse than a land infested with Grimm!" Lilith continued.

"T-The… the Undead?!" Sakura uttered terrified.

Necromancy is a tale of horror across Horus, such power to raise the dead is a serious taboo and there were a lot of conflicts in ancient times when Necromancers were around, and of the many things that Nohr and Hoshido have in common is that they view those who meddle with the dead as disgusting inhuman parasites that need to be hunted down and exterminated. There hasn't been anyone using the darkest arts in over three hundred years with both superpowers forging a pack that there will be no more Necromancers in Horus. When war broke out, everyone was quick to assume that Nohr would break the pack and somehow bring forth an undead army to fight Hoshido but they surprisingly settled for Grimm instead. Not sure which army would be worse in hindsight.

"Nothing is without complications I suppose, but we're gonna have to risk it once we get there." Kaze said.

"I rather not and just go at it alone, it's faster this way and ''easier'' to travel unspotted." Lilith objected.

"What?! You just said that the Dead Zone was like Hell!" Hinoka objected.

"I've been to the Dead Zone before and I know what is arguably the ''safest'' route to get by without dying." Lilith argued.

"Lilith if you die out there Corrin is going to go berserk and use us as target practice." Takumi pointed out.

"I'll be fine, me being a Dragon has a lot of perks in that place since Necrodragons have a code that has them prefer not to pick a fight with those of their kind, or rather anything with dragonic traits since they're technically not dragons anymore and I can't say the same for humans as they are notorious for despising your kind, mainly because you're of the living along with many more so it's better this way for all our sakes." Lilith insisted. "And if Lady Corrin asked where I've gone, lied to her and tell her I'm going somewhere safe."

"Right, cause that won't end in disaster if you come back with bruises, scars or a part missing from your body." Hana said sarcastically.

"You're just going to have a little more faith in me." Lilith shrugged. "And if all goes well than by the time we make it to Cheve it'll still be nighttime outside, not enough time for word of what happened to spread across all of Nestra without audio magic which the kingdom mostly lacks."

"But Nohr does, making it more imperative that we reach Lord Ryoma." Subaki declared as the Hoshidans begin to rest up after the previous battle.

"The Seven infect anyone they come into contact with the Sin they are named after." Oboro muttered and repeats what she just learn and feels dread about something and gives a concern glance to her master.

"Something wrong, Oboro?" Hana asked, noticing the concern expression on her face that she's giving Takumi. "This is the first time I've ever seen you stare at Lord Takumi that way."

"It's nothing, I hope. It's just that I don't like our odds when we have to face the Sins again."

"Yeah, I think we all feel the same way."

"Oh, you guys came back." Mozu said as she walks over to the group while yawning. The farm girl did well staying alone this whole time but she was clearly worried and judging by her yawning she managed to get some sleep to pass the time. "So… how did everything go?"

"We can talk about it later, Mozu, right now we just want to rest ourselves." Hinoka brushed as most of them head towards the house Lilith created after she brought them here.

"Oh, come on, don't leave me in suspense." Mozu pleaded, a little frustrated that she just went ignored and the fact that Robin and Azura are not around and Corrin is being carried by Kaze leaves her more curious.

"I'll explain on the way, and you look like you could still use some sleep." Lilith said as she walks her back to the house.

"Well, I was woken up by some loud noises that sounded like walls breaking, and the walls over there are broken." Mozu replied as she notices the damage Corrin caused.

Things have been mostly silent in the Astral Plane as they spent the first day pretty much resting, focus solely on recovering, while Corrin remains under Lilith's sleeping spell and will be kept this way until they can safely wake her once the Astral Plane removes every single bit of Wrath's corruption within her soul and she will regularly transfer mana into her to sustain her body so she doesn't starve or dehydrate while she's asleep. It bothers most of them that they have to resort to this method, even Takumi has mix feelings about watching Corrin like this but there's really no choice since she's too dangerous to be left unpurged completely and none among them want to try and put up with her mental breakdowns.

The Hoshidans have slowly gotten used to their new base of operations as they originally felt a sense of discomfort being here for various reasons, the main one is this strong urge of homesickness over being in a completely different world, still so close to Hoshido but at the same time so very far away, a minor issue to be sure as they have already grown accustomed to this place and are enamored by it's power to create things through Dragon Veins as demonstrated by Lilith as she helps Takumi create the hot spring Hinata wanted, and suffice to say, it worked and it looks fantastic.

"Well I'll be damned, it works." Takumi smiled with satisfaction.

"HA! Thank you Sephiroth! Our very own hot spring!" Hinata cheered at the size of it.

"What are you talking about, we have our own hot spring in Shirasagi?" Takumi questioned.

"Technically it's your mother's and… everyone knows about her hot spring fetish and her bad habit of wanting it all to herself when she's using it." Hinata reminded.

"My mother does not… okay, you know what, yeah! She likes hot springs a little too much." Takumi admitted.

"Oh, we all have our fetishes." Reina smiled.

"No, we don't, and you don't have a fetish Reina, you have a problem." Orochi sneered at her partner, earning her a hit to her elbow.

"I wonder just how vast the possibility of weapons and items we can create in this place?" Hinoka wondered.

"The best way to know is to try it out for yourselves and see what can be done." Lilith advised.

"We should start by making an armory and reload our arsenal." Saizo suggested.

"I-If it's alright, I would like to try it out next." Sakura offered.

"The field is yours, whip us up an armory of steel." Hinoka said.

"I-I'll do my best." Sakura said determined with her retainers cheering her on. She raises both her arm and begins to channel the dragonic power of the Astral Plane through her dragon blood. She can definitely feel the same divinity that all Dragon Veins possess coursing through the entire plane so she doesn't have to think much on where to harness the great power and quickly begins the process and within a few seconds a hoshidan style armory is summoned before them, though it looks rather run down and old they can feel the power used to create it.

"You did it! Lady Sakura!" Hana cheered. Sakura herself is proud of her achievement.

"Looks rather run down." Hayato noted as they begin to examine the armory.

"Wow, there are enough weapons here to arm almost three companies." Oboro said.

"Still, these look primitive, brass, bronze, iron, nothing that's made of steel like Hinoka requested or any of the more unique versions." Rinkah said as she picks up a brass club on her right hand and an iron one in her left hand. As amaze as she is by the power of the Astral Plane, the weapons themselves don't pick her interest.

"B-But… I wanted steel weapons as Hinoka asked. Lilith said I just had to put my thoughts on to what I wanted and it would be made." Sakura said, feeling like she made a mistake.

"I also said that it takes experience in handling this power to build stronger tools. Weapons made of steel are creations meant for those with a fair amount of experience with Dragon Veins." Lilith corrected.

"Makes sense, Sakura hardly ever needed a reason to use Dragon Veins, it was usually me, Hinoka, Ryoma, mother or Azura who would be left to use them so she doesn't have much experience, or at all in using the regular ones back home." Takumi noted, which backfired real quick as Sakura instantly gets on her knees and back into a corner, feeling like a failure again, with Hana and Subaki hastily try to boost her confidence once again.

"I wasn't trying to offend you! I was just pointing out a fact!" Takumi quickly replied, also with haste to lift his sister's spirit. Something that's practically all of their job.

"Let's just try not to think too big, okay, we're completely new to this level of power so we should focus on building just one thing and small and not think too big for now." Hinoka suggested as she makes an example by summoning one weapon, which is the strongest naginata in Hoshido, a Waterwheel.

"Pretty." Setsuna said amazed by Hinoka's creation. The High Princess than summons another weapon that is the strongest Yumi in Hoshido, technically second to the Fujin Yumi, the Pursuer and lends both weapons to her Retainers.

"One at a time, huh." Takumi said as he creates his own Waterwheel as well as a Rapier and lends them to Oboro and Hinata respectively since Hinata lost the previous one Lilith made for him in the Opera House due to the hole in the pool Corrin caused.

"Oh, goody, I sorely miss my first one. This place sure is the perfect spot to acquire all sorts of new toys, and while I'm not too big on double-edge blades, I be lying if I wasn't envious of some of the weapons Nohr has." Hinata cheered.

"All is fair in love and war so we will take on every advantage we can get no matter how dirty we have to be." Takumi declared.

"Ah, so it's come to using the enemy's own weapons against them, has it." Hinata smirked.

"I Love the way you think, Hinata." Takumi replied smugly. This earned him surprised and shock gasps from most of the group, especially a horrified Oboro. "NOT LIKE THAT! DAWN!" He quickly replied again, embarrassed and outraged.

"Oh…"

"Pay up." Setsuna demanded to Azama.

"Not yet, I still have high hopes." He declined.

"Is that gay bet still going on?!" Takumi growled.

"Yeah…" Hinata admitted blushing while just as embarrassed.

"God damn propagandas! I keep telling you people I'm straight! Just because I don't think of courting a big breasted woman doesn't mean I'm homo. DAMMIT!" Takumi snapped enraged, walking out of the armory.

"He is so easy." Azama chuckled amused.

"Should we really rile each other up after establishing the existence of a demon literally made out of anger?" Kagero asked.

"Why not, weren't we all hate obsess with Nohr already." Azama shrugged.

"Shut up, Azama." Hinoka scoffed.

"Told you he was a bad apple." Mozu mused.

On the third day here things remain relatively the same with most of them either sparring with each other or just resting up, like Oboro volunteering to train Mozu, who's eager to do something during her time here and she seems to favor a naginata, while she is a complete rookie, she hits hard due to her unnatural superior strength that Oboro feels like she's blocking hits from a Brave Lance that Nohrians use instead of a simple Brass Naginata, so Mozu has been asked to take it easy with her hits. She's also very stubborn as she persists on training nonstop, something that Takumi, Hinoka, Oboro and the three Ninjas recognized as a lust for power fueled by grief, anger, and no doubt a need for revenge against all of the Blackhounds even though the ones responsible have already paid with their lives, once a brigand wrongs you, the resentment spreads to all brigands in general. For someone so young to already be feeling like this combined with the feeling of inadequacy surrounded by so many strong warriors, they can only feel bad for her. She especially seemed distraught over what happened to Robin and Azura, as well as the current status of Corrin, fortunately, though, Saizo of all people managed to keep the girl's spirit up and assure her that Azura is just fine, as well as Robin, for whatever reason.

* * *

"I just can't seem to fathom what went wrong." Lilith said as she is currently in the living room of the house she created for everyone to settle down, alongside the remaining magic users of the group and Hinoka while the Light Scroll lies down on the table at the center as they have been trying to figure out what went wrong with it and at first Lilith attempted to charge it up again by channeling mana from the Astral Plane now that the seal is gone but it never worked. "The power it's absorbed from the Fujin Yumi should've been enough to keep it fully sustain indefinitely."

"Maybe your knowledge on magic scrolls is a little off and are comparing it to a tome because the lore and physiology regarding both types of conduits have very specific differences that make it hard for any mage to be able to use both with the common knowledge that comes from mastering just one." Rinkah suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably it, I lived among Nohrian Mages practically my whole life and spellbooks are the most common of magic conduits apart from staves." Lilith shrugged.

"Okay, this simply calls for patience and planning is all. And let's look at the facts, it's a conduit that channels the rare and nearly forgotten Light Magic, so maybe our best bet is to put the scroll in the hands of someone who can use Light Magic." Orochi suggested.

"That would be pretty great except that there hasn't been a Light Mage in Horus for around a millennium, mainly because there aren't any light conduits around. At least on our side of the world." Hayato said.

"It can't be just the conduit that decides the kind of mage you are, right?" Hinoka questioned.

"Right you are Milady. Magic Power is divided into three main types that we all know to be Anima, Light and Darkness. Now, Anima is the easiest to channel because Practitioners simply must concentrate our efforts into calling out power from nature itself as Anima is all about the elements. Darkness is about allowing, well, the Darkness to enter your heart and mind and embrace it but at the same time create mental boundaries and have strong willpower to use dark magic while ensuring that your personality doesn't go insane from taking in more power than the body is originally capable of and to pull it off one must have the ideals of a philosopher or scholar. Knowledge is power after all." Orochi explained. "And as for Light, the key to it is having faith."

"Faith? Newsflash but faith is something that Horus is filled to the brim with since the beginning of time, almost every single culture in the continent is held under some influence of the Church that worship the Divine Dragon Clan." Rinkah reminded.

"That's true, so in theory, anyone among us can use Light Magic, so can those who worship the Dusk Dragon, ironically, however, funny enough faith does not necessarily have to involve Divinity, one must also have faith in oneself, their family, comrades, or homeland. Anything involving trust or commitment is dictated by faith itself and in order to truly master the Light, once faith must be unconditional and unshakable. The slightest amount of doubt could unbalance the spells and leave the caster vulnerable or useless. And sadly we humans don't have the best track record of being unconditional with anything, hence why Light Mages have always been a minority."

"Pleasure before duty, like my parents would always say." Rinkah replied.

"You're disgusting." Hayato mocked.

"But what about someone born into a long and old lineage of light." Hinoka suggested. "The blood of the Dawn Dragon flows through me regardless of how human I am and even though I've never taken an interest in magic I have the potential, and I'm officially a Falcon Knight, I just never touched a rod in my life."

"Well, Lord Sephiroth is the creator of Magic Scrolls so it's likely that his secret knowledge rest within the souls of all his human descendants so the Hoshidan Royals just might be what the scroll desires." Lilith said seeing the possibilities.

"I'll get Sakura." Hinoka declared as the young Priestess just might be what they truly need to get the Light Scroll back in action since she's the only one among the Royal Siblings who can actually use magic, not just in rods but in scrolls as well..

* * *

"Gods, this hits the spot every time." Hinata cheered as he takes a dip in the hot spring, alongside Takumi and Subaki.

"Truly, there is nothing more refreshing to make a body all soothed and relax than this." Subaki said.

"Nor more peaceful, 'cus really things have been too loud and over the top recently." Takumi added.

"Last time I checked that's how you like it, Milord." Hinata said.

"That's just my warrior spirit being too optimistic, but our nation was born under the belief that peace is sacred and must be everlasting while violence is no more than a sporting event and you both know how competitive I can be." Takumi explained.

"Us and everyone in the army, Milord." Subaki said with a light chuckle. "Anyhow, I noticed that you started using the Fujin Yumi again yesterday."

"Yeah, my girl got back in action, while Skadi is a fine substitute and I plan on using her again in the near future I like to stay faithful to my true partner." Takumi smiled. "Plus, Skadi does feel extremely possessive and demanding so I guess I dodged an arrow when I dismissed her yesterday."

"Women, Hell have no fury like their scorn." Hinata laughed.

"You would know more about that than the rest of us." Said a fourth voice in the hot spring that they did not notice come in and must've been here first and it's Saizo, lying down on a corner not far from them.

"Yo, Saizo, we didn't see you there." Hinata greeted, while none the wiser of the insult thrown at him. "Wow, no matter how many times I see it, I still can't believe that you and Kaze are twins."

"You and everyone else in my life, even my mother." Saizo shrugged.

"It's because of the mask, I'm sure." Subaki assured. "Has anyone ever seen Kaze wear a mask before?"

"He refuses to wear one; he gets too uncomfortable too quickly."

"I put on a ninja mask before, took it off the second I put it on cause they're so hard to breathe on. Gotta praise you lots for enduring those things for as long as you do." Takumi said. "Where is Kaze anyway, haven't seen him all day?"

"Where else, watching over Corrin, we've been keeping her locked up in a treehouse ever since Lilith forced her to sleep." Saizo explained. "Kagero should be with him watching her as well."

"She's still asleep, it's been three days." Hinata said concern.

"Lilith said her sleeping spell will wear off once the Sin Poisoning is out of her system, of which there's still so much inside her still." Subaki said sadly.

"Well, at least her first rampage in Kurosaki makes a hell of a lot more sense." Takumi shrugged.

"Was it just because she was infected?" Subaki questioned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I don't mean to step out of line, Lord Takumi, but I don't think Wrath was necessary for Lady Corrin to go berserk like that. In truth, it was the fact that she had to make a very serious choice, which family will she stand with, and the way I heard it, Crown Prince Xander and his siblings were practically begging her to come back to them and not let their father's evil deeds come between them before they were forced to resort to violence to take her back." Subaki expressed.

"Yeah, that whole thing was just dark, really dark and ever since then I can't help but wonder what I would've done if I was in that position." Hinata said more sympathetic.

"Just what are you guys implying?" Takumi asked annoyed.

"What practically everyone in Hoshido is wondering concerning her if rather or not we can trust her to remain faithful to us through and through." Saizo spoke up next and more sternly. "King Garon and his vile supporters aside, his wife and children have never really displayed any sort of action that would make them appear as vile and sinister as we initially thought and Corrin was raised believing she was one of them so she had reason to have truly betrayed us that would've made her sympathetic. A little bit at least."

"I've noticed, but what does it matter now, she made the right decision so why dwell on it." Takumi said, wanting the subject to be dropped and he could easily demand them to be silent, he is their superior but these three don't deserve to be given the cold shoulder.

"We agree with you completely on that but the real question now is if she herself still believes that she did make the right choice." Subaki pointed out.

"No, I guess. If she didn't have second thoughts about standing with us before she certainly does now." Takumi said next with anger, anxiety and regret. "No thanks to me."

"Hey, now, let's not play the blame game, it never ends well." Hinata insisted.

"But there's no denying that I haven't been supportive at all ever since she came back, even after Ryoma's threat, I still wouldn't open up to her." Takumi hissed, letting his self-loathing out in the open, even though he is well known for keeping his emotions bottled up inside. "I be lying if I said I don't blame myself in a way. In truth, I wanted to trust her. However, throughout this whole journey, I only felt more betrayed, even after acknowledging that she wasn't really a traitor. I'm probably just weaker than I imagined. I wouldn't get close to her and trust her like Ryoma and the rest of you have tried to, her intentions were just so hard for me to grasps. She wants to forge a true peace between both our nations, but she has yet to understand how deep our scars run because of Nohr. I've been to that blasted country and I have seen for myself the state the people are in and I understand why they're doing this but at the same time it's so hard not to abhor them so much."

"No argument there, at least." Hinata replied.

"Still, if only I tried, maybe Corrin would've had more of a reason to stay with us besides being angry at Garon. But unlike the rest of the family, I never bothered to wait for her to return because I knew she wouldn't have come back the same, and in a way I was right, her good nature is being overshadowed by rage and despair that it's hard to grasps if she truly believes in what she's doing and not acting out of desperation and indecisiveness. All she's accomplished so far is drown herself further into the Sea of Despair with her Nohrian Family now too angry to see things from her perspective and are more tempted to leave her in this state. And now I have to ask myself that question. That night, if our fates were switched, and she had my life and I hers, would I had come to the same choice while still drowning in so much grief and heartache, or would I had instead remained with Nohr, after being more familiar with their good nature, if there really is any, than the darker side?"

"If that's how you feel Milord, then maybe it's time you cease this sibling bickering and start acting like a younger brother and give Corrin more of a reason to start acting as a big sister should." Subaki advised.

"It seems long overdue, doesn't it." The young Prince cannot disagree.

* * *

"Oh, how fine looking you are Mr. Carrot. I'm sure you'll be just perfect for a stew." Mozu said delighted while in the kitchen preparing to cook something for dinner. While she is busy preparing to cook, Sakura walks pass the kitchen, wanting to head to the living room to see how Hinoka is doing. She's been more somber than ever after the failed attack in the Opera House, even though she knows that the Nohrians won't really hurt Azura, not being beside her anymore breaks her heart and she refuses to leave Corrin's side because of the state she's in and today Subaki and Hana finally managed to encourage her to get out there and start getting positive for everyone's sake, more importantly for herself. She stops walking once she sees Mozu.

'Huh? Is that…? Oh, it's Mozu.' Sakura mused to herself as she gets the sudden idea to go talk to her, however, after setting one foot on the kitchen, she immediately steps away, growing increasingly nervous as she always does when meeting new people. 'Oh… C'mon, Sakura… Stop being such a baby and go talk to her. Corrin and Azura are very fond of her, and even Takumi has taken a liking to Mozu so I should get to know her but… oh, Sephiroth, I had an easier time talking to Lilith, somehow.'

"Lady Sakura." Mozu called, finally noticing the young Princess in the kitchen entrance, and this causes Sakura to become startled and take more steps back until she hits the wall behind her. "H-hey now, calm down! It's just me Milady."

"A-ah… Right… I'm sorry for bothering you, Mozu. I-I'll leave now." Sakura said.

"Hey, hold on there, Milady." Mozu insisted, getting her to stop. "I'm actually planning on making some carrot stew for dinner. Did you want some when I'm finish?" Mozu offered.

"Carrot stew? I've… n-never tried it before, but… Hana told me once it's really good." Sakura said calming down and gazes at the carrots the Villager is carrying.

"I guess it' nothin' fancy enough for royals to eat." Mozu noted. "But trust me, you should have some. When you make it just right, it really hits the spot."

"Well… I-if it's not too much trouble, then sure." Sakura smiled, delighted and walks inside the kitchen. "I might be able to help too."

"Aw, no. I can't let you do that. You're a Princess, and this is the kind of stuff meant for peasants like farmers." Mozu insisted.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about too much, m-my mother and I never cared much for that sort of thing anyway and right now I'm more a Priestess bred to help combatants than a Princess, so I'm expected to get my hands dirty." Sakura brushed off. "B-Besides, if we're sharing this stew, it's only right that I contribute in making it, and you've been trying really hard to fit in with the rest of us lately so this is the least I can do."

Sakura's insistence leaves Mozu silent for a moment, contemplating before coming up with a decision. "Well, if you insist, and if you have trouble cooking I promise to help as best I can."

"Oh, y-yay. Let's get started right away." Sakura said sounding more upbeat.

"Sakura, you're there." Hinoka called as she walks into the kitchen.

"Oh, S-Sister, how are you?" Sakura greeted.

"Good, you?" Hinoka replied.

"I'm going to help Mozu make Carrot stew and maybe make dinner for everyone else." Sakura explained.

"Really, well, I am getting hungry." Hinoka said, feeling her stomach growl a little.

"Did you need something, Milady?" Mozu asked.

"Yes but it can wait, I would prefer more to start dinner for everyone." Hinoka said, brushing off the issue with the Light Scroll for now, the last thing she wants is to interrupt Sakura while she is trying to make new friends.

* * *

Corrin remains in her treehouse while still trapped in her magical slumber with only Kaze and Kagero there to watch over her for now. Of course, her sisters, as well as Lilith and Mozu, would come to see her regularly and even started to sleep in the treehouse and hope to be here when she wakes up but the majority of the time it's Kaze who sticks around the most as it is his duty.

"How long do you think she has left before she wakes up from this forced slumber?" Kagero asked.

"By Lady Lilith's estimate, hopefully for four or five more days." Kaze replied sadly as he rarely takes his sight off of the Princess.

"The way she is now, she kind of reminds me of this story my mother used to read me, about a Sleeping Beauty." Kagero said as she notes how peaceful Corrin looks right now.

"I read that Nestrian legend once before myself, though Sleeping Beauty's hardships could never compare to Milady's sorrows." Kaze said unintentionally soring the light mood Kagero's been trying to build.

"You're not doing anyone a favor by blaming yourself for all of this Kaze, deep down you know that none of this is your fault." Kagero tried to assure her fellow Ninja.

"It's hard not to feel this way when all the evidence proves the contrary." Kaze said sorrowfully. "I'm the reason The royal family has had to endure all this pain and the reason why Princess Corrin has been reduced to such a state, on the brink of becoming something horrifying."

"Even if you had taken what you saw seriously, do you really think it would've made a difference, based on everything I've read on the report and from what I've heard from Saizo and Lord Ryoma, the ambush was perfectly planned and calculated, there's no way we were prepared for that attack in Cyrkensia." Kagero tried to assure Kaze.

"I appreciate your words of aid as usual Kagero but alas the weight of my failures are not something that words can heal, and the fact that Queen Mikoto and Lord Ryoma forgave me so easily actually made me feel worse." Kaze muttered. "If I am to reclaim the honor I lost, I must dedicate my very being into securing Lady Corrin's survival from this whole ordeal, even if it means giving up my life."

"You mean the thing that every Ninja is expected to do for their respective lords." She asked rhetorically.

"Yes, well my new Mistress isn't so big on making sacrifices as she made plainly cleared to all of us on the meetings we've had." Kaze replied. "As much as I too share her beliefs for the sake of my brother and comrades, things may end the way the way it must for all ninjas."

"How unlike you, to sound so hopeless, you're usually the twin who maintains an optimistic outlook on things." Kagero said.

"Well, you know the old saying, War changes people, and though no one in my family is a stranger to carnage, despair and death things have changed more than I'm used to, even if just a little. All I can do is press forward for however long I can last. I already accepted that I won't outlive Saizo since I don't have the same resolve as him." Kaze admitted.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say that your brother would benefit from being more like you." Kagero countered.

"You two been arguing again, I thought Lord Ryoma kept a fine line between you both for the sake of the dynamic." Kaze asked.

"He did a fine job but his lines can only last so long, and while he is undoubtedly more loyal than I, Saizo can be so intolerable to all of us. He's so quick to anger, you swear he was a flame tribalist with how much of a hothead he is." Kagero said as she reminisces on past events, and apparently so has Kaze as he starts to chuckle lightly. "What?"

"Just reminiscing myself, I almost forgot that you two were an item for over a year, by all accounts, you should know him better than even me, and yet even after all this time you still look to me for advice on how to keep him in check." He kept chuckling.

"What can I say, we ninjas are complicated people, and even as we maintain a professional attitude as to not bother Lord Ryoma's way of living the issues keep piling up. Ironically, I think it's going to take a cold assassin from Nohr to really keep him in check." Kagero joked.

"Now that you mention it, there is one Nohrian that almost always comes to mind when I worry where Saizo's behavior will lead him." Kaze laughed a little bit louder. "I tell ya, Lady Corrin has been struggling to come to terms that he and I are brothers, much less twins, and she would love to hear about your previous love life with him."

"Her, Orochi, Lady Mikoto and pretty much everyone in my life." Kagero sighed annoyingly. "I swear the only one who hasn't so much as butted in on my personal space is Lord Ryoma, and that's because he never found out about us."

"Goes to show how much he respects your personal life if he doesn't even notice you when you're out and about elsewhere." Kaze said.

"And that worries me if he one day desperately needs my help and I'm instead back home enjoying myself painting." Kagero replied.

"If danger draws near and hope is gone, all you have to do is swing Raijinto."

"Good point."

* * *

On the fifth day in the Astral Plane, Lilith finally decided to embark into the Dead Zone to mark the rest of them a short cut into Cheve, and she was met with much protest from all of them, but the little dragon still went out anyway and Corrin has been fed enough mana to sustain her for three more days, the exact amount of time that she estimates is how long she will be gone for them. Just in case she doesn't come back, Lilith will first go to a safer Deeprealm that will take them back to Hoshido, right near the entrance of where the Kitsunes dwell for her to leave a mark for them to leave and return to their Queen any time they want.

"P-Please come back safe… ly Lilith. The last t-thing… I want i-is to lose another f-f… friend." Sakura begged the Astral Dragon as the two give each other a hug.

"I'll be fine, as far as traveling into the realm of the dead go, either way, an exit will have already been forged by the time I leave and if I don't make it, well… nothing left but to entrust my master's life in Hoshido's care because all semblance of her life in the fortress is pretty much gone now." Lilith said with a very sad smile as she assumes her Dragon form and departs into ultimate danger.

"And there she goes, brave little thing, and a fine example of what it means to be a retainer." Reina praised.

"Let's hope for Corrin's sake that helping us doesn't prove to be a mistake because I sure don't think I can handle seeing her so vulnerable for much longer." Hinoka said feeling dread while holding on to a more concern Sakura by her shoulders.

"Yeah…" Takumi replied weakly.

* * *

And coming on their eighth day, it's already noon and Lilith hasn't come back, and if she doesn't show up by the afternoon the group really is going to panic, especially if Corrin wakes up.

"Okay… let's give ourselves a ten minute break." Oboro instructed after sparring again with Mozu as the two stop to rest and have a drink of water each.

"So… do you think I'm improving?" Mozu asked nervously.

"Well, we only just started for a few days so it's too soon to make any improvement, though I'll admit you do have an aptitude of sorts and Lord Takumi and Princess Rinkah seem to think you have a special fighting spirit so I wouldn't be surprised if you're some sort of prodigy." Oboro examined. "But don't get ahead of yourself, I'm speaking from experience when I say that rushing improvement does horrors to your body. Took me seven years to reach where I am now. Youngest Spear Master in Hoshido's history they call me. Something to feel prideful about but I've recently learned I have a potential to use magic, so I'm aiming to be more of a Basara, way more useful for Lord Takumi."

"Seven years? You must've really worked hard to be so strong." Mozu said amazed.

"Like you, I have a reason to be strong as quickly as possible, and I'm still not satisfied but my true passion lies someplace else." Oboro remarked.

"What's that?"

"Fashion." Oboro smiled, showing spark in her eyes over the thought of fashioning kimonos for Hoshido.

"Your uniform is really pretty." Mozu noted at Oboro choice in style.

"Thank you, I made it myself. Before joining the Royal Guard I solely wanted to carry on my family business of running a kimono shop but… circumstances insisted I answer Hoshido's call to arms but that doesn't mean I should give up on my true calling, which is more of a hobby as of late." Oboro explained. "And currently I am looking for a new project of sorts, and I'm thinking you might be that project, Mozume. Let me figure out a nice outfit for you, you're always wearing such drab outfits, and I want to fix that!"

"Whaaat? B-but… I like these clothes." Mozu uttered, caught off guard.

"It can't hurt to try a few things on, right? I promise you'll look adorable!" The Spear Master insisted.

"Aw, a country girl like me. I doubt it." Mozu gets skeptical.

"Psh, it doesn't matter where you're from. Any girl can look good with the right outfit! Don't worry. I'll teach you how to carry the look once I decide on one."

"I just know I'd be the laughingstock of this little army if I put on fancy clothes. Those cute outfits and heavy makeup you like would look silly on me."

"That's ridiculous! You already look great in what you have on, Mozu."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere!"

"Mozu, come on… aren't we friends?"

"Well yeah but I don't… Lady Corrin." Mozu looked away from Oboro for a moment and notices Corrin, finally out of her treehouse and walks pass the two.

"Look who finally decided to crawl out of the tree. Hopefully, she's all better now." Oboro said more concern. "I'm sure she doesn't want to talk to anyone but we better let the others know she's out."

"Right." Mozu agreed, as the two walk back into the house.

"Hey guys, Lady Corrin's finally out." Oboro called out to everyone inside.

"Finally!" Hinoka said as she gets up from the floor, completely forgetting the board game she was playing with Takumi as everyone focuses on what Oboro just informed.

"Seriously! I just left for five minutes to bring more water to the Treehouse." Kaze uttered upset that he wasn't there for when Corrin finally woke up.

"Where is she? How is she?" Hinoka asked desperately.

"Walking around the place and by the looks of it, she's still down about what happened and looks calm, really calm so I suppose her… ''Wrath'' has subsided for now so Lilith's cure worked." Oboro explained based on what she noticed of the Princess.

"That's something, but we'll still have to talk to her, and an argument will probably occur so we'll have to make doubly sure to choose our words carefully." Kaze noted.

"So, no Takumi, or me. Easy enough." Azama replied, and not noticing the brief glare and scoff from Takumi.

"No matter what happens, what's important is sheltering her as much as we can and make her feel comfortable." Hinoka said about to march to help her sister, with Sakura beside her.

"With respect Milady but I would like to speak to her first." Kaze stepped up. "I do not mean to overstep on anything but I believe I have a better chance in keeping her at ease."

"Well… you do have a way with words when it comes to keeping the peace." Hinoka admitted as Kaze is quite the smooth talker, a feat which he surely never noticed considering how often he ignores the affectionate women that throw themselves at him.

"Thank you, for understanding, Milady." Kaze bowed.

"Hey, I didn't say you could go to her." Hinoka objected anyway as she is adamant on being the one to be there for Corrin the most.

"Whatever you guys do decide on, be sure to leave out Wrath for now, the last thing she surely needs is think that she might still have plenty of the first Sin that's caused us trouble still inside her, as that would surely set her off the WRONG way." Rinkah concluded.

"Was that a sex metaphor?" Azama asked.

"Considering what came out of Corrin's mouth I say probably."

"Gross." Subaki hissed.

"This is the worst case of anger management I've ever seen, and I don't know about you kids but I would love to go a few more weeks without any more surprises." Reina sighed.

"We would all like that very much, Reina. We aren't even in the frontline and already we're dealing with so much." Hinoka stated.

"Unfortunately, surprises are going to keep coming no matter what we do." Setsuna added, and at the nick of time, the Hoshidans meet another surprise, in the form of a banged up Lilith who enters the living room, covered in bruises, her clothing is almost ripped to shreds, her hair is a disaster and the look on her face is mortifying.

"Lilith!" Kaze gasped in shock as they gather around her as she drops to the ground and try to help her.

"Oh, sweet Fangs of Moro. That… that could've gone better." Lilith gasped while shaking uncontrollably.

"I-I'll heal you." Sakura said hastily as she and Azama begin using their healing magic on her.

"Lilith, what happened, you said that things would go down smoothly in that Deeprealm due to your dragon status?" Takumi demanded.

"I never said things would go smoothly, I just said things would be ''easier'' by going alone." Lilith mumbled resting while lying on the floor. "But as it turns out the Necro Lords had a serious falling out and now the Dead Zone is going through a five hundred year long civil war with each other. I haven't been there in over five mortal years so a lot of time has passed in the Deeprealms. Turns out a war that involves six undead armies is really harmful, especially when they're so dumb that they keep forgetting who's on who's side and the friendly fires are unnaturally high and nobody appreciates the living getting involved. So… that last part was fun."

"For Sephiroth's sake, woman, if Corrin sees you like this she'll flip out." Takumi shouted.

"She'll be busy dealing with our uninvited guest to concern herself with my state." Lilith shrugged.

"Uninvited…? Wait… who or what followed you here?!"

Takumi gets his answer from a venomous and horrible growling sound coming from outside and the first to discover what it is, is Mozu as she's closest to the open window and what she gazes upon is a massive green dragon, however, there is something wrong with it. Its skin is rotted and decayed, the skin that is there is swamp green. Bones and muscle are showing all over its body, rotting bat-like wings on its arms that are currently folded and both its eyes are missing from the eye sockets.

"Ah… guys… I think there's a wild animal on the loose." Mozu uttered terrified and shaking at the sight of the horrible beast staring down at the house, more specifically Mozu. Takumi and Oboro rush to her side to see the horrible thing.

"It's a fucking Necrodragon!" Takumi gasped, horrified himself.

"One of the Nine Terrors of Hoshido…" Oboro uttered even more terrified.

"Yes… it's a Necrodragon." Lilith repeated.

"You let a Demigod of Death follow you here!" Saizo snapped at Lilith for this incompetence.

"Well I was low on power so I needed more time to jump my way back here so leaving open a fissure across dimension for others to cross over was unavoidable." Lilith muttered. "Don't worry too much, I can assure you that's the only one we have to contend with."

"That doesn't change the fact that we have a horrible monster like that one to deal with." Hayato snapped.

"Look on the bright side, at least I managed to get to mark Cheve." Lilith replied. "The thing is that the fissure let him to Earth but it recognized the magic of my Mark and knew how to turn it on himself and warp all the way here to get to me."

"That doesn't brighten things up at all." Sakura cried.

"It may not be so bad to fight this thing, I mean it doesn't even have eyeballs so at least it can't see us." Hinata said trying to stay positive.

"Oh, it fucking sees us!" Hinoka snapped, knowing full well that the Necrodragon is staring right down at them, declaring them as its new pray. How long has it been since it last feasted on the flesh of the living, much less seen more than one? It will enjoy this very moment indeed.

"It's a corpse reanimated by the darkest magic, of course it doesn't need eyes to see." Orochi reminded.

"Everyone stay calm, it's a dragon, all we need are Wyrmslayers and Dragon Scrolls to slay it and it's also an unholy being so blessed weapons like Lady Azura's Holy Lance can also take it down, we're the ones with the advantage." Kaze interjected trying to keep everyone calm and see reason, and he's right, after all, because of all the Dragon Veins and it's just one of them.

"Right… we got this, this thing can't stand up to all of us together." Hinata declared, remaining the voice of optimism. Unfortunately for them, however, Lilith was wrong as it's not just one Necrodragon that followed her but three in total, as the remaining two show themselves to face the Hoshidans.

"Never mind… we don't got this and we're all going to die!"

* * *

Upon awakening from her forced slumber, Corrin wonders the Astral Plane without purpose, not contacting anyone and unsure if she's ready to talk after her previous outburst and falling out with her Hoshidan family and allies, eventually stopping in the same spot where she last spoke with them, the parts of the long wall she destroyed now fix, and remains there, still and quiet. Contemplating on her life's choices like she has done so every day.  
She's doing the right thing. Right? Nohr has taken things too far. Right? They have no right to invade other lands. No right to take what's not theirs. No right to take so many lives. No right to kill her stepfather and start this war. No right to take her away from her home, raise her to believe she's one of them and play a role in said home's conquering. Right?

The answer is supposed to be as simple as breathing, and yet she finds herself unable to breathe whenever she searches for answers.

She wants to do what's best for Hoshido but she can't bring herself to fight Nohr like she thought she could. Sure she's spilled Nohrian blood, a lot of it in such a short time and despite her emotional turmoil she put all her effort into fighting off the enemy soldiers in the Opera House to hopefully apprehend Garon but it was all too much for her. It's not that she actually thought that she could end this war without bloodshed, she made no delusions about that, however, she herself didn't think that she had such a hard time raising her blade against them. Sure she went up against Silas rather well but that was different because she had every intention of letting him go but what happened in Cyrkensia went beyond that, attacking the people she once considered her family for so long, now her enemies and she took part in a plan to apprehend the man she once considered father, and admittedly still does, even after learning that poor Elise would also be there.

'The look in her eyes… Oh Gods, her eyes.' Corrin begins to tremble, covering her face with her hands. The betrayed look in Elise's face that she tried to ignore when they were forced to leave, it was like she hadn't fully grasped the situation of Corrin abandoning Nohr. Silas had a similar expression but not to that extent. And Xander and Leo, there was only pure rage from them. They understand, at least Xander does, why she would choose Hoshido but that doesn't mean they have to accept it. Hell, if the roles were reverse, she would've lashed out the same way.

'I don't know how much of this I can take; I can't lose Robin too; I've already lost so much.'

If only the rest of them had listened, even though they were actually about to win she knew that they were going to fail in the end but to think that they would fail in the worse way imaginable. Just what is she supposed to do?!

"What am I supposed to do?!" She meant to scream even louder but her will is so low that she can't even express herself the way she wants to.

Her emotional turmoil is put to a halt upon hearing the sounds of terrified screams of young girls, Sakura and Mozu, causing her to turn around to see a piece of debris from her treehouse come crashing down on her face, or could have if she had not reacted fast on time and slice in two with the Yato and next sees Mozu running for her life while carrying Sakura on her back from a horrifying monster chasing after them. Mozu is remarkably fast to be able to keep such a fair distance from the beast. And behind the Necrodragon is Hana, Subaki, Orochi and Setsuna chasing after it to save the two little girls, and since Subaki isn't on his Pegasus means there was no time to hitch a ride.

"Turn around and face me instead, you Bastard!" Hana yelled in outraged at the foul creature.

"How are you able to outrun that thing so easily?!" Sakura asked mortified while unable to avoid making eye contact, or lack thereof with the undead atrocity behind them who is not giving up on the chase.

"I! DON'T! KNOW!" Mozu cried hysterically, running much faster away from the Necrodragon.

And that is not the only Necrodragon as the rest of her allies are facing off against two more that are running amok and laying ruins to Lilith's home.

"But how… Lilith said only she could access this place." Corrin gasped over them being attacked even here. And the Necrodragon chasing the youngest members of the team seems about done playing cat and mouse as it prepares to release a breath attack of greenish flames to incinerate the two innocent girls.

"Why is it always something!" Corrin muttered as she rushes to save the two by channeling the power of the Astral Plane, just like Lilith taught her, perfectly creating a large wall of steel, blocking the Necrodragon from the two as it's greenish breath attack hits the wall instead and it did not take long for the wall to be removed as it disintegrates very quickly but it does by the girls time to escape and allow Corrin and the other four to surround the Necrodragon.

"Good to see you are at least looking well, Lady Corrin." Orochi greeted.

"What is this thing?" Corrin asked, pointing the Yato defiantly at the beast.

"A Necrodragon, a damn undead scourge created with the Power of Death." Hana explained.

"How did it get in here?!"

"Later, right now we have to deal with this one quickly and then stop the other two." Subaki insisted.

"Also, we need either holy or dragon slayer weapons to take it down." Setsuna explained a bit more serious than Corrin is used to.

"Argh! Why didn't I stayed asleep!" Corrin muttered as she calls forth the astral power again and arms Setsuna, Subaki, Hana and Orochi with weapons that she knows are blessed, like a Blessed Bow, Blessed Lance, Spirit Kanata, and a Dragon Scroll for Orochi.

The Dragon focuses its attention on to Corrin and attacks her while infusing it's hand with green fire that Corrin is unable to avoid in time and blocks with Yato, which unfortunately does little as she is quickly consumed by the flames, causing her to shout out in pain, though strangely they are not burning her body but the heat is intense enough. Orochi makes the next move as she channels power from her scroll and summons a purplish spirit in the shape of an eastern dragon to attack the Necrodragon by wrapping itself around it like a snake to entrap it, and its magic begins to have an effect on its dragonic nature with the rotting skin beginning to burn it, making it roar in pain and releases Corrin from its assault.

The Necrodragon proceeds to attack Orochi to free itself, about to burn her with its flames but is stopped by Setsuna as she shoots a blessed arrow at its mouth, clashing with the necrotic fire, creating a chain reaction that made the fire explode, burning up the monster's head as it comes crashing down, injured but not out yet. The rest of them move in for the head, it tried to defend itself by moving it still free hands at them but Corrin and Hana were still able to cut them off with their blades, with Subaki jumping into its neck and stabs his newly acquired holy blade into it's neck and then proceeds to charge forward to the head while forming a large gash on its long neck, afterwards the Sky Knight makes a flawless backflip jump, landing near the top of its head and pierces through it, right for the brain, hopefully, finishing it off.

"Did that do it?" Corrin asked as everyone backs away from the monster and regroup, and the danger seemingly passed, Mozu and Sakura walk back to them.

"B-Big sister!" Sakura cried relief, running straight into Corrin and basically forces her into a tight hug, not that Corrin will deliver the same courtesy at the moment.

"We're alright for the most part but seriously, how did this thing get here?" Corrin demanded.

"No time, one down two to go and we best not leave the others hanging any longer." Hana replied but they're troubles are not over as the Necrodragon is still alive, well, undead with its wounds quickly regenerating and its severed hands reattach themselves back into the arms, getting back up and prepares to fire at them.

"SHIT!" Corrin cried as she pushes Sakura out of the way and stretches both her hands at him, quickly trapping the monster inside a large, metallic black cube, that already begins to disintegrate. "C'mon! This thing's already dead, so why does it bother to still move!"

"I know I hit the brain, and the lore confirmed that without it, the Undead can no longer walk among the living." Subaki uttered, startled.

"It must be because of all the dragonic-based mana of this world. It should understandably be able to absorb the energy to fuel itself and rapidly increase its healing capabilities." Orochi surmised. "Our best bet to stop them now is to fully consume them with an immense amount of Light Magic, as such we need the Scroll but it's buried under the house that these things destroyed."

"Then go get it while I hold this one off." Corrin instructed.

"But… but… Corrin…" Sakura began, wanting to protest against her order but there's no time as the Necrodragon escapes from its prison and goes for another attack but Corrin manages to lock it up again in another metallic cube while chopping off its left arm.

"GO NOW, SAKURA!" Corrin demanded louder, forcing the six of them to fall back while she stays behind to face the Necrodragon alone who breaks out again and reattaches its arm back into it.

"I guess this is the Dark Lord's way of punishing me for losing faith in Nohr." She uttered in distress.

* * *

"I've just had one bad day after another, I do not need the hands of Hel lashing out at me." Hinoka muttered while she and Takumi take shelter behind the debris of their current house with the hand of one of the Necrodragons trying to reach them.

"When is the Goddess of Death not hounding us?" Takumi asked rhetorically, while separated from his weapon.

"You especially should know better than to play smart with me." Hinoka protested while the Necrodragon's hand is getting closer to them and she responds by stabbing her Holy Lance into the back of the hand, making the beast growl in pain with the decayed skin beginning to burn as it cannot stand the lance's blessed properties, forcing it to back away. "Now, come on! Light Magic is our greatest advantage against the Undead and the scroll has to be somewhere nearby."

"Can't we just make more holy weapons and bury these things underneath all of it?" Takumi suggested.

"Moron! Did you already forget what Lilith warned us about creating too many things in one day, and with all the effort we put into creating stuff over our curiosity for days our endurance has already left us unfit for battle combined with making progress in reusing the Light Scroll, we can't do much right now." Hinoka lectured.

"Hey, I'm just trying to remain optimistic like you and mother are always insisting when under a stressful situation." Takumi argued.

"The only time you're ever ''optimistic'' is when you're exhausted, about to faint and forcing yourself to stay up so it's hard to appreciate your words when you're already half asleep!"

Their bickering is interrupted as Rinkah comes crashing through the wall debris they are hiding on and lands between the two.

"Are you two numbskulls seriously having this bickering bullshit now of all times!" She snapped at the two as she gets back up to face the Necrodragon she was previously facing, alongside Saizo, Kagero, and Hinata and Oboro while Kaze, Reina, Hayato and Azama hold off the other one that Hinoka and Takumi were previously hiding from upon cornering them and by the looks of it, they are having a harder time fighting these beasts than any Grimm they've ever faced before, proving why Necrodragons are viewed as actual demigods when it comes to bringing death and destruction.

Reina manages to get on top of the dragon she's facing and goes for the neck.

"Lady Hinoka!" The Kinshi Knight called out to Hinoka, requesting for her lance and the High Princess complies by throwing her weapon as hard as she can and remarkably far enough for Reina to catch and wastes no time in impaling the Holy Lance into the Necrodragon's neck, making it howl in agony, forcing it to lay down in possible defeat.

"Quick, aim for the head and destroy the brain! It's the only way to destroy it!" Kaze shouted.

"Yep!" Reina complied as she removes the lance from the neck and rushes to the already dead beast's head and finishes it off by going for the brain, the Necrodragon makes one final howl before it finally 'dies'.

"One down two to go." Hayato sighed.

"Wait, what happened to the one chasing Sakura and Mozu?" Takumi gasped in realization too late over the real dire situation.

"It won't work!" Orochi shouted as she and her group arrive at the scene. "These things are absorbing power from this world; we can't kill them with traditional means!"

"Hell, then I shouldn't be here." Reina muttered as she jumps off the Necrodragon at the nick of time as it gets up, only temporarily dazed by the blessed lance and said weapon remains stabbed on it.

"We are so screwed unless we get that scroll back." Hinoka cursed as their chances against these seemingly all-powerful creatures is dropping ever so slightly. "I take back every awful thing I said about the Grimm."

"I found it!" Lilith cried out as she comes out of the debris of the torn down house with the Light Scroll in hand as she forced herself inside to get it. At the same time, Corrin is seen flying, or rather thrown aside above her and harshly crashes down near Lilith's Tree Temple. "Corrin!"

"Well, she didn't last long alone!" Hana scoffed.

Corrin forces herself up her feet in time to rush away from the Necrodragon going after her as it crashes into the temple and causes most of it to crumble apart.

"MY TEMPLE!" Lilith cried in horror.

"Yep, Qliphoth really wants me dead…" Corrin mumbled trying to get away from the Necrodragon and she is not in a position to fight, with how much effort she put into keeping this thing detained combined with the fact that she just got back up from a long slumber and is ungodly hungry, she swears the Sin of Gluttony has shown up to torment her as well, she's not winning any fights any time soon.

The Necrodragon closes in with the others not able to reach her in time and as she forces herself back on her feet she fails to notice something drop from one of the pockets that were strangely added to her armor that is a familiar book that also opens by itself and from it a black hole of sorts comes out, which blows the Princess away, while the Necrodragon gets pulled into it as it begins to scream in pain as parts of it get ripped off and sucked into the black hole until there is none of it left, and it's the same for the other Necrodragons as they are easily torn apart and before anyone knew it, the battle was already over, and the black hole vanishes into the book.

"What just happened?" Hinata asked so confused.

"I don't care and I am going to sleep." Takumi uttered, succumbing to exhaustion and lets himself fall to the ground.

"I'm getting fucked all over in all the wrong ways." Corrin lies down on the ground, her current pain overshadowed by the relief that it's all over. She then forces herself up again and turns her attention to the book that saved them and she's shocked to see that it's the same book that Quill had with him.

"It can't be." She uttered, walking to pick it up for a closer inspection and can confirm that it's the same one as Quill's. "Just what is going on with my life?"

Another day passes as they all quickly recover from the annoying inconvenience of the Necrodragons and Lilith reconstructs everything that was destroyed and spent most for the day and the day before trying to figure out what is up with the book that saved them.

"Well, I made a repeated thorough check but I can't seem to find any evidence that this thing is a magic tool, there isn't even a single word written here that is of the Magecraftian language." Lilith concluded. "It's just a regular book filled with poems."

"Really, then where did that black thing come from?" Hinoka asked.

"The only conclusion I can come up with is that the thing we saw was the magic tool that was inside this book and it ceased to be once it was used but even that doesn't explain where this thing came from as it did not originate from this realm or how that Singularity activated by itself, Magic Tools are incapable of turning on by themselves."

"Whatever it was it was not dangerous to us so we can only confirm that it was only lethal towards monsters like the undead." Takumi concluded.

"I'm not so sure we should brush this off as an isolated incident." Corrin said as she takes the book back into her hands.

"Well what can we do, there's nothing we can use that can explain where that thing came from and it wasn't exactly a threat to us." Hayato said.

"We can debate all we want about this another time but what I can say for certain that now is good at time as any to leave and meet up with Ryoma already because honestly as great as this place is, I'm starting to feel a little claustrophobic with all this waiting." Rinkah stated, with everyone contemplating for a moment.

"Well, there's nothing more to be done for now and the portal to Cheve is lined and ready." Lilith replied.

"Yeah, that's something we really need to talk about, Lilith. A Dead Zone? I thought you disliked Robin and yet you go and act like him!" Corrin lectured, really irritated by all the trouble she caused.

"I don't dislike Robin, it's just that he was very secretive and strange and you know how I feel about people like that." Lilith corrected.

"Yeah, and I also know how you feel about hypocrites, guess what you've just said." Corrin hissed, reminding her of her own secrets about being a dragon.

"Point taken…"

"What about you, Milady, are you sure you're ready to get out there again?" Kaze asked with obvious concerns for her wellbeing.

"I've… been better. But compared to how I was in the Opera House, I'll be just fine." Corrin replied, with genuine confidence but her eyes give enough indication that she's still shaken up about everything. "Regardless, I think I'm just going to sit the next battle we'll inevitably have out if I can help it."

"Good, because none of us are willing to put up with another of your episodes." Rinkah stated.

"That, and you don't have your Dragonstone anymore since… Robin confiscated it after your last outburst." Setsuna added hesitantly, something that needed to be said but still troubled her to cause Corrin's sadness to resurface. She still needs time to mourn but insists on holding it off until this all blows over, and considering their luck, it's going to be a LONG while before she is able to properly mourn.

"What kind of poems are in that book anyway?" Mozu asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"The Shadow Comedy." Corrin replied.

"The poem allegedly made by the Dusk Dragon." Subaki said intrigued.

"Oh, I actually like that one." Orochi smiled and immediately remembers a quote from the Shadow Comedy. "To see a world in a grain of sand and Heaven in a wild flower, hold in Infinity in the palm of your hand and Eternity in an hour."

"He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence." Kagero said next, also familiar with the poem.

"Art can never exist without naked beauty displayed." Subaki added.

"Catchy. I can almost see why the Dusk Faithful have gathered such a large following with their entertainment value alone." Oboro said. "Almost."

* * *

Once everyone is ready to go Lilith opens the portal that will take them to the Dukedom Cheve. Finally they can reunite with Ryoma, and the first thing they see is a village, a few farmers walking by that have yet to notice them. This must be one of the villages that are a part of Cheve and from the looks of it, everything looks to be under control and not ravage by Nohr yet.

"So far so good, everything looks alright at least." Corrin said.

"Appearances can be deceiving so we need to be careful while searching for Lord Ryoma." Kaze said.

"He should be with the rebel forces but how are we supposed to find where they are while avoiding suspicions?" Hinoka wondered. "We ask around, we might end up talking to someone who will not want to stand against Nohr and play ignorance."

"We'll have to consort with commanders of one of the three official battalions, they made no attempt to hide their distaste for Nohr, and even though they dislike Scarlet we may be able to persuade them to show us where they are hiding." Kagero suggested.

"If they know where it is, considering that it's because of the rebels that Nohr will be sending Grimm here, I imagine that they can't just trust anyone with their location considering the number of people that will want to rat them out." Saizo pointed out.

"Fingers cross, then." Corrin said, hoping for the best.

"Quick! Don't let them get away!" A Knight from afar yelled.

And that hope just died. Why do they even bother planning things out if this keeps happening?

To their left, they see a platoon of Chevian Wyvern Knights chasing after another Wyvern Knight that's of Nohr, said Knight is a petite woman wearing black armor with indigo hair with a black headband and a purple bandana around her neck. Riding alongside her is another woman of the same age as her but taller, wearing a similar mercenary uniform like Laslow with very long hair as red as blood, wrap in pigtails that go beyond her waist and she is trying to shoot their assailants down with a Crescent Bow.

"You'll never take us alive you dirtbags!" The Redhead declared loudly as she fires an arrow at the main woman leading the charge against them. Though the blonde woman manages to avoid the arrow, the fellow knight behind her was not so lucky as he gets headshot before he could even react to the arrow. The sudden death of his rider causes the Wyvern to cease its pursuit and ends up crashing into the other wyvern and knight behind it, causing all four to hit the ground hard. The redhead shoots another arrow at another knight who managed to dodge the hit but is unable to avoid a glowing red tomahawk thrown at him by the Nohrian Wyvern Knight who threw her axe roughly the same time that her partner shot the arrow and upon hitting the chest of the knight almost flawlessly, said tomahawk shines even brighter and before anyone could even react, the axe exploded, burning all the knights nearby, while the rest who were lucky enough are forced to stop as the impact knocks them to the ground.

"I recognize that Wyvern Knight, that's one of Camilla's Retainers!" Hinoka shouted recognizing the indigo girl as she saw her back in Kurosaki.

"Such high ranking members of Nohr wouldn't have come alone. Those who can follow them must see where they're going while the rest tend to the injured." Subaki suggested, in which they all agree, with him, Hinoka, Reina and Hayato chasing after the two.

"Hoshidans!" Selena snapped at the sight of Princess Hinoka among them chasing them now. "Oh, great! Like we don't have enough to deal with."

"We're almost there, just keep them busy." Beruka instructed.

"I'm all out of arrows!" Selena protested. "These people really are the worse."

Similar to Robin, a magic tome manifest into Selena's hand and to Hinoka's shock, it's the very same spellbook as his.

"Morgenstern!" Hinoka gasped.

"Bolganone!" Selena yelled as magma erupts from a fissure she creates, like Robin, also making a similar but weaker wall of lava to block the path of the hoshidans but briefly as the wall isn't as high either so they can fly over it and by the time they do so, they see the two retainers fly through what sounds like a wall of glass being shattered, and for a brief moment they notice a red glowing barrier with a hole in it that closes up fast before vanishing altogether.

"See ya never!" Selena mocked as the two get away.

"Was that a barrier they just smashed through?" Subaki asked as the four stop in their tracks.

"Yeah, and it's a big one, though it didn't look like they were breaking into it but coming out of it." Hayato noted.

"I see, this must be the Great Wall." Reina said familiar with this barrier.

"Great Wall?" Hinoka repeated.

"I'll explain on the way, Milady, no point in chasing them now." Reina insisted as the four regroup with the rest of them, tending to the only seven knights who survived the explosion, among them is a blonde young woman in scarlet armor, who is THE Scarlet that is supposed to be with Ryoma.

"Thanks, you Hoshidans really saved our bacons." Scarlet said with gratitude.

"I take it your Scarlet?" Takumi asked the Wyvern Lord as she matches Ryoma's description.

"What gave it away, the scarlet armor?" She asked rhetorically but quickly decided to come clean. "Just messing with ya. Yes, I'm Scarlet, leader of the rebel forces of Cheve. And you must be Ryoma's siblings and retainers."

"You guessed it, we're here to assess the situation here and secure Ryoma's safety." Corrin explained.

"Well, you'll be pleased to know that your crown prince is just dandy, though for how long I can't say, now that those two got away with their meddling." Scarlet frown, thinking back to the two Nohrians who got away from her.

"What did they do, and are there more in Cheve?" Corrin asked.

"There are plenty of Nohrians outside our borders and hopefully none left inside for now." Scarlet informed and Hinoka and her team soon return.

"Everyone taken cared of?" Hinoka asked.

"These seven will be fine, what happened to those two?" Takumi asked.

"Got away and ran past a magic barrier, a pretty weak one if a Wyvern was able to penetrate it." Hinoka informed.

"That would be the Great Wall, a massive barrier erected by a rare and powerful Dragon Vein that lies in Cheve, originally designed to protect a kingdom that was established here in honor of the Stone Dragon; Archaean, God of Earth. And following his Degeneration and later Ascension as a spirit, said kingdom bit the dust and Cheve was then born from the ashes." Reina explained.

"Yep, Ryoma activated it as soon as he got here to protect us from the incoming Grimm led by Princess Camilla. The barrier is so dense that not even those using Warp Magic can warp inside it without massive amounts of magical power made through the combinations of many Mages working together, which should be how those two got in." Scarlet explained.

"But why them and not Camilla, she could've deactivated the Dragon Vein herself and allow her forces to invade much quicker?" Hinoka questioned.

"Not sure but whatever those two did, they snuck past our defenses, including Ryoma and cast a powerful dark spell on the Dragon Vein itself, weakening it to the point where it is slowly deactivating, hence why they were able to smash through it." Scarlet continued.

"A spell that can manipulate the divine energy of Dragon Veins?" Takumi objected in disbelief.

"That's impossible." Lilith uttered, more in disbelief than any of them.

"Well, those two did the impossible, somehow."

"They probably did it with THAT tome the redhead possesses." Hinoka said.

"What tome?" Corrin asked.

"Corrin, I'm so sorry but… they have Robin's tome. I saw Morgenstern in that redhead's possession and she used it against us to get away. She even erected the same magma wall to block our path." Hinoka confessed, reluctant to tell her this but knew it be wrong to keep her in the dark and find out another way.

The reactions among the Hoshidans were of both shock and horror but none could compare with the look of despair of Corrin, over the mix signals of this news, the one that keeps popping up is the worst one.

"They have Robin's tome, the same one he summons from seemingly nowhere, with a whole bunch of spells." Hinata uttered. "If they have that then…"

"Crap… they really did get him." Oboro cursed.

"H-He's… he's gone." Sakura mumbled tearfully.

"But wait a minute, it's only been almost four hours and a half since the attack in the Opera House, how did they take his tome, learned that it has exactly what they needed to dispel a Dragon Vein and bring it here so fast?" Kagero asked.

"He lived with the Nohrian Royals so he must've told them or have seen his magic at work enough times to know what he's capable of." Kaze concluded.

"N-No… he… Robin never told anyone he was a mage; he didn't say why but he didn't want Lord Xander or the others to know what he is truly capable of." Lilith explained. "The only reason why I and Corrin know about it is because we each caught him on two separate occasions practicing his spells one night and he persuaded us to keep it a secret."

"But then… does that mean that it's a different Morgenstern?" Hana suggested.

"If Nohr had powerful tomes like that, we would've faced plenty of Dark Mages with similar tomes years ago." Takumi asserted. "They are capable of easily manufacturing a multitude of tomes and staves faster than any other nation apart from the most powerful types which take longer to pull off but it's totally possible. Though now that I think about it, tomes capable of housing multiple spells are supposed to be extremely rare and nearly extinct so it's likely that Nohr wouldn't have the materials necessary to make them if one or two are all they have currently. Just what is going on?"

None of them besides Corrin and Lilith knew Robin enough to really care for him, with the trust issues they have, especially with the information Lilith provided them about his possible lack of a soul, however they acknowledged his power and loyalty to Corrin that benefitted Hoshido. He basically already earned his place, where it counts at least, as a member of the Royal Guard with the help he provided them thus far, which helped them come this far with all the difficulties set before them. It is a major blow for them if he was actually killed. It's already a major blow for Corrin, in her already weakened state, grows so numb with her legs they give up on her as she collapses on her knees.

"Corrin!" Hinoka gasped upon seeing her fall with everyone rushing to her side.

"C-Corrin!" Sakura called out to her while she's in front of her, but there is no response, made even worse as her eyes, that were always so pretty as rubies have gone completely lifeless and utterly defeated.

* * *

Back in Cyrkensia, the resort city is in uproar over what had happened in their famed Opera House with mix reaction on who is to blame blowing like crazy, Hoshido or Nohr, there's going to be an even bigger disaster in no time and rather or not it will prove beneficial for the Nohrians remains uncertain thus far but one thing is clear, Nestra may no longer be safe for Hoshidans. With the state of things, the military forces that were placed in the city following the news that the Third Twilight War had begun begin to mobilize and tighten the security as much as possible and by the looks of it, it's likely that no one will be allowed to enter or leave until further notice, not that they can stop the Nohrian Royals.

Staring down from a window at the streets below and the slowly rising chaos, is Azura who managed to safely escape the Opera House, along with Robin, who is lying down in a couch resting and manage to stop his wound from bleeding completely by burning the wound, using his mana to forcefully turn it into a scar. A very unrealistic and unorthodox procedure that the Songstress couldn't bear to watch how it really works but it was a quick one and he's fine but barely.

"You sure it's safe for us to be here?" Azura questioned, uncertain if their current residence is safe.

"Yeah, this is where the famed singer Layla lives, based on what I've heard from the constant Nestrian propaganda and last time we checked, she isn't in Cyrkensia right now and won't be for a while, especially after what we did, so it's our little haven for now." Robin explained confidently, while Azura gets closer and lies down in a chair next to him.

"Now what do we do, there's no way we can get out of the city on our own with the state you are in?" Azura asked concern for themselves.

"I've got a few options that could work." Robin replied.

"But they all involved doing something dangerous." Azura can already guess.

"All but one and we just might have a chance at making it through this so for now we better rest up." Robin surmised.

"Do we even have the luxury of resting? What if we were followed."

"We weren't, trust me." Robin reassured her.

"Well, last time I checked trust, like communication is a two-way street." Azura replied more harshly then she intended but with everything that just happened, she's in no mood to be nice.

"Of course, you were going to bring it up." Robin sighed exasperatedly, even though he was preoccupied fending off Laslow and Odin, it didn't mean he was oblivious to her shock when Laslow opened his mouth about him not having amnesia.

"There is so much bursting inside my head right now and on top of it all at this very moment is you and your dishonesty." Azura accused. "It's bad enough with whatever is happening to your soul."

"I wasn't being manipulative, deceptive or whatever else you think I am right now, and I didn't tell you or Corrin the truth because at the time no one would've believed me." Robin tried to defend himself.

"Why wouldn't we?"

"Because where I'm from places like Nohr and Hoshido are no more than fictional kingdoms of a long gone and undesirable era, I myself would've had a hard time believing I was here if I wasn't awake for most of the unwarranted trip into those plain fields." Robin said.

"None of that makes any sense." Azura countered confused, causing Robin to sigh in defeat.

"Okay, this is the part where I try to insist that you hold off your curiosity until we meet up with Corrin again and I find the right time to tell her and explain everything to everyone but… there's never going to be a ''right'' time, is there?" He asked somewhat rhetorically.

"No."

"Fine, I'll tell you first but only half of it because I don't like to repeat myself and my life is largely uncomfortable to talk about." Robin gives up.

"What else could you possibly be hiding that would urge you to fake-"

"I'm from one of the places that Lilith refers to as an Outrealm." Robin confessed, earning him silence from Azura.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"I'm going to need a glass of water first." She muttered.

* * *

**Did the whole Necrodragon thing feel like one huge annoying subplot or filler? Yes? Good, because that was the whole point of it apart from introducing Necromancy into the story, so don't think about it too much and if you do, I'm glad I got your attention. Corrin and Takumi's dysfunctional relationship will come full circle soon enough while the dynamic with Robin and the Awakening Trio will remain on hold for now. I apologize if this disappoints some of you but keep in mind that this is Birthright and it's about as incomplete as Conquest and outrageously Revelations and I have more to cover and I am starting to overestimate my capabilities to leave no plot holes along the way because while I'm not as forgetful as canon Robin and Corrin, I do have a habit of forgetting things unless I put complete interest in them and not brush them off as subplots so I will unavoidably make mistakes along the way. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this one as well and please leave me more reviews.**


	15. Chapter 15: Hey, Raging Sister!

***Chapter 15: Hey, Raging Sister!**

"There you go, all better now." Said a Maid who finishes healing up Laslow of a really bad black eye he received from Robin, as he and the rest of his comrades are in an infirmary back in Castle Krakenburg, as the surviving soldiers, Xander, Leo and Elise were sent back after what happened in Cyrkensia to recover and due to the advancements the Nohrians have made with their Grimm experiments on their staves and their use of healing magic as a whole, the efficiency of their healers has increased sevenfold that wounds from black eyes to deep gashes can be completely healed in a manner of minutes with no side effects and until they reach a hundredfold they won't stop making improvements.

"Why thank you, lovely Rachel, truly, there is no one with a healing touch as gentle as yours." Laslow smiled in gratitude while flirting with the beautiful maid.

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me." The Maid said somewhat coldly but it is far too easy for everyone in the vicinity to notice the deep blush as she walks away to tend to others.

"Ah, and there goes another future conquest for the taking."

"Oh my god, would you shut up already, you filthy mongrel." Charlotte hissed while lying down on another medical bed while covering her face with a pillow and Benny and Silas beside her.

"They still haven't tended with her nose yet?" Laslow asked with concern.

"No, she was among the first to be treated and is all better, she's just going through a small state of depression." Silas explained.

"Please, Charlotte we must leave the beds unoccupied for other injured to be placed in to recover." Benny insisted to her partner.

"Go away and let me suffocate." Charlotte pleaded while groaning.

"Your face is just as pretty as always." Silas insisted.

"It's not that, she's just upset because she could not recover Princess Azura." Benny explained while feeling sympathetic for her.

"I had her… she was in my clutches and all I got out of it was a kick to the face. How am I supposed to look at the Queen in the eye again after screwing up so pathetically." The fighter cursed in misery. "I wouldn't be surprised if they ordered me executed after this failure."

"By that logic, we should all be executed since none of us did so well against the Hoshidans this time around either." Zero said as he and Odin walk to the trio with Peri not far behind. "Especially my dumbass partner and horny boy over here who were our last stand in recovering our other runaway princess and ended up having their asses handed to them by half a Deadman."

"Hey now, let's not point fingers at anyone, that man was anything but easy picking, after all, he nearly overpowered Lord Xander and the Queen even though he was clearly low on magic reserve, so the two of us could not have lasted as much." Laslow tried defending himself and Odin over their loss against the Mage Fighter, who despite being in terrible condition was still able to best and outsmart the pair and deliver dirty but necessary attacks to give himself and Azura a chance to escape, leaving Laslow with a black eye and Odin with his right arm dislocated.

"Never has my Fell Hand ached as much as it did that time." Odin muttered as he can still feel twitches of pain left behind by Robin.

"But isn't it always aching because of your blood?" Benny asked, remembering how often the Warlock would dramatically yell 'my aching blood' whenever things got serious.

"Well, yeah, but usually it's because of my volatile dark powers coursing through me so rapidly and uncontrollably, yearning and demanding for more battles. More glorious wars to satisfy the insatiable hunger of the Dark Lord within me." Odin explained dramatically.

"But dark magic is always volatile. What makes your use of it harder to deal with than the rest of the warlocks that causes your blood to always ache?" Silas asked confused.

"I'm glad you asked, my friend." Odin replied eager to explain. "You see it all started long ago when my precious homeland was besiege by a great and terrible God of Annihilation where I learned that I must…"

"Exactly which Dark Lord are you referring to?" Charlotte caught him off with another question. "Certainly not the Dusk Dragon."

"Well, about that…"

"Doesn't the Forefather's teaching state that Warriors of Nohr should fight for necessity and duty, never for pleasure or lust for combat." Benny added.

"Of course, but the thing is…"

"Lord Xander's grandpappy dragon is not insatiable. Divine Dragons don't even need to eat." Peri also gets in on the discussion.

"HA! See, even a maniac like Peri thinks you're full of crap, Odin." Zero mocked Odin.

"HEY!"

"Why is everyone on my back all the sudden. I'm just trying to make a point." Odin mumbled feeling bullied by everyone. Again.

"Come now, everyone, let's not torment our dear Odin any further. Each of our pride towards our masters has been damaged long enough." Laslow insisted as he steps into his friend's defense and pats him on the back.

"Nice to see you're all still in high spirit as usual." Xander said as he and Elise walk to the Royal Guard members. Both royals look to have calmed down after what went down, Elise's sadness is still visible but as usual, the brave little princess will try to keep a strong front, something she excels at due to her unusually high spirit to be able to keep herself composed in the heat of real battle.

"Ah, Lord Xander and Lady Elise. I know this may seem pointless giving the circumstances but truly I hope you are both doing well." Silas greeted.

"I'll manage, my friend, we did just endured an enemy assault, so it's as good a win as any." Xander said, calmer than he was during the battle. Looks like Wrath's hold on him and the rest of the Nohrians have subsided, on the surface at least.

"And what of you, our dear Elise Shadow, Princess of Twilight, surely that cowardly assault of our enemies was not enough to sway your unwavering soul of darkness." Odin asked radically to the adorable girl.

"I'm doing alright, Odin. Oh, and Bucky is doing better too, right Bucky?" Elise said referring to her Gearpack and from it comes out the same Grimm arm as before who gives a thumbs up in response.

'I don't know what's more unsettling, the fact that she happily keeps a Grimm that possesses objects on her back, unlike the rest who remain unnerved by that tactic, that she befriends Grimm left and right no problem, or that she gives silly names to the ones she is given ownership.' Laslow muttered, not sure what to make of the Grimm in general or Elise's bizarre fondness of them. He's not alone and the rest of them feel the same way, except for Odin who is just awestruck.

"Excellent! Your strength is as superb as the glory of the sun and the iron will of the mightiest Demon Slayer." Odin cheered for her, not having a problem at all with Elise's friendship with the Grimm. "Truly, a beacon of the highest…"

"As much as I have grown accustomed to your odd enthusiasm, and appreciate your high spirit, Odin, I wish that you would loosen up a little, there is much to be done." Xander interrupted and insisted.

"Okay…" Odin muttered, disappointed about being interrupted again, something he should be used to at this point since a lot of people would prefer he shut up permanently but he really isn't.

"Do you have another task for us, Milord?" Laslow asked.

"Sadly yes, in spite of the recent incident, our King has only been motivated to up our game and strengthen our march on Hoshido and send a greater message to our enemies that we are not to be trifled with and that not even that cowardly attack will be enough to bring us to our knees." Xander said while narrowing his eyes and raising his right hand in a tight fist. "I am to return to the frontline and lead the attack while our King and Queen remain in Nestra to explain things with King Alexander and assure him that we meant no offense to his rule."

"You mean oversell our innocence and divert all animosity to Hoshido." Zero corrected bluntly.

"Call it however you see fit, Zero, as long as we maintain our integrity there, nothing else matters." Xander brushed off, too used to the bravado of Leo's retainer to be bothered.

"What about Lord Leo? I imagine he would want to assist you." Silas asked.

"Though I insisted that he rest at least he seemed adamant on getting back in action so I suggested he go and aid Camilla in raiding Cheve since Prince Ryoma has been confirmed to be there and his capture is imperative to secure our victory."

"And wherever Milord travels, my Fell Hand won't be far behind to smite his enemies." Odin declared, ready for more battle.

"Why not, I can be slothful another time." Zero shrugged with no objections.

"Back to Hoshido then." Laslow sighed.

"Yay! I'm feeling stabby and I sure hope I get to spill actual blood this time." Peri cheered.

"Actually, Laslow, Peri, I have a request for you both. I would like you two to also go and assist Camilla and Leo in taking Cheve and Ryoma." Xander requested.

"WHAT! But Lord Xander, I don't want to hurt some stupid rebels throwing a hissy fit. I want to stab Hoshidans!" Peri cried in total objection and is actually crying.

"Apologies Peri but this is more to ease my conscious as leaving Camilla alone with Ryoma is troubling enough and the more security for my siblings, the better I can focus on other matters." Xander clarified.

"I see, consider it done then." Laslow complied.

"Oh, okay." Peri mumbled in defeat. "But then, who will protect you if I'm not there?"

"I'll go if you will have my sword, Milord." Silas volunteered.

"Thank you, my friends." Xander smiled in gratitude. "How about you Charlotte, your use of an axe is always invaluable and mother won't mind me borrowing one of her retainers."

"But of course, my Prince." Charlotte responded and got back up in a heartbeat with her sore mood replace with a more lively and proactive one and a light blush on her face to boot.

'So fast!' The Five who were beside her before Xander and Elise showed up mused at once in surprise, and annoyance about her sudden shift in attitude from before, though really it's a common thing regarding her.

"Hey! No funny business with my Prince!" Peri warned viciously.

"My, whatever do you mean, dear comrade." Charlotte feigned ignorance.

"You know exactly what I…"

"Settle down, no fighting amongst comrades." Xander commanded, getting Peri to begrudgingly submit while Charlotte mockingly winks at the female Paladin. "Thank you."

"By your permission, Milord, but I would request that I be sent back to Nestra and remain by the Queen's side. I fear that things will potentially end up against our favor." Benny stated.

"Of course, Ben. Your duty is of utmost importance." Xander replied. "As for you Elise, you will be staying here in Windmire."

"But…"

"No buts, I talked it over with mother and father, and they too want you as far away from this as possible, especially after what just happened." Xander interrupted sternly, silencing the young Princess and saddening her over being excluded, causing the older brother to place a hand on her shoulder. "It's for the best Elise, as helpful as you are, the farther away you are from all this, the better the rest of us can focus on other matters. Be as strong as you always have been. Your defining moment will arrive."

"Okay…"

"Thank you." Xander smiled at her cooperation and soon takes her away and departs from the retainers. "I wish you all and the rest of our army the best and we will set out in the morning."

"Likewise Milord." Laslow replied as he and his comrades bow in respect to their Crown Prince. "Well, we have some time to rest before the big day tomorrow so I suggest we use it."

"Rest for how long, four hours? Fat chance, a woman demands way more than that." Charlotte objected.

"Oh, I know darling, which is truly a waste."

"Well, time to bust out those new Sleepless spells Lord Leo has been working on to ensure we don't suffer any deprivation for now." Zero suggested.

"Excellent idea, my One-Eyed Reaper, I'll get started on it right away." Odin replied, eager to cast the new spell himself. "Laslow, my brother in arms, will you assist me in gathering the necessary ingredients?"

"Of course." Laslow replied with a grin as the two take their leave from their comrades.

"So, it's off to Cheve." Laslow remarked.

"Ah, yes, the Awakening Trio unite once again to lay waste to our masters' enemies as we bring forth the might of the Dogs of Darkness!" Odin said passionately.

"So it seems. Still, I remained bothered by how even Nestra would befall to such a tragedy and it was truly because of us." Laslow mused. "Tonight was not like we had hoped it would."

"Alas, the cold hands of the Netherworld demand much from us, and it is our duty to bear all burdens, including the rejection of true tranquility." Odin said in his usual dramatic attitude but it seemed less intense.

"That was almost un-Odin-like, this night has you feeling down more than I thought." Laslow said surprise.

"Perish the thought, my dear Laslow of the Azure Sky, nothing can bring down Qliphoth's Mighty Chosen, Odin Dark, once he has a task to fulfill." Odin shrugged more headstrongly.

"I prefer you go with Indigo instead." Laslow chuckled. "How you think our masters are holding up after confronting Lady Corrin again?"

"Tis a sad tale, for all in their moments of true weakness know not how to quell their pain but by hardening their hearts and allow it to hunger for anger and vengeance."

"Sounds about right, though in truth I cannot help but feel concern for Corrin, it must not have been easy to arrive at this conclusion and do all of this." Laslow admitted as he and Odin were there in Kurosaki along with all the other Royal Retainers as Corrin made her choice, angering and breaking the hearts of their masters.

"Yes, we are no strangers to the cruel and spiteful nature of Fate, and why Mankind must strive to break the chains that hold us under her iron grip, however, she has made her choice as we have made ours, and now there is no turning back."

"True, we once again stand at the precipice of no return, old friend, nowhere to go but forward." Laslow said solemnly. "Even though we are technically the bad guys."

"Nonsense, our cause is a just one, an entire nation choking on the grip of Famine is depending on us to save it!" Odin objected adamantly with his faith in Nohr as just.

"Come now, don't go misunderstanding my words." Laslow shrugged innocently. "Still, our efforts will be for naught if Robin manages to reunite with Corrin."

"Yeah…" Odin uttered, now feeling down. "No matter how many times I lay eyes on him, I still couldn't believe it was really him until we actually spoke to him tonight finally."

"He's really back. His soul actually survived his sacrifice, even though Naga herself said that there's no coming back from that. Not that he wanted to keep on living after all that had happened." Laslow said sounding so sad despite maintaining a smile.

"Who can blame him, all Ylisse really let him down. The fact that he still forgave us was what hurt the most though. If only Morgan were here right now." Odin uttered. "Him standing against us actually feels like justice putting salt on our wounds."

"Salt on your grandfather's wounds, not you, your mother or uncle, Owain. Don't hold the weight of the world on your shoulders. Not even the Exalts can bear it."

"How long has it been since I've been called that." Odin chuckled lightheartedly.

"Too long. I sorely missed the name my mother gave me." Laslow smiled became more lively. "You think any of our new comrades noticed the somber mood we would have whenever we were near Robin?"

"Zero, probably but he has yet to confront me on the matter yet, which is horrifyingly strange." Odin explained.

"Well let's hope he can hold off until this all blows over because talking about home to these people will just have us tossed into the asylum before dawn."

"Funny since our new enemy is the very Dawn itself." Odin replied.

* * *

"Big Brother!" Sakura cried in joy as Scarlet leads the Hoshidans to the Rebel base, which is located underground of Cheve where said big brother is currently at, in the room where the rebel higher ups gather to plan, and the youngest Princess wastes no time in rushing to her brother and hug him, something that Ryoma happily complies with his own hug.

"Sakura. It's good to see you are well. All of you." Ryoma smiled with joy to see his siblings and comrades again after a fair amount of time apart.

"Right back at ya, big bro." Hinoka smiled back at him.

"Lord Ryoma!" Saizo and Kagero spoke up at once and step forward and bow to their Lord.

"We are relief to see you are unharmed." Saizo remarked.

"As do I to all of you." Ryoma replied. "I hope your journey back to them was not a cruel one Kagero. I am sorry for being forced to leave you behind."

"Think nothing of me, Milord, my ordeals are nothing but trivial matters." Kagero shrugged respectably and professionally, before presenting to her lord his Sacred Treasure. "The Fang of the Thunder God has also longed to return to your service"

"Thank you, Kagero, it's good to be back to full strength." Ryoma said, happily reunited with his pride and joy. "I'm ashamed to admit that fighting without it has left a poor taste on my dignity and feeling incomplete."

"Don't worry about it, it feels natural to have Holy Withdraws after being separated from a Sacred Treasure for so long." Takumi said understanding the sense of unbalance Ryoma is referring to considering how he despises being away from his Fujin Yumi.

"Wait, that's a thing?" Hinoka mumbled.

"W-We were so worried for you, Ryoma. These passing few weeks have been the most stressful I've ever had." Sakura said still sobbing.

"Few weeks? I've been gone just one week at best." Ryoma said confused. "Though in hindsight now that I think about it, it is mighty odd how I was able to get around anywhere so quickly considering how massive Horus is and I take it your journey here should've been even longer."

"The ride, while questionably short was still a fairly long and complicated story." Takumi said.

"I'd like to hear about it. It's best that we always remain in touch and know of each other's struggles." Ryoma said. "I would also like to know about the new faces in your group, such as why the son of the Wind Tribe's Chieftain is with you all." He said noticing Hayato, Mozu and Lilith.

"You first, we kinda need one after all the trouble we went through to find you after you decided to go and meet up with your girlfriend just to talk about an alliance when you both could've just sent a message to each other instead." Takumi said as the circumstances of this journey don't entirely add up.

"That's not exactly accurately put." Ryoma said, feeling uncomfortable with the way Takumi described it. Even Scarlet feels uncomfortable, looking away from all of them with a slight blush.

"Cheve has been requesting our aid even before the war started, they knew Nohr was going to force their way through the Barrier of Concord one way or another and with how ferocious they have become, the Duchess wanted our aid, in particular, one of the Royals of Hoshido to come and activate the Great Wall to defend themselves to keep Nohr away while the war is going on." Ryoma explained. "But each messenger they sent to us have been intercepted, no doubt by Nohrians aware of the Chevians' attempt to escape the conflict so Scarlet here decided to go in next as she had the highest chance of making it. and it was only by chance that I learned of Scarlet coming to meet us because of a Dark Mage we captured who knew about a plan to ambush her in Izumo with Grimm so I took my forces to march and rescue her, however, Camilla was leading the ambush and knew of my attempts."

"She's a hassle." Takumi said creeped out by Camilla more so than attracted by her unrivaled beauty.

"Hassle is too kind a term." Hinoka hissed venomously.

"I knew there was something fishy going on when I made it passed Mokushu without any sort of trouble and when I saw the massacre in the Katagiri Border I knew I ended up causing more harm than good and followed the trail of death until I reached Ryoma in time from falling into the Bottomless Canyon." Scarlet finished.

"I know it was irresponsible as the Heir to the Hoshidan Throne to go and assist other nations when my focus should be on just my home, however after what happened in Kurosaki I knew we needed help and decided to take this opportunity to convince the Chevian Nobles to lend us their strength in ending Nohr's reign, and I am pleased to inform that I'm close to convincing them, especially since I erected the Great Wall." Ryoma said.

"Not really that Great if two Nohrians were able to weaken it." Kaze commented.

"It was to be expected that they would find a way in, especially in short numbers."

"But why those two and not Camilla, they're her retainers so she can't be far behind and so she should've been the best option." Hinoka wondered.

"I suspect that it's because of her dark bloodline. The Great Wall was created by the Stone Dragon to protect the humans he deemed his own, like the Earth Tribe, who the Chevians are somewhat descendent from, and not only did the Stone Dragon and Dusk Dragon have a hateful rivalry with each other, the Nohrian Royalty are responsible for the extinction of the Earth Tribe, same as the Water Tribe so it's likely that the Wall won't allow passage to those of the Dusk Bloodline." Ryoma deduced.

"Makes sense when you bring religion into the mix and the fact that these people have always had a feud with Nohr." Orochi said.

"Which is where those two came in." Scarlet said, referring to Selena and Beruka.

"Indeed, out of all the retainers the Dusk Dragon Siblings have I find Camilla's to be the most versatile of the Nohrian Elites. Beruka is a Malig Knight like her master and is known for forging weapons infuse with magic, preferably axes and fire to create explosions, just as ferocious as a Wyvern Lord and a skilled assassin, almost as stealthy as a ninja for her to get passed even me rather well. And then there's Selena, at first glance she seems to be just a high-tier Nohrian Swordswoman with enough skills to be as deadly as a Swordmaster, however she is more like a Great Knight since she can use axes and spears just as efficiently, including bows like a sniper but what really caught my attention is a sword she carries that seemed unique to anything else Nohr has ever possessed or forged." Ryoma informed. "But if she wasn't already a walking arsenal, she also wields magic. It was she who corrupted the Dragon Vein with a form of magic unlike anything I have ever felt. I could feel it, as well as the Dragon Vein weakening, something that shouldn't be possible by human hands without Dragon Blood but she pulled it off. Luckily I was able to stop her before she could finish, but as the Great Wall is now, they'll be able to enter freely."

"Isn't there a way to restore the Dragon Vein to its original state?" Hinoka asked.

"Not all Dragon Veins are created equally, all of them in Hoshido, apart from the ones in Oldstrong, were design by the Dawn Dragon for our use and our at their strongest when used by those of Sephiroth's Bloodline, I speculate that only those of his blood can restore them if something like this ever occur so it has to be the same for the Dragon Veins in Cheve who are at their best when used by someone of the Stone Bloodline." Orochi speculated.

"But the Earth Tribe is gone." Hayato stated.

"Again those bastards shit on our dinner." Takumi hissed.

"Takumi, what have I told you and Hinoka about choosing your words carefully." Ryoma scolded in annoyance over his brother's foul mouth.

"Hey, don't get mad at me because I'm right." Takumi protested, making Ryoma sigh exasperatedly.

"What am I going to do with you. Anyhow, I'm sure we'll find a way, there has to be a few options for us to take to achieve our success." Ryoma said remaining optimistic for everyone's sake. He then finally turns his attention to Corrin who's been quiet since coming here and in the sideline. "It's good to see you are also well Corrin, though I did not expect you to be the silent type, especially after reuniting with all your siblings yet again." He smiles at her but quickly turns into a frown when she looks away from him, almost like she developed a shy personality so suddenly. "Sister…?"

"Please, forgive her, Milord, you know she means well, it's just that the passing days have not been kind to her." Kaze said, remaining close to his master.

"I can see that now and would like to know why." Ryoma said with newfound concern for his returned sister, who looks more lost than ever and only now does he notice that two among them are missing. "Also, any particular reason why Azura and your chosen partner is not with you all at this very moment?"

At that question, most of his comrades flinch, dreading how will the High Prince react when he learns of everything that they did, Azura's capture and Robin's possible death but they know they cannot decline to answer because that will undoubtedly be worse.

"Well…" Kaze volunteered to be the one to explain to him in full details.

Ryoma's reaction? Angrily slamming both his fists on the table so hard that small cracks are made on them.

"IMBECILES!" He yelled at all of them for their actions. His outburst causes most of them, especially Sakura to flinch terrified.

"You have no idea what you've started, have you! Waging an attack on neutral territory, at the risk of dragging innocence involved and also putting even yourselves in danger like that!" Ryoma roared at them.

"What were we supposed to do? Let such an opportunity like that slip our grasps! It was a risk worth taking and we would've won!" Takumi argued.

"Don't try to act like you knew what you were doing, Takumi! You've accomplished nothing but make Garon bolder and more ruthless after threatening not just him but his family. Stooping to wretched Nohrian level like that and bringing more chaos!" Ryoma snapped harder, startling Takumi even more. "The King of Nestra has made it clear that the first one to break his Accord will know his wrath and the Nestrians pride themselves with their performances and by launching an attack on the Opera House you've brought insult to their entire culture! It matters not how many supporters we have in Nestra; Alexander has made it clear who he favors and now Garon has scored a chance to enlist his army into his campaign. You've put even more targets on our backs with this stupidity! What's more, you've caused us two invaluable allies."

"Stop looking at me like it's all my fault, dammit!" Takumi yelled, more affected by Ryoma's scolding than the rest of them.

"You had one job! ONE JOB! Look after our sisters, including Corrin, and what did you do instead? Antagonize her and not even bother to think how your stunts would affect her and even after learning the existence of such terrible demons you make things worse with your inability to go beyond your trust issues." Ryoma continued. "You're always making it harder for me to trust you more and more."

Those last words hurt more than anything the Nohrians could do to Takumi, as seen on his now devastated expression.

"Ryoma, please, you know we meant well." Hinoka pleaded with him to calm down.

"It doesn't matter what your intentions were Hinoka. You've all crossed a very dangerous line." Ryoma exclaimed. "The majority of us have never been to war before, truly understand the consequences that every action we take will inflict, we stand at the precipice of no return and from now on, the choices we make affect not only the people near you when you make them but the nation we fight for, and there will be more moments that seem too good to pass off like with what you had and sometimes you just have to tell yourself that it may not be worth it. Are we clear, everyone?"

"Crystal." Hinoka responded, getting the message but remains as upset as Takumi.

"Good. Now about the Seal of Flames, are we certain that it's really the Yato?" Ryoma asked changing the subject.

"According to Robin, yes and if what the Queen said holds truth, then it's our only chance at getting the Barrier of Concord operational again and forcing the Nohrians out of Hoshido, or at the very least their human soldiers, nothing we can do about the Grimm." Kaze replied. "But so far, Lady Corrin has not been able to awaken the sword's true power, meaning that she's either too inexperienced to truly use it, or its power is completely locked."

"Meaning that only its creator can awaken it." Ryoma concluded and coming up with only one option. "Then we have no choice, we need the true power of the Sword of Salvation if we are to truly stand a chance against the Grimm, and so we must see the Rainbow Sage."

"Of course we do." Hinata sighed, dreading this.

"Lilith, you can sense the dragonic energy of the Great Wall better than anyone, how long do you think we have before it dissolves entirely?" Kaze asked.

"Based on how much it's dropping, we have barely until dawn before Lady Camilla's army strikes and I'm sure they're aware of this themselves." Lilith calculated as she's started examining the Great Wall's ever fleeting power once she learned of what was done to it.

"Then we have until dawn to prepare." Ryoma declared. "This ''army of light'' you have acquired, is it serviceable for the coming battle?"

"Yep, there were a lot of bumps along the way but we finally got the hang of it way better now." Orochi responded as she will be managing the Light Scroll for the coming battle. "Though I will be left vulnerable while I am casting the magic and I have to be in the immediate vicinity to pull it off.

"I've got her covered." Hayato said volunteering for guard duty.

"Good, this way we Hoshidans can go and fight off the enemy forces ourselves and ensure our Chevian allies remain and focus their efforts in defending their homes." Ryoma said.

"Oh, I'll be joining this fight and while Camilla's army is estimated to be large we have traps line and ready to give us a surprise advantage." Scarlet added.

"Then ready yourselves everyone, for we have more fighting to do, and by the Graceful Wings of Sephiroth, I pray you don't shame Hoshido or me again, or else." Ryoma said, prepared for battle.

"Yes sir!" His Retainers shouted at once in compromising.

"Corrin, you stay here where it's safe for now, and no objections, it's clear that you're in no condition to fight." Ryoma ordered her who makes no comply and remains silent as the Hoshidans and Rebels prepare to head out while she remains behind in the underground base and is escorted to a quarter to remain until the fighting is done with Lilith and Mozu being the only ones to remain by her side.

Robin's possible demise has completely shaken her to the point that she refuses to even speak, and they thought that the fact that his older sister from Nohr being who they have to fight now would trigger something but with all she went through it shouldn't really surprise them by how vulnerable she has become, fighting against another member of her adoptive family would only make her even worse, which adds on to Ryoma's new anger as well as guilt to the rest of her hoshidan comrades.

When Dawn broke the Hoshidans go in first to hold Camilla's forces that are estimated to only be three hundred men strong along with an unspecified number of Grimm. This may seem reckless, especially with the odds stacked against them but the Chevians have set up traps that can give them the advantage to take out plenty of foes. Nohr should come marching from the northeast of Cheve, there lies a village, behind that is a large river that cuts right through it with a large stone fort on the other side where members of the border guard of Nohr operate to overwatch Cheve. The Village has been evacuated once the Nohrians were confirmed to come through here.

"No turning back now." Scarlet said filled with determination, mounted on her ferocious, yet loyal Wyvern with a Killer Lance in hand.

"Strength, Scarlet, we'll pull through this, I know it." Ryoma assured her.

"You know that my faith in you is solid, Ryoma, as well as the faith I have in my men but I can't deny that like everyone else there is dread coursing through me." Scarlet confessed.

"I understand why you would think like that; however, I stand by my conviction when I say that we will win this night. Too many lives will be lost tonight from both sides, and rather or not this will all be worth it or not, I have no right to decide but there is no turning back now, is there? Many of your people have made it clear that they refuse to stand against Nohr for reasons I cannot fault them for but not one of them chose to fight us as well so that's a good sign as any that they do hope for us to succeed in some way."

"Yeah, you don't need to tell me." Scarlet shrugged with a smug on her face, her confidence in their endeavors not as shaken as it first seemed to be.

"My, what adorable thoughts you have. Too bad it's all for naught." Camilla's voice could be heard from seemingly everywhere with said Princess nowhere in sight, alarming all of them to keep their weapons ready to attack.

"Where is she?!" Hinoka demanded in an uproar, longing for this rematch.

"We got a Fafnir, up above us!" Scarlet shouted in alarm as they look up to the sky and see an enormous winged Grimm flying down towards them, with large red bat-like wings, a pair of legs and a tail. The red membrane of the wings is translucent. It has rough black skin, with white bone-like spines along its body, including an external skull, rib cage and rows of dorsal spikes. It also has three bony spikes on its tail and large claws on its hind legs. Its skull has a pair of large prominent horns and six yellow-red eyes. Its jaw has teeth extending down along the creature's neck, beyond its skull, such that its entire neck also opens as it makes a roaring sound.

"Only one this time? I expected Camilla to be as heartless as our last encounter with more fiends thrown my way." Ryoma said readying to attack the Grimm-like Wyvern but halts upon noticing that the Fafnir isn't engaging them and remains in the air just observing them. This could mean a lot of things, the one that the High Prince is expecting right now is that the beast is carrying someone or more people to bring along to issue a final warning. It is then that a large fireball comes falling from the Fafnir and crashes down right on the ground, a few feet away from the united Hoshidans and Chevian and once the flames cease they see that from the fires arrives Princess Camilla of Nohr, alongside her two Retainers: Selena and Beruka.

"Hello again, High Prince." Camilla greeted her foes with honey mixed into her tone.

"YOU!" Hinoka scoffed at the mere sight of Camilla and prepares to attack but Ryoma beats her to the 'punch' by speaking first.

"Malig Master. Come to finish what we started, or perhaps you intend to crush the brave men and women of this Dukedom who only wish to protect their people from the oppression your father has wrought upon them?" Ryoma questioned Camilla's intentions.

"Oh, I don't really care for Cheve's little temper tantrum that is tragically overrated, darling, my only concern is you, and luckily for me, almost the entirety of your wretched family since they are here also." Camilla replied, her words weighed with animosity but her tone remains the same.

"Temper tantrum? Is that all my people's suffering is to you?!" Scarlet shouted, intensely with rage and offense to Camilla's words.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the pesky Scarlet, here to cause trouble? Like father like daughter, I see. I'll deal with you soon enough." The Dark Princess replied, only bothering to spare the Wyvern Lord a very brief glance.

"In the name of my father and all the Chevians Nohr has wronged, I'm going to burn you and your demonic horde to the ground." Scarlet vowed.

"I wonder if it'll be worth it, though, win or lose, I have a sneaky suspicion that Cheve won't be helping Hoshido for much longer once the night is done." Camilla said rather confident.

"Is that what you think?" Ryoma asked.

"You'll have to live through this to find out, which I doubt will happen. My only concern now is ensuring your demise and recovering those you have stolen from me at last."

"Corrin? You succeed only in tormenting yourself further, Camilla. My sister has made her choice and now stands with her true family once again after your father stole her from us." Ryoma declared sternly and with conviction.

'Those you have stolen from me at last. She must mean Azura. She must not know yet what occurred in Cyrkensia.' Ryoma mused, thinking of his other ''sister'' who while not actually adopted or anything, has been a part of his life long enough to cherish her in the same regard. Ryoma's not surprised that Camilla would seek Azura as well, she vaguely mentioned her to him in their previous fight, no doubt longing to get her back as they felt for Corrin.

"Is that what YOU think? Because the way I remember it, my precious Corrin was not in the right state of mind when all of us made the mistake of letting her make such a nightmarish choice." Camilla reminded him, causing each of them to relive that accursed day and remember the devastating look on Corrin's face, one that showed that she was already dead. "My poor little sister wasn't thinking clearly at all that day and has no idea herself what she has done, and why she still needs her big sister to show her the way."

"I'm right here, you damn slut! And Corrin will not be taken from us again, much less from you!" Hinoka yelled venomously.

"I'd take you seriously if I could at the very least remember your name, darling but sadly you're just not that memorable." Camilla playfully insulted. "I don't know about you lots but I think if we keep this up we'll be here until dusk."

"Talk is cheap anyway." Beruka said as she presents to her mistress her personal violet axe that she's been holding on to along with her own.

"I say it's high time we get this over with." Selena declared.

"Yes, Cheve's future will be determined here and now!" Ryoma replied boastfully as he raises his Raijinto in the air and Orochi activates the Light Scroll and immediately, the Army of Light Constructs is summoned, around three hundred, again made up of Hoshidan Classes but there are Wyvern Riders among them this time and surround the Nohrian Ladies.

"Well, this is a small drawback." Selena uttered, caught off guard.

"My, what interesting new playthings you have. Very pretty too." Camilla joked, not taking this new predicament seriously at all.

"Yes! Time to spill as much Nohrian blood as we want." Scarlet shouted.

"You want blood? Sorry, I only brought Darkness with me." Camilla replied as she raises her axe in the air and swings it down swiftly while aiming at nobody or nothing but something does indeed happen because at once several large explosions start to occur all around them, destroying much of the village with most of Camilla's foes being caught in them, the Light Constructs are very durable but few among them don't hold off good but what is most shocking is that these were the explosives that the Rebels set up around the village for the Grimm that were carefully placed and should only trigger when they decide when they can go off. Did the Nohrians find them all?

"What's happening?" Ryoma shouted.

"Our traps have been set off and exposed." Scarlet gasped.

"You didn't think you had a chance against me, did you? My father has eyes and ears EVERYWHERE in Horus and though you did rather well in keeping your Rebellion a secret for this long, it was all merely a hide and seek game before we finally caught up with you all." Camilla said smugly as none of the explosions reach the trio of women.

"There are moles in the Rebellion!" Takumi cursed.

"No!" Scarlet gasped horrified.

From above them, the Fafnir makes a ferocious roar with Camilla's forces entering the now destroyed village, there are more humans than Grimm in her army, likely only ninety in total but enough to put the Dark Princess's foes in a major disadvantage.

"Ready yourselves!" Ryoma roared.

"Time's up Ryoma, you and your accursed family are going to pay in blood for what you've done, and once I'm through with you, I'll dedicate every waking moment in bringing endless suffering to the true Scourge of Nohr." Camilla avowed, referring to Robin as the true traitor.

The Fafnir above them makes the first official attack of this battle as it shoots a darkly red fire breath towards Camilla's enemies, with Ryoma being the only one that can do something about it as he unleashes a powerful stream of holy lightning from Raijinto to counter the deathly flames and the clash of opposing elements causes another explosion that's more destructive but with great fortune it didn't reach any of the Hoshidans but it does distract them long enough as Camilla's Wyvern, Escanor arrives at the scene and the Malig Master makes a spectacular backflip to land on top her trusty beast and flies forward, towards the High Prince and grabs him by his neck and drags him along and away from his comrades.

"RYOMA!" Most of them cried out for their leader with some already rushing to aid him with Takumi preparing to shoot Escanor down but Hinata is forced to stop him and pull him away from where he is standing as the stinger of a Lancer Grimm is fired at his direction, as the Nohrian and Hoshidans begin to spill each other's blood.

Hinoka and Scarlet go and fly after Camilla and Ryoma to help him. He may be stronger than Camilla but that doesn't mean Nohr's First Princess doesn't have a chance to beat him, she is frightening resourceful, even when it doesn't seem to be the case so neither of them feels comfortable letting him face her alone, especially after witnessing her throw the High Prince into one of the houses and threw a window, crashing in some of the furniture.

"Ragnarok!" Camilla yelled, summoning three fireballs as large as Escanor that circle around the house Ryoma is in before they rush in close, destroying it in a violent and intense flaming explosion with the High Prince inside.

'It's going to take a hell of a lot more than that to bring you down, brother, so hurry up out of there already so we can end this quicker.' Hinoka thought in desperation as she and Scarlet are nearly there to face Camilla.

"Hinoka, above you!" Scarlet shouted as danger approaches the High Princess.

Hinoka looks up in time to see that both of Camilla's Retainers are above her and riding on Beruka's own Wyvern as they manage to gain on them with Selena jumping off the Wyvern and assaults Hinoka with her sword with the High Princess raising her Bolt Naginata to parry the blade but the hit from Selena is rather strong that it knocks both her and Rukia off balance and fall to the ground.

"Damn you…" Hinoka cursed as she forces herself up.

"Don't strain yourself, the outcome of this fight is already obvious." Selena smirked proudly as she points her sword at her, and Ryoma wasn't kidding about the blade being amazing as it's the kind of sword you expect to find in the possession of a king, not a mercenary. An elegant double-edged longsword likely made of silver with a fuller cover with gold instead, the hilt of the blade is also gold in a unique shape with a strange teardrop-shaped hole at the base of it, and finally, a grip that's blue.

The two redheads face each other while Scarlet faces against Beruka.

Camilla jumps off Escanor and steps closer to the burned down house, just as a still okay Ryoma rushes out of it visibly unharmed from the flames and clashes with Camilla's axe, and though he is able to force her to her knees, Camilla doesn't seem all that worried.

"Be thankful that Xander won't be the one to end you." Camilla smirked still confident in her victory.

"He's the one who should be thankful since none of your siblings will suffer the agony of watching you die!" Ryoma declared as he will apply more force but is stopped by Escanor who rushes forward to take a bite off his head, forcing the Warrior Prince to leap away in time.

"Oh, I won't be dying any time soon. And I doubt you have the backbone to look at Corrin in the eye if you go through with it." Camilla said smugly.

"That's highly hypocritical coming from you since you don't seem to have a problem going through with killing even Sakura in spite of our relation to Corrin." Ryoma scoffed.

"Oh, please, as if she knows any of you long enough to actually give a damn."

"That's it!" Ryoma yelled, having enough of Camilla's cold words.

"You're right, this has dragged on long enough."

"Time to Play!" Both Camilla and her Retainers shout at once.

* * *

"Quickly, we must get to Lord Ryoma at once!" Kagero said with haste as she and Saizo rush to aid their Lord but like everyone else they are beset with the Nohrian danger, three Great Knights alongside two Death Stalkers almost corner the Ninja duo but the Light Constructs interfere, giving them a chance to escape, only to meet more danger as Saizo barely had time to avoid a Silver Star Axe thrown his way but does so regardless and turns to glance at his latest assailant before resuming his haste to Ryoma but that does not happen as he stops, truly surprised to see said assailant, who is none other than the Berserker Hans.

"Well, well, well, you two must be the High Prince's Retainers." The Berserker said sinisterly, holding his Silver Axe tightly.

"Hans!" Saizo growled, voice seeding with rage his naturally stoic demeanor tries to suppress as now is not the time to become clouded by emotions.

"Wait, that's Hans?" Kagero uttered in shock while she is forced to confront a very bulky armor Knight that assaults her. Luckily she has a Sting Shuriken to deal with this.

"Oh yeah, I remember that scar anywhere, you're that pipsqueak from before, one of Saizo's twin brats." Hans said recognizing the scar on Saizo's eye.

"I am Saizo the Fifth, son of Saizo the Forth, and I have long waited to find you, scum. And I have spilled much Blackhound blood to do so, though not even I dared imagine you would sink so low as to become one of Nohr's disgusting mutts." Saizo scoffed venomously.

"In case you have forgotten kid, this old dog is all bite, your father knows better than most in your clan." Hans replied mockingly.

"Saizo, forget about him, Lord Ryoma needs us!" Kagero yelled at his partner to focus on their true objective. Things don't go their way, however, as the Fafnir lands down and starts demolishing all of their allies nearby, and worse blocking their path to Ryoma, Hinoka and Scarlet.

"Oopssy, Master Ninja, someone's losing his touch, though I wouldn't worry too much about your Lobster Lord since he's dead weight already." Hans said mockingly.

"You'll regret letting me live that night, scum! I will avenge my father!" Saizo vowed vengefully. "Fortunately for you, however, my duties outweigh my petty feelings." He said, choosing to aid his lord above anything else and rushes to his side, but must first get past the Fafnir, as it sets it's sights on the Ninja who takes cover by forcing his way through one of the houses, bashing the front door open with the Wyvern Grimm closing in, and thrust its right arm/wing at the house, which was all it took to demolish the building entirely, however, Saizo was quick enough to make it to the back door on time to escape and the Fafnir would've noticed if not for Takumi who fires an arrow at the left portion of its face, getting its attention, buying Saizo the time he needs to escape, same with Kagero who managed to get behind it to pass through.

"Bah, Ninjas are always the cowardly type when out in the open anyway." Hans scoffed and too ignores Saizo, setting his sights on an equally worthy prey, which is Kaze who manages to evade being eaten by a Griffin much bigger than the average ones he is used to encountering that ends up getting slain instead with the combined efforts of Reina and a Light Kinshi Knight, only for the latter to be later destroyed in a surprise attack by a Wyvern Knight of Nohr.

"You… you're Hans!" Kaze gasped at the sight of the Berserker, who is confirmed to be the murderer of his and Saizo's father.

"Long time no see kid, a pity we had to run into each other once again because now I will kill you." Hans declared, now more serious.

* * *

"Rip in pieces!" Takumi shouted as he fires a mighty arrow that once it is close enough to it's chosen targets combust and turns into a large and mighty green tornado that instead of sucking victims in, the intense winds caused extensive damage to the armor of the Nohrians and tear open their flesh, as well as wipe out a fair number of Grimm but the Fafnir stops the tornado by colliding with it, the body being too tough to break and once it's head gets inside of it, it releases his fire breath that quickly becomes one with it, briefly creating a fire tornado before it extinguishes, halting Takumi's magic attack.

The Fafnir then turns it's flames at the younger Hoshidan Prince who counters by firing another holy arrow, the clash of the magical elements causes an explosion that knocks both foes away and crashes on the ground, unintentionally also harming friend and foe alike. Takumi is able to get back up, not as hurt as the Fafnir, just as a Boarbatusk is about to ram him over, but he manages to duck out of the way in time and shoot it down from its back. The Prince goes to try and finish off the Fafnir but is again intercepted by a Berserker, accompanied by seven Beowolves who would gang up on him, if not for several light-based Pegasus Knights and Wyvern Knights who clash with Takumi's inconvenience, buying him time to proceed, reaching the Fafnir as it is about to get up with the Prince summoning another arrow but does not yet fire as he must channel more power from the Fujin Yumi in order to achieve his objective to destroy the dragon's head.

Which is easier said than done since a Nohrian Paladin caught him attempting to finish off the Fafnir and rushes forward to stop him, luckily the Prince's retainers are nearby as Oboro jumps off a house as she previously climbed up there to escaped being overrun by eight Ursai that surrounded her from behind said house and knocks the Paladin off his horse, halting his attack and buying Takumi the time he needed to fire an arrow strong enough to pierce through the Fafnir's head, leaving a massive hole where most of its eyes should be, killing it and soon there will be nothing left but miasma to fade away.

Takumi then turns to see if Oboro needs any help since he noticed the Paladin getting closer and his Spear Master jumping in at his defense and what he sees is Oboro getting overpowered and pin to the ground by said Paladin who readies to finish her off with her own naginata, forcing the Prince to step in and headshot the Nohrian Knight, with Oboro then proceeding to push the now dead Paladin off her.

"Looks like saving each other's skin is going to become a trend." Takumi said in a more playful manner to her and extends his hand to help her up.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Milord." Oboro smiled with a blush as she raises her hand to take Takumi's arm but unfortunately, Takumi's hand gets shot by a silver arrow, right through his wrist, causing the Prince to fall to the ground in pain, and with one of his arms now unusable, he's no longer of any use on the battlefield for now.

"MILORD!" Oboro cried in horror as she rushes to his master's aid, while also turning to see where the arrow was fired and sees that from a fair distance that the one who did it was Leo's Retainer, Zero as Camilla's reinforcements arrive, with Prince Leo leading the charge with more Soldiers and Grimm.

* * *

"Oops, I was aiming for his head, I must be losing my touch." Zero said mockingly, still feeling victorious for his deed.

"That's alright, I much rather finish him off myself." Leo replied as he waves his hand for his forces to advance.

"Aww, not those light thingies again!" Peri cried, infuriated to see the Light Constructs. "I want an actual bloodbath!"

"What a hassle." Laslow sighed. "It seems we will need to bust out our fancy blades, Lord Leo."

"Yes, those things are made out of pure concentrated Mana but regardless of how powerful they may be, they are still magic in nature and can be dealt with easily." Leo said as he turns to six Rod Knights beside him. "Bring in the Anti-Magic Infantry."

"Yes, sir!" They complied as three of them reveal their Warp Tomes and create a huge portal next to them, and from it comes out several wagons carrying more weapons of special material, along that comes out massive suits of black armor knights, five times the size of a normal man that can move by themselves and are each carrying broadswords fit for their sizes.

"The Geist Knights! SO exciting!" Odin cheered with huge thrill over the sight of these new weapons.

"Only fourteen, I thought we had over one hundred of them built in." Zero said.

"These were all we could afford to bring at a moment's notice." Laslow shrugged.

"Onward!" Leo commanded as the armor giants charge forward and confront the Light Constructs who are overpowering Camilla's forces and with just a swing of their blades, the constructs are easily sliced open and dissipate.

"What the heck are those things?" Rinkah protested as she is confronted by one of these giants who swings it's massive sword at her faster than she can dodge and takes the hit head-on with her club, infused with her fire magic but she is easily overpowered and ruthlessly blown away and crashes through a house and lands on a living room, hurt and her weapon shattered by the force.

"Well this could be a problem." She muttered as the armored giant from before breaks open more of the house to force itself in and continue its assault and thrust his sword down at her but she is rescued by Hayato who uses his wing magic to levitate her away from danger and is grabbed by Setsuna who carries her to safety into a bigger house where she, Hayato, Azama and Orochi are hiding out for now. Orochi can't help much since she must focus on just using the scroll as they figured that the previous problem was also because they left their light soldiers on autopilot for too long and she's already forcing herself even more by making more constructs to replace the ones that were destroyed.

"Those things are way too big." Setsuna noted.

"And it doesn't seem like magic can so much as tickle them." Azama added. "So the armor they're wearing must be completely Anti-Magic."

"But how could they have amassed enough of such ultra-rare material for such an arsenal." Orochi uttered completely puzzled by such an anomaly. As resourceful as Nohr is, they've never been able to create enough Anti-Magic tools for barely a platoon, let alone a battalion. Is this another result of their experimentation with the Grimm's odd energy.

"Forget how they're making them, how are they getting them to move, its not like they can control those things with magic." Hayato countered before they begin to feel the house they're in crumble apart as a Giant is forcing it's way in by ripping apart a large chunk of the wall and throws it aside at a far distance, however, Hayato quickly catches the debris by trapping it in a dome of wind and with much force, brings it crashing back down and into the giant that tossed it aside to begin with and knocked it down. They can still be harmed with conventional means.

"Humans can't move them." Rinkah concluded as she comes up with something, forcing herself back up and out there to face the new threat and conveniently stumbles on a Brave Sword and Soldier's Knife from the defeated Nohrians and picks them up for her use and swings the sword to clash with the giant sword, this time ready and standing her ground better, afterward she creates fiery streams from her feet that propel her to the air to get near the giant's head and with all her strength she cuts the helmet off from the body and with reckless abandon jumps inside the suit of armor where she confronts the mask of a Grimm similar to the one from Elise's Gearpack.

"Peek-a-Boo!" Rinkah shouted as she impales the Grimm with the knife and shatters it, seemingly killing the demon as the entire suit of armor crumbles apart to the ground with the entirety of it splitting off. "That was questionably easier than the other times I'd fought a Geist but I suppose I shouldn't complain."

Out of the blue, another Armored Giant walks in and kicks the suit of armor where Rinkah is still in and gets knocked away.

"SHIT! SON OF A BITCH!" Rinkah cried out as she crashes on to some Light Soldiers. Once she lands, she wastes no time in getting out and furiously goes after the other giants.

"You'll pay for that!" She roared with the Brave Sword still in hand.

"Well, she's nothing if not persistent." Azama praised.

"Great, now if everyone else could be just as bold because we're down to 223 Light Soldiers left." Orochi muttered. "Scratch that, we're down to 182 left. The Nohrians aren't pulling their new arsenal."

* * *

Hans howls as he swings his axe against Kaze who fights using his Silver Katana while they fight inside a house with the Berserker living up to the name of his class and mad with bloodlust, swinging his weapon with intense ferocity at the Ninja while managing to remain at close proximity so that Kaze can have a harder time avoiding him, but the Ninja is still faster than the Berserker at least. Kaze gets cornered into a table, of which he backflips around it to avoid Hans' next swing as he splits the table in two with such ease. Kaze uses this chance to throw two of his remaining Shurikens at him, one of them hits his left abdomen but Hans is able to use his left shoulder guard to block the one aiming for his head, and despite the blade in his abdomen, the Berserker still continues with his assault, attempting to decapitate his head off, which Kaze is again able to evade it, hitting a wall instead, and as Hans is about to pull it off, Kaze then proceeds to kick it by the handle with enough force to push the blade deeper into the wall to the point that Hans couldn't pull it off without using much more force but there's not enough time as Kaze takes this chance to strike and thrust his silver katana towards Hans's face but the Berserker quickly turns right to evade the blade, afterward he pulls the shuriken still in his abdomen and uses it to stab Kaze on his sword arm, causing him to drop his blade.

Hans then grabs Kaze by his neck and pushes him into a kitchen and proceeds to decapitate him again, and he will be using it with the Ninja's own blade as he quickly caught it as soon as Kaze dropped it. Corrin's stealthy Retainer is in luck as there is a kitchen knife that he can grab and use to defend himself as he stops Hans by stabbing him, Hans notices the knife in time, however, and is forced to back away, and though Kaze does stab him in the chest, it didn't go deep enough to kill him but instead forces him to his knees and drops Kaze's Katana.

"Lucky bastard." Hans growled as he boldly removes the knife from his chest and immediately uses a Vulnerary he has with him to stop the bleeding on each of his wounds, and he isn't worried about Kaze trying to stop him as Kaze does the same with his own Vulnerary, easing the pain he feels towards previous injuries he received before facing Hans.

"Your efforts are futile, and you know it, Hans. All you'll accomplish is condemning your life even further." Kaze warned as he picks up his Katana from the ground.

"Is that so, wise guy? Your pop's said the same thing, and his words were emptier than an empty bottle of wine." Hans spatted as he goes to pick up his axe from the wall, having to put a lot of effort to pull it out. "And like with him before I gutted him, I curse your words, just as I curse my own Hoshidan heritage. Hypocrites and serpents that need to die, all of you."

"I make no excuses for the mistakes made by my people, nor do I defend my father's choices." Kaze said solemnly, having a deeper history with Hans. "However, that doesn't change the fact that I too can't forgive your sins, just as I cannot forget that it was you who robbed me of my father and made my brother a husk of his former self. I won't let you hurt or take away anyone else I care about. At the very least, I'll give you an honorable death."

"I know you'll try to kill me but as you can see for yourself, I have evolved far beyond being just another petty Bandit." Hans said while his left shoulder starts to give a dim glow, revealing the very same symbol that the Beringel Grimm has on their backs, and at the nick of time, four Beringels come barging through the walls and surround Kaze. "Honor is for the living, not the dying, especially those who are already dead."

"We'll see." Kaze said stoically, confident that he can survive this. "I'm not planning on dying here tonight either, I have a master that needs me now more than ever."

"That traitor will get her comeuppance in her own time, now you'll get yours." Hans declared, surprising Kaze a little bit on how he knows that he's Corrin's new retainer.

* * *

Hinoka rapidly swings her Naginata against Selena, delivering fast and strong slashes but to the frustrations of the Princess, the Nohrian Swordsman is incredibly skilled, parrying each hit thrown at her and judging by the stoic expression on her face, she's not putting a lot of effort. Hinoka fires the strongest stream of lightning that she can muster from her Bolt Naginata that finally succeed in hitting Selena and knocks her to the ground but at the nick of time, she summons Morgenstern from thin air like Robin and uses it to shield her from the lightning attack, and without incanting any spells, the powerful tome shows off a yellow aura and begins to function as a lightning rod and absorbs all the magic into it, stopping the attack. That same aura then starts to course through Selena, which seems to enhance her speed as she quickly gets on her feet and charges at Hinoka, faster than any Mercenary should and delivers a double kick on the High Princess that she barely blocks using her naginata, and the impact knocks her to the ground but Hinoka is able to backflip herself up in time to parry Selena's next blow and backs away from her.

"Where the hell did you get that Tome?!" Hinoka demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know. It's not like your mages know how to read a book anyway." Selena scoffed in response as she opens Morgenstern to cast a spell that should finish this fight in her favor. "Excalibur!" She commanded, summoning a twister around Hinoka that she could not avoid in time. The High Princess screams in pain as she gets blown upwards.

"NO! Hinoka!" Ryoma cried in horror, noticing his sister being blown away but cannot help her as he has to deal with several Grimm and the armored giants who arrived to assist Camilla.

"I gotcha!" Scarlet shouted as she grabs Hinoka by her hand and pulls her on top her Wyvern. "Shit! That was some blow you took."

"I'll live…" Hinoka assured her as she is able to sit up straight on the Wyvern's back. "My family have always had a strong resistance against magic, even without becoming Diviners ourselves. Thank you."

"Kudos to Dragon Blood." Scarlet praised

"Heads up!" Hinoka warned as a large fireball is being thrown their way, which Scarlet is able to evade in the nick of time, with Beruka chasing after them.

"Your Pegasus doing alright?" Scarlet asked.

"The other redhead put a deep cut on Rukia so I had to force her to flee the scene." Hinoka cursed her misfortune of being without a mount.

"Well then consider us pair-ups for now." Scarlet replied as she moves to face Beruka again, the Malig Knight already firing another spell, a Ragnarok, surrounding the duo with three fireballs to incinerate them, which Hinoka counterattacks by spinning her Naginata so fast while channeling electricity, and with a mighty swing she fires a lightning halo that spreads far and hits the Ragnarok spell, causing them to explode far enough to allow Scarlet to fly them away in time. The smoke done from the explosion provided them a little bit of cover to surprise attack Beruka who is below the smoke as they come from above, but the Malig Knight expected this and parries Scarlet's lance with her Axe, though she is visibly left wide open for Hinoka to attack her as well, but Beruka has a spare Brave Axe that she quickly pulls out in time to barely parry the naginata in time and pushes them off her.

"Malig Knights sure are persistent." Scarlet hissed.

"Not for long!" Hinoka swore.

"Resistance is futile." Beruka declared.

* * *

Downward, Ryoma cuts his way through almost everything Camilla throws at him and so far the armor giants proved to be a true challenge, resilient even to Raijinto's power, but not entirely.

'Dammit, they actually managed to build Anti-Magic armors this big just for the Geists to wield in combat to hunt Diviners.' Ryoma cursed as he parries a claymore from a giant, who are actually another type of Grimm called Geists with the power to possess inanimate objects for various purposes, one such example is taking possession of suits of armor or statues and fight alongside soldiers, and so the Nohrians have begun manufacturing armor meant for Titans for just for the Geists to possess and sent off for war and combined with enchanted armor like Anti-Magic, they are notorious Mage Hunters.

Ryoma avoids the next swing of the Geist and then aims for the wrist of the sword arm hard enough to make it drop its sword. The Prince Swordsman then leaps on top of the giant's handle, just to make another impressive high leap and flip above another Geist, to then swung the Raijinto and fire a horizontal lightning attack strong enough to knock the giant from the back, regardless that even Raijinto's power can be dispelled by Anti-Magic, Ryoma can still release strong enough shockwaves to blast them at a fair distance, like the one he just hit that is thrown off balance, crashing into the previous one he fought, with both of them falling into a hole caused by one of the mines Camilla set off to avoid her forces from being harmed and killed by explosions, and due to how heavy those armors are, it's likely that it'll be tough to get out of there.

Ryoma is beset with more danger as Escanor rams himself at the High Prince, pinning him to the ground and making him drop Raijinto, and as the Wyvern goes to sink his fangs on him, Ryoma is able to prevent being eaten as he is lucky enough to have a metal pipe near him that he uses to have Escanor bite instead and muster all the strength he can to get the beast off him.

"Times up Ryoma!" Camilla declared as he marches forward to finish off Ryoma himself with her axe and in the nick of time, Escanor stops his assault and moves his head away to allow his mistress to deliver the final blow herself, and as she swings her axe down, two Chakram shurikens are thrown at the axe hard enough to force the weapon off her hands. The Nohrian Princess turns and looks to see that it is both Ryoma's Retainers who interfered, and this distraction is what Ryoma desires, along with a new weapon as he grabs one of the Chakrams and uses it to stab it through Escanor's neck.

"ESCANOR!" Camilla cried in horror as her trusty Wyvern falls to the ground injured, and her horrified state, gives the Hoshidans another chance with Kagero throwing a Soldier's Knife she stole from a Nohrian, right at the Nohrian Princess face, but it is intercepted by Selena who arrives in time to parry the dagger away from her.

Ryoma also takes the chance to strike Camilla with a recovered Raijinto now that she's focused solely on her wounded wyvern but Selena once again steps into her mistress defense with both their sword's clashing with each other and lock in a very short stalemate with the redhead nearly knocked to the ground but still prevails through the power of Morgenstern.

"Elwind!" Selena shouted, firing a deadly wind attack at Ryoma's chest, blasting him through another house.

"Lord Ryoma!" The Ninjas cried out as they rush to their Prince's aid who is alright despite taking a magic attack at close range.

"I'm fine, thank Sephiroth for an abundance of Resistance from his blood." Ryoma muttered.

"You are still viable for a Vulnerary; you have to keep your stamina." Kagero suggested, offering the elixir.

"Escanor!" Camilla sobbed as she removes the shuriken from her wyvern's neck and starts using a Vulnerary on the wound.

"It's no good Lady Camilla, it takes four Vulneraries for a wound like this for a Wyvern, the elixir just isn't meant for anything that isn't human." Selena reminded the Princess. "Not to mentioned that the neck is a wyvern's weak spot and not something that can be treated so easily, anyway."

"Then give me the ones you have left. I am not leaving him like this!" Camilla demanded.

"Gawds! Hey, you two, quit lazing around and get over here!" Selena ordered the two Geists still stuck in the hole and almost immediately two ghostly Grimm come out from the suits of armor, which are the true forms of the Geist Subspecies. Black figures that have bone-like spikes on their backs and ribs on the upper bodies, with long, skeletal forearms and sharp fingernails. Due to their ghostly appearances, they lack lower bodies, instead floating through the air while leaving behind a black smoke trail. Their faces consist of Grimm markings on a mask-like bone plate with a single eye, exactly the one in Elise's backpack, Bucky, which is also a Geist. The two fly to Camilla and Selena while they just use up all their Vulnerary on Escanor who is still too hurt to fight at the moment.

"Get him to the healers pronto and carefully, and do not let anyone put so much as another scratch on my Escanor." Camilla instructed the two Grimm, and the Geists respond by rushing towards a house, and begin to work their magic on it as the house starts to fall apart with parts of it starting to float and gather together, forming a floating platform as well as multiple hands to carry Escanor and place him there and begin to take the Wyvern away.

"Be strong as always, dear, and don't do anything I would do." Camilla cheerio her Wyvern.

"Which is try to slice someone off even while injured." Selena joked.

"Exactly."

The two then face off against the High Prince and both his Retainers again, while both Scarlet and Hinoka land next to them, while Beruka lands next to the two.

"Seriously, you haven't gotten rid of those two already!" Selena protested to her partner.

"Weren't you the one who previously fought the enemy Princess and got her in my way?" Beruka questioned lowly and uncaring.

"I got a win! Which is more than I can say for the both of you."

"Let's make sure that the victories keep on coming then." Camilla said as the trio ready to battle against the five of them with more Grimm arriving to back them up. And it is then that Ryoma finally notices that Selena has with her the Morgenstern.

"That tome! Where did you get it?" Ryoma demanded.

"I'll happily tell you if you pass me the lobster bisque, you LOBSTER BITCH!" Selena instead gives a mocking answer to the High Prince, earning a chuckle from Camilla and an annoyed sigh from Beruka.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Saizo roared enraged at such an insult towards his master.

"Dammit! So that damn Xander really got to Robin." Ryoma cursed, over the probability that Robin might really be dead, but secretly he is deeply offended by Selena's insult.

'Why does everyone think that about my armor? It's a traditional suit passed down from previous High Princes for forty generations.' He mumbled. 'At least Corrin hasn't caught on yet.'

"I… what…?" Selena is suddenly caught off guard by what Ryoma said about Robin being defeated by Xander, bewildered even.

"Damn… so Xander got to him first." Camilla scoffed in disappointment, she really wanted to be the one to kill Robin. "Fine, I'll just have to settle for all of you, and then take Corrin back and be the one to bring her home."

* * *

"Almost done! Almost done! Almost done!" Sakura cried frantically as she heals the serious wound Takumi has while Subaki, Hana, Hinata, Oboro and several Light Soldiers provide defense as to not disturb them.

"Sakura! Please, deep breaths, healers are no good if they can't keep a cool head." Takumi advised as her efforts to heal his wound using a light magic boost is slower than it was when she used it on Corrin. "I know it looks bad but whatever you do, block everything out and focus on my voice, you can do this."

"O-Ok… ay. I-I under… stand." Sakura muttered, taking a deep breath as she attempts to remain calm as she can be more helpful to her brother if she tries.

"These bastards just never learn!" Hana shouted as she cuts down a Berserker with Oboro's support while Subaki and Hinata take out the last of the Grimm in their current area until eventually the place becomes safe for now and making Sakura feel safer and in turn heal Takumi's arm more efficiently.

"Heads up, there are more incoming." Subaki warned as he notices Odin and Laslow approach them, accompanied by seventeen Beowolves.

"Aw, crap, it's that sort of Dark Knight and Prince Xander's right-hand man." Hinata recognized the pair.

"Good, I've been itching for a rematch." Hana hissed, desiring to fight Odin again.

"Aha! Champions of Dawn!" Odin called out to his adversaries. "It's been only a few hours and it feels like weeks. Truly the Gods demand much of us to meet in battle once again and this time on even ground."

"Wait, how do you know about the Astral Plane?" Hinata gasped, taking Odin's exaggerated speech seriously.

"Wait, what?" Odin asked confused himself, unaware of how accurate his words truly hold.

"Forget that! Let's settle this!" Hana demanded.

"Ladies first." Laslow insisted with a wink as the pair raise their swords at their foes as another fight ensues with Hana and Subaki leading the charge while Hinata and Oboro remain behind to guard the two Royals.

"Alright, this place has been compromised so we better find someplace else to take cover. Chop-chop." Hinata declared as the four prepare to leave, however Hinata quickly notices incoming danger from above, forcing him to push his three comrades and himself out of the way, just in time to avoid being impaled from above by a Killer Lance which belongs to Peri who threw it while standing on top a house near them.

"Found you, Piggy Hoshidans. Come to the slaughter." Peri said while giggling at the sight of her latest prey.

"Xander's psychopath retainer." Takumi uttered while the female paladin leaps off the house and lands before them while now wielding a Killer Edge.

"You're right where I want you, now say goodbye to all your intestines." Peri declared playfully.

"Back off before I tear off YOUR intestines, you horrid freak!" Oboro glared viciously at the Knight, and Hinata can't help but feel like her demon glare has intensified somehow.

"Hey, it's the Demon Lady!" Peri cheered upon seeing Oboro's infamous glare.

"Excuse me!" Oboro snapped at the Nohrian for what she just called her.

"You look exactly like how I picture all hoshidans in my dream as I kill you all. This will make this all the more fun." Peri cheered amused by what she considers a wonderful development while she fulfills her goals to take them down.

"Hinata, get back. This one is all mine!" Oboro growled viciously with newfound bloodlust.

"Ah… sure." Hinata muttered awkwardly as he, Takumi and Azura back away as the two women are left to fight solo and hopefully uninterrupted.

"This will not end well." Takumi muttered, not liking how this might turn out.

* * *

"Do you think everyone is going to be okay?" Mozu asked nervously and concern for their friends fighting for Cheve's sake while the three of them are staying in a room away from the battlefield raging outside.

"We can only hope, the Grimm are more ferocious than we could've imagined but are not as versatile as the Nohrians make them out to be just yet, either way, we have to prepare for when we end up fighting anyway." Lilith replied, prepared for the worse to protect Corrin as best she can. Said Princess remained silent still until she finally chooses to speak again.

"Mozu…" She said calling out to the Village Girl.

"Lady Corrin, you finally talk again." Mozu said enthusiastically as it was very depressing for her to see the wayward princess look so gloomy and lost when it's supposed to be the other way around.

"I'm sorry." Corrin said next with remorse in her voice, confusing the Village Girl by what could she be implying. "I never meant to drag you into any of this, but I thought at the very least I could keep you safe from all this until I find you a safer place to start anew, instead I just drag you along to my problems."

"N-No, please don't think like that Lady Corrin. You were just trying to help me, and as bad as things have gotten for me, I don't regret coming along." Mozu assured her. "I'm happy to have met all of you, I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Don't we all…" Corrin muttered.

"Nothing is really you're fault Lady Corrin, everyone would agree on that, at least."

"I wish I could believe that Mozu, I really do, but… with Robin gone, what's even the point of me continuing to fight Nohr or the Sins if I'm just going to lose so much more."

"Don't think like that Corrin. Robin wouldn't want you to think like that either." Lilith pleaded as she wraps her arms around her shoulders. "Please, be strong, Corrin, no one who loves you wants to see you in so much pain, and I know how you feel about him, and I'm sorry I couldn't do enough for any of you."

"Nothing's your fault Lilith." Corrin countered gently while she wraps her right arm around her back with the two dragons embracing in a loving hug. "Nothing's your fault. You did more for everyone than I ever could."

The three girls then gasp upon hearing the screams of several men and weapons clashing and walls and boxes breaking. Have the Nohrians breached the Rebellion's hideout?

"Lilith stay with Mozu! I'll go and check it out myself." Corrin ordered as she rushes to the scene.

"But Corrin…" Lilith began.

"No arguing Lilith, she needs you more than me, escape to the Astral Plane if danger barges in here, no fighting." Corrin raised her tone like an older sister would to her younger siblings as she leaves.

* * *

The Chevian Knights find themselves caught by a stealthy ambush by Nohrian Outlaws who make short work of most of them but were caught by other knights, which lead to a short but heated conflict, and this scuffling is led by Prince Leo, who ends the current fight much quicker with his Sacred Treasure and summons tree branches from all sides to impale his enemies. Accompanying him is also Zero and few Dark Mages.

"This side has been taken cared off but this scuffling was no doubt heard by the rest of the base so we better make this quick, Milord." Zero suggested to Leo.

"Indeed, bring them in." Leo commanded to his Mages as they raise their tomes and start to create another portal behind them, large enough for things twice the size of humans, and from the portal come out several Grimm, such as Beowolves, Ursai, Boarbatusks and Creeps. Along with a new type of Grimm, who are humanoid in shape, somewhat similar to the Nuckelavee's humanoid-equine hybrid, but very tall, with long arms that reach down as far as the ground and extremely long fingers. They have hideous faces, resembling skulls, with some even lacking nostrils, and low-hanging jaws.

"So these are the Apathies, oh how their mere presence makes my boots quake, Milord." Zero joked, not really taking these weak-looking monsters seriously.

"It's not fear that they are meant to bring, in fact, these bunch don't really do much aside from the magic they are given." Leo explained.

"Which is what exactly, pray tell, because based on what I saw, summoning these things from the Qliphoth Pools looked to be almost as difficult as summoning out a Nuckelavee, or a Leviathan for the Priests of the Dusk Faithful to pull off." Zero asked.

"It's better that you see for yourself, and… prepare to be disappointed." Leo replied as more Chevian Soldiers come just in the nick of time horrified to see the Nohrians and their monsters here in their base of operations.

"Oh, Gods! The base has been compromised!" One of them uttered in horror.

"STAND YOUR GROUND! Do not let these abominations set foot in our soil!" A General roared as they prepare for battle, and Leo replies by snapping his fingers and all the Apathy Grimm use their power by making chilling screams that at first seem to do nothing until the Chevians halt their brave assault and by the look in their eyes, they quickly lose the will to fight, dropping their weapons and remain still and weary even, some of them looking like they're about to drop to their knees.

"So their power is in their name as they can make their victims lose the will to do anything." Zero concluded as none of the Nohrians look like they were affected.

"Pretty much." Leo affirmed.

"You're right, I am disappointed." Zero shook his head in disapproval. "Where's the nightmare inducement, the higher guarantee of collateral damage, the gore? Aren't Grimm supposed to be all about negativity and war? These things contradict the entire species as a whole."

"You have to look on the bright side. With the Apathies we can end the war with more promising results and less bloodshed by stripping people of all negative thoughts against Nohr, and we finally amassed enough of them to subdue all of Cheve, so the way I see it, these freaks are our trump card." Leo insisted.

"I suppose you have a point, though it is odd on why so much effort has to be put into summoning them." Zero questioned.

"That's a mystery for another day, now all of you, mobilize. This underground base will lead us to the capital square but first, we will take the base as our own." Leo commanded as the Nohrians and Grimm spread out. "Remain with me Zero, there's a specific rat that needs to be snuff out." Leo said as he channels power from Brynhildr and fires a dark sphere at a wall, blasting a hole through and knocking down Corrin, who was able to remain hidden since they started bringing the Grimm here but was somehow spotted by Leo, and it is likely that he noticed her presence as soon as she arrived.

"Corrin, why am I not surprised to find you here, where your 'real' older brother ran hiding like a coward." Leo said sounding unsurprised by finding his former foster older sister here supporting Cheve's rebellion. "Oh well, at least now we can settle things once and for all. Prepare yourself, if you don't want to be my sister anymore, that's fine. I'll erase you from my heart forever!"

"No!" Corrin hesitantly gets in a fighting post without raising her sword, forced to face against Leo, who can only scoff at the primitive post she is taking, showing how unwilling to fight she is unlike last time.

"As I said before, Nohrian Law is blunt on the subject of traitors, and you, Scourge of Nohr, are no exception to the Judgment of the Dark." Leo said viciously. "Especially after causing me to fall into that hole."

"Leo, please just listen to me. I haven't become blind to Nohr's plight, but even you have to see that getting resources through a dictatorship will only lead to more conflict and chaos." Corrin attempts to reason with her wise younger brother.

"You always were hard to persuade and too weak of will to understand anything, Corrin. Nohr is done doing things the ''right'' way. A thousand years of struggle and nothing has changed, and Cheve, like everyone else, continues to paint us as the monsters for just trying to get by. Hoshido is just one of our long list of enemies who've pretended to be our allies in the past and even after winning the last two wars they defy us still and leave us in the wasteland." Leo cursed venomously at Corrin's naivety. "The Chevians especially will no longer be forgiven for their continued defiance."

"So what, you're just going to have the Grimm ravage them and strip them of their will?!" Corrin questioned more harshly. "In what world do you live in where drowning everyone in darkness will solve all your problems? Where in the Book of Qliphoth does the Dusk Dragon teach us this savagery?!"

"The same one as you!" Leo raised his tone louder than Corrin has ever heard him speak in. "There is no light in Nohr, it's all in your head, though there is no one to blame but father for making you this way. Even among the royals there were times where our lifestyle has felt no different than our fellow commoners, all my life, I like Xander, Camilla and Elise have seen and even experienced the consequences of taking food and water for granted enough times to not just know but feel the agony and indignity our peasants feel every day! EVERY DAY! Our resources now have been plentiful since last year but in a month's time it will all go away, and the only way we can ensure that they remain permanent is with power absolute, and make sure no one dares stand in the way of our holy mission, and I for one am done trying to justify my actions to those who don't have a clue of what it's like to fight, steal and kill just to survive! Cheve has defied us once and Gunter suffered for it."

"What does Gunter have to do with any of this?" Corrin questioned.

"Oh, so you don't know yet, that's a little surprising." Leo said regaining his composure and showing a slight amusement.

"You want to tell her or should I, Milord?" Zero said eagerly about where this argument is heading off to.

"You can have the honors, Zero, it's much more… toxic when the truth comes out of your serpent's mouth." Leo offered.

"Oh, you're too kind, my Prince." Zero chuckled. "Tell me, Princess, are you aware of the real reason why the Rebels' leader, Scarlet is purely motivated on 'liberating' Cheve from Nohr's control?"

"It's because her father was publicly executed in retaliation for slaying three Nohrian Knights who were taking more food than was agreed." Corrin answered, not liking the grin in Zero's face.

"Correct, but have you ever bothered to learn the names of those three slain knights, or better yet, the name of the Great Knight who executed the audacious Chevian?" Zero asked, really excited for this part.

"No, but I don't get where you are getting…" Corrin stops upon coming up with the answers herself and the truth horrifies her at an epic proportion. "No… no… no… no… no… Gunter… was THAT Great Knight…? But that means that…"

"Oh please you can't give up now, don't be shy, you're a smart girl so surely you can figure out yourself just how sacrilegious you have become by trying to help these foul people." Zero insisted cruelly, awaiting the answer from Corrin.

"Scarlet's father killed Gunter's son." Corrin came to the terrible conclusion all on her own as flashes from her childhood resurface into her thoughts, memories of a blonde knight that used to visit her and Gunter in the Northern Fortress that Corrin saw as an uncle figure. "Exio…"

"That's right, sister, Exio was killed by the father of the woman you have come to protect." Leo affirmed, resuming his stoic expression. "Gunter was like a grandfather to all of us, and he certainly gave you more parenting than father ever did, and yet here you are now, spitting on the grave you put him on by defending the Chevians after all he's done for you. Worse still, you left his grandson all alone."

Corrin practically lost the strength to even breathe at this point, taking all the information in all at once and unable to process any of it, and even drops the Yato to the floor for how much her hands are now shaking so much. She knew that Gunter had lost his son six years ago and grieved for months that she barely saw him due to him departing for Krakenburg to live beside his grandson Benjamin who too was grieving but no one ever told her how Exio died. She remembers him fondly, as well as Benjamin. The first time she ever experienced the pain of losing someone she cherished, that kind of pain is so palpable and hunting. It never goes away no matter how much one moves on.

"Grandpapa… I… I don't know what to do." Corrin whispered, shamefully.

"It's not too late to repent, Corrin, however, before Qliphoth can absolve you of your sins you will be dragged to the Throne of Shadows in chains." Leo declared as he summons strong tree vines from the floor Corrin is standing on and the ceiling above her to restrain, but they end up getting destroyed by glass shurikens fired by Lilith using her Dragonstone as she arrives at the scene while in Dragon Form.

"Time to go, Corrin!" Lilith said as she prepares to warp them out of this place but Leo quickly interferes with another spell and releases a translucent dome to spread across the corridor they are all in and beyond, which shockingly cancels out Lilith's warp. "What… what's going on."

"I had a feeling you tried to teleport away, Lilith, unfortunately for you, my Brynhildr has a spell stored in it meant for countering certain magics." Leo explained.

"You're… keeping me trapped in this world." Lilith gasped in horror.

'Gods, it's a good thing I came here in a hurry without sending Mozu away, otherwise, I would've left her there alone for Moro knows how long.'

"Yes, so I go back to being the smart little girl I know you to be and come in quietly so that I can arrange for your sentence to be a much shorter one than Corrin's." Leo advised.

"Hold on a moment, Milord, you're telling me that this freaky fish thing is that blue-haired stable girl that's always clinging on to Corrin?" Zero asked skeptically.

"I am not a freaky fish thing! I'm a dragon!" Lilith yelled offended, clearly very sensitive about her appearance.

"Sure, keep deluding yourself kid, I dare you to show off your true face in front of a crowd next to the statue of what a dragon is supposed to look like, just to prove me wrong when everyone looks at you." Zero dared, causing the little dragon to shout again, growing angrier.

"I don't have to put up with this, and you can't restrain all the powers of a DRAGON, Leo! We're leaving Corrin." Lilith declared as she creates a barrier around herself, Corrin and the Yato and flies away from the corridor.

"After them!" Leo ordered to the seven Apathies who remain at his side and despite their weak appearance, these Grimm are faster than they seem, already in hot pursuit of the two dragons, some of them even able to wall crawl.

"So we're playing cat and mouse now? My favorite game." Zero smirked sinisterly as he pulls out his new bow with anti-magic arrows.

"Don't miss." Leo replied as the hunt resumes.

* * *

**And here's Chapter 15. Hope you like it and I just can't help myself in putting Corrin down and resenting her decision, I'm so sorry. One of the things Conquest clearly did right is making Corrin question her decisions and feel remorse, while in Birthright she was too focus on revenge against Garon while just as confused and frustrated on how reluctant her Nohrian Siblings feel about rebelling against their own FATHER. God, I really don't like Birthright's story. A pretty good game overall from what I've seen. Unsurprisingly, I changed Gunter's story because I really like the old man and wanted to give him a happier life and so I did, sad about his son but I needed to add more drama on his part. No Robin and Azura in this chapter, and I really don't have much to say this time, so stay tuned for the next one.**


	16. Chapter 16: Darkness Within

***Chapter 16: Darkness Within**

"What have we got here?" Said a snarky looking man who looks like a mercenary standing guard of a cave located a mile away in a forest from Cyrkensia as two other mercenaries come in holding two people hostage with bags on their heads and hands behind their back while handcuffed with chains. "These are the two wise-asses who made contact?"

"Yep, and whatever they're promising has the boss all intrigued so we best not keep him waiting." One of the two men replied.

"Alright, better hurry this up then, the boss is planning on heading out soon." The Guard said as the two mercenaries enter and drag in the other two and after a long walk, the two ''captives'' are forced to take a seat on chairs beside each other. Once that is done the bags are removed from their heads, revealing the pair to be Robin and Azura. They look at their surroundings and see that they are in a rundown looking living room of a large house, probably an old mansion built in the forest that has long since been abandoned. Dawn has risen so they can see clearly enough without trouble.

"This is dignifying." Azura muttered sarcastically, not liking the latest scenario they're trapped in.

"It's not so bad, beats breaking and entering into the house of a well-respected dancer to hide out with an injured man." Robin replied sarcastically himself.

"Injured Realmwalker, you mean?" Azura corrected.

"Realmwalker? Is that what you're going to call me from now on?" He asked. "I mean, I've been called a lot of things in my less than healthy line of work but that one is the most accurate I've ever had."

"Unhealthy is also a perfect word to describe you considering the mountain of trouble you're in." Azura said annoyed.

"Hey, I got us out of Cyrkensia in one peace, didn't I? It's not my fault you didn't get any sleep last night." Robin argued, earning himself a scowl from the Songstress. "Okay, fine, it technically is but I warned you that you'd be in for a doozy but I gave you a Sleepless Spell as well as myself to not suffer from that sort of fatigue so you have no room to complain about that one."

"There is a lot to be desired in this scenario you put us in, Robin, expecting me to keep quiet about your past is another thing entirely." Azura protested stoically.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." He shrugged.

"You mean get pummeled into that bridge when Corrin learns you don't have a memory loss because she is no longer stable."

"Wow! Wow! You really are Nohrian because that is just sassy in all the wrong levels." Robin muttered.

"Hate to interrupt this romance spasm but I believe it's about time we get down to business." Said a man entering the scene while carrying a chair with him that he places in front of the two to sit down to speak with them better. Said man is none other than the leader of the Black Bulls, Shura. "Who goes first, though considering our previous misadventures I say introductions are off the table, eh, Robin?"

"I'm just surprised you would come in with such a lackluster entrance unlike the last few times." Robin shrugged.

"Why do you two make it sound like you've known each other before we met back in Aikawa?" Azura questioned.

"Yeah, sorry about that but Shura and I have made a deal of sorts long before the Aikawa incident, I just didn't say anything because… well, I'm new to this whole Hoshidan Royal Guard duty and he's a known criminal so I didn't want to walk on thinner ice with you guys than I already have been." Robin confessed.

"Well, you're just full of surprises aren't you." Azura scoffed.

"You two have a lot of making up to do." Shura joked in amusement. "One of the rooms here is still in good condition."

"That won't be necessary. Anyhow, you seem to have made yourself comfortable upon coming back to the West, we arrived last night." Robin said, wanting the subject changed.

"Really, I've arrived three days ago." Shura retorted smugly. "I've warned you I was mighty resourceful so that makes me the winner of our little bet."

"We never agreed to that." Robin proclaimed. "We need your help; we've been separated from our allies and I'm low on magic power and any moment now I'm going to drop from magic overuse."

"Shocker, that's what you get after the stunt you pulled in the Opera House." Shura replied. "Nestra may not be well equipped with the Audio Magic the Nohrians have to maintain a perfect form of communication across the country but word still gets around fast, especially for us Black Bulls since we have plenty of eyes and ears around the criminal underworld."

"And that's why I made contact with those in Cyrkensia I knew would lead me to a higher up." Robin said.

"I be lying if I said I'm not tempted to help considering how close you are to one of the Hoshidan Royals but in my experience, unless they're desperate or scum themselves, Nobles don't last long as acquaintances." Shura said skeptically.

"True, but you can trust Corrin, and I did help you out for free during that heist in Macarath. I could've turned you in but I didn't because I knew what they do to Black Bulls in Nohrian prisons." Robin reminded him.

"You sure did." Shura said, rubbing his chin, contemplating on what to do on this matter. "What is it you want that you think I can supply exactly and what would be my compensation for helping wanted war criminals of Nohr. You know that the Royals are itching to get their claws on you after basically kidnapping their third Princess. The reward for your head is awfully tempting."

"A Warp Tome for our use, I know you have plenty, as well as a Weisslogia Gem." Robin requested.

"Whoa! Whoa! Slow down there, Prince Charming. I know I owe you big time but what you're asking is worth a fortune, and I can only be persuaded to give the tome for free." Shura declined.

"You sure like to drive a hard bargain, but this meeting hasn't even started yet." Robin sighed, seeing this coming.

"Don't look so gloomy, you knew this conversation was heading this way and if you were bold enough to come here and ask for help than it can only mean that you have something worthwhile, or at the very least are willing to do a few favors for me." Shura concluded.

"Basically, take your pick." Robin replied.

"I'm thinking both." Shura decided.

"Of course you would." Robin said sarcastically.

"First thing's first, there's someone else I would like you to meet that would be very interested in doing business with you, and I believe you've met her before." Shura said.

"And who's she?" Robin questioned.

"Why, darling, ask and you shall receive." Spoke a mischievous tone of a woman entering the scene, a very attractive woman with long crimson hair wrapped in a ponytail, wearing a unique version of the uniforms worn by female Outlaws. A familiar face to both Robin and Azura.

"Anna." Robin sighed in annoyance, familiar with this woman.

"The Secretive Merchant." Azura uttered.

"I'm glad to know how my reputation proceeds me, though I'm pretty sure you're referring to one of my sisters in Hoshido." The Outlaw replied with one of the brightest smiles she can muster. "So, you must be the amnesiac Mage Fighter, Robin. You're quite the talk here in the West, especially after defecting to Hoshido's militia."

"I was never a part of the Nohrian Army, I lived with one of their Princesses but I was more a poor butler than a soldier. I don't know how many times I have to explain this to you Annas." Robin muttered. "Your family never makes things easy for me."

"Now, now, wipe that frown off your face, darling, it doesn't suit you. And it's just like Shura said, we may owe you but we didn't last this long in this lifestyle by being stupidly trustworthy." Anna winked at him.

"I figured as much." Robin sighed, deciding to appeal more to Shura and Anna's greed. "Alright, I'm a man who always wants to pay his debts more so than collecting them. Name your prize."

"So many things, you know how we Annas are. However…" Anna began as she started to get more serious and, surprisingly concern. "I don't know how deep your ties with the Hoshidan Royals are exactly but I like to think you have your way around helping those who you set your sights on, so maybe you can find someone for me."

"Someone needs saving and your connections aren't cutting it." Robin surmised.

"Shocking, I know but ever since the death of King Sumeragi, the criminal underworld has been growing more unpredictable, very slowly sure, but the corruption is starting to show and everyone is too focus on Nohr to notice, and whoever these new players are and going after our properties ain't your usual lunatics, murderers and psychopaths. They aim for keeps and literally bathe in blood." Shura said, actually sounding fearful of something.

"I know nothing about any unknowns. Any clues?" Robin asked.

"Not sure but the level of violence that broke out in Izumo resembled some other attacks we've been hearing all over in the bleaker corners of the continent." Shura explained, earning surprise glances from Robin and Azura, making them greatly concern as those attacks must be because of the Sins.

"They've been around that long." Azura muttered horrified.

"Dammit." Robin cursed their luck as the threat of the Seven is becoming ever more present and they've only dealt with three of them and the damaged they've done by one of them is the kind expected of an army, and now they learned that they've been in Horus for likely almost thirteen years. "Alright, and this someone who you want me to find, you sure they're alive?"

"I sure hope so. Lord knows I've nearly exhausted all my contacts trying to find her." Anna said, showing more worry.

* * *

Lilith rushes towards the corridor where Mozu was left and hopefully is still safe until they get there before they can escape, which of course it's easier said and done with the Apathies in hot pursuit and their attempts to stop her with their magical screams to force her into becoming more docile, which seem to work as Lilith is slowing down that the skeletal beasts are able to catch up to her, but the little dragon persists and summons more glass weapons to strike at the Apathies but only manage to hit one of them, their reflexes are inhumane but even then, all she managed to do was knock one of the two wall crawling in the ceiling to fall to the ground, while rolling but the ridiculously tall beast is able to get on its feet way too quick and continues its pursuit, while Lilith manages to go faster. They're almost there but are halted again, this time by a Creep bursting out of the ground, and collides with Lilith's barrier, and while not strong enough to break it, the impact does halt the Astral Dragon, allowing the Apathies to catch up with her again and use their screams some more, affecting Lilith more and more, until she can barely keep her eyes open and her barrier's decreasing slightly but not enough for the Grimm to penetrate it but enough for Zero, as he and Leo catch up to them via warp tome and he quickly fires an anti-magic arrow that one shot from it is all it took to shatter her barrier.

Lilith and Corrin get surrounded by the Apathy, stretching their arms to restrain the two. Lilith is too ''exhausted'' to do anything but Corrin seems to still have some fight left in her as she tries to force the Apathies off her but their grip is tighter than their skinny appearance makes them out to be.

"You always did suck in playing tag with Elise." Leo joked.

The Apathy holding Corrin by her left gets impaled by a Blessed Lance, with its holy properties, immediately kills the Grimm and reduces it into miasma, and everyone in the vicinity is surprised to see that the one who did it is Mozu, who too went against Corrin's orders. Corrin seized this opportunity as she grabs Yato and uses it to slay the other Apathy holding her.

"Why doesn't anyone listen to me anymore." Corrin muttered as she goes to take on the remaining five Apathies and Creep but is halted by their screams, forcing her to her knees again but still she proceeds and tries to attack, only to be attacked by the Creep who rams her to a wall, making her drop Yato again as she uses both her arms to push the ugly thing off her. As frightening as all this is, Mozu remains remarkably valiant, and without thinking clearly rushes forward and impales another of the Apathies with her lance, their screams unable to affect her.

"What?!" Leo gasped.

Another of the Apathies attempts to kill the young girl with its claws but Corrin counters, summoning her dragonic lance-like arm to block the claws and then impales that Apathy as well to the other wall. Leo retaliates against his former sister's continued defiance, by summoning a tree from below her, violently pinning her to the ceiling, which causes her to cough out a bit of blood.

"The Apathies have no effect on that girl." Zero said intrigued.

"Ridiculous." Leo scoffed at this, and in an act of villainy, the Nohrian Prince fires a sphere of dark magic at Mozume for her interference with both Corrin and Lilith currently powerless to stop it nor is the Villager fast enough to avoid it and gets blasted but to the further surprise of everyone, as soon as the dark magic attack hit Mozu, it fades away just as fast, with her completely unharmed and just confuse.

"It can't be…" Leo uttered. The Creep goes to attack her next with Mozu unable to stop it from taking a bite out of her left arm but the moment it did touch her, the Creep, implodes entirely, knocking the remaining Apathy away from her, and also entirely destroying the tree pinning Corrin to the ceiling, dropping her back on the floor.

"She's invulnerable to Dark Magic in general." Zero said more surprised.

"A feat like that should not be possible except… for THOSE people." Leo cursed, realizing the problem.

"But that means…" Lilith whispered, coming only with one conclusion as to how this is possible, same as Leo, and in a last attempt to escape from the Dark Crusader's grasps, the Astral Dragon reverts back to her human form and slams her Dragonstone with as much force as she can muster on the ground, not to break it, instead to summon multiple blades of glass from the ground, walls and ceiling on their assailant.

"Milord!" Zero cried out as he pulls his Prince away from the danger zone since Leo has no time to make a warp to escape, luckily the remaining Apathy are able to assist, grab Leo and Zero and pull them away from the blades that don't go very far and there aren't as many that came from the ceiling and so they escaped by wall crawling.

"Let's go, this won't hold them for long at all." Lilith shouted as the three girls escape for the moment.

"Run as far into the Light as you can, Corrin but there is nowhere Nohr's Darkness can't reach. Not anymore!" Leo declared.

Corrin, Lilith and Mozu make their way to a garrison currently used as a battlefield with the Chevians against Nohrians but there are no Grimm here at least, and the Chevians seem to be the ones winning with only a Nohrian Ranger left standing that swiftly kills three soldiers with his Killer Axe, and then stops a hammer swung at him by grabbing the Chevian Fighter's wrist and prepares to cut him down next but Corrin stops him by snatching Mozu's lance from her and throws the weapon directly at the axe with enough force to force the Ranger to drop it, allowing the Fighter to fight back, releasing his arm from his grasps and slams the hammer at his face, knocking him down for the count.

"Don't let up, we have to keep on fighting!" The Commander of these soldiers roared as they have to keep going before noticing Corrin, Lilith and Mozu approaching him and recognizes them as his Hoshidan allies. "You three?"

"We don't have much time, tell us, where is the Dragon Vein that summons the Great Wall?" Lilith asked the Commander with haste.

"Excuse me?"

"There's no time, I found a way to turn it back on." Lilith declared.

"You do?" Corrin asked shocked. "How?"

"I'll explain when we get there." Lilith said while holding on to Mozu's hand tightly.

"Right this way!" The Commander replied as he will lead them to where the Dragon Vein is, more motivated by desperation than trust.

* * *

Back outside, the battle continues to rage on with things so far in Nohr's favor even though the Hoshidans remain headstrong and refusing to back down.

Oboro yells violently as she confronts the craze looking Paladin of Crown Prince Xander with lances, since Peri manages to recover her Killer Lance from earlier, and they seem evenly matched for the most part but Oboro is clearly the better spear fighter, since her class specializes solely in lance combat, while Peri was trained to know how to wield both a lance and a sword so while she clearly has skills wielding both, learning to master two weapons requires extra time and Oboro has the impression that Peri is one of those kinds of people that don't bother to organize their training regimen to mastering one weapon at a time, given her childish attitude. Peri is, however, resourceful as she fights using both Killer Lance and Killing Edge. Oboro manages to get behind Peri and aims for her legs, of which the blue-haired dame counters by stabbing her sword on the ground behind her at the nick of time for Oboro's Spear to hit the blade instead. Peri then swings her lance for the Spear Master's neck, which Oboro avoids, and Peri proceeds by pulling her Killing Edge from the ground to quickly strike her, but Oboro evades by backflipping far enough away, not that it stops Peri who continues her assault by throwing her spear that Oboro barely blocks in time, leaving her visibly wide open for another attack that she can't avoid.

"Die now." Peri cheered as she goes forward with her sword, not knowing that Oboro is still capable of making a counterattack that should give an advantage to completely disarm her. However, Peri is not the only one to think she has a chance to kill her as an arrow is fired directly at her from her right that she notices in time to halt her charge and back away in time to avoid the arrow that looks like the ones fired by the Fujin Yumi but significantly weaker, and Peri gives a quick glance to see that the ones who fired were both Takumi and Sakura, using the Sacred Treasure since the former is still unable to use both arms, with Sakura holding the bow with one hand and Takumi using his only good hand to pull the string to fire and the shot seemed almost precise that Peri was completely lucky that she even noticed.

Oboro goes forward anyway, swinging her naginata hard enough to make Peri drops her sword, and in retaliation, Peri kicks the weapon from Oboro's arms with enough force as well, leaving them both without a weapon for a moment, but that means little to the ''Demon Lady'' as she pins Peri to the ground and proceeds to punch her senselessly.

"How do you like it when the tables have turned, bitch!" Oboro roared violently, her demonic glare ever present.

"I-is that really who my sister in law is going to be one day?" Sakura asked, always frighten when Oboro behaves like this.

"Is now really the time for that." Takumi hissed, more irritated with his sister than embarrassed. The Prince is pulled out of this annoying predicament when they notice Oboro cease her brutality, with a mortified expression on her face because Peri stabs her by her stomach with a Silver Dagger she kept hidden until now.

"It's only fun when I do it!" Peri shouted as she pushes the Spear Master off her and leaves her lying on the ground, trying to cover her wound as the dagger went too deep, with her pretty much defeated.

"Oboro!" Takumi cried in horror with Hinata rushing to her aid, only to be stopped by Laslow who arrives at the scene, leaving Odin to handle the other Retainers.

"Now, now, I know this looks bad but it's rude to interrupt a catfight, especially one of two beastly ladies." Laslow insisted.

"Shut up and get out of my way!" Hinata growled as he goes forward and clashes swords with the Nohrian Mercenary, who turns his sword into a bow and fires an arrow that while the Samurai is able to parry, Laslow is given the chance to slip past Hinata and kick him in the back and knock him to the ground, and later shoots another arrow at Sakura but only to knock the Fujin Yumi off her hand.

"Shit!" Takumi cursed.

"Can't have any more of that." Laslow smiled innocently.

"I'm feeling stabby." Peri giggled childishly but also with hints of malice, getting on top of the Spear Master as she desires to stab Oboro some more with her dagger.

"No, bad Peri! Prince Leo wants as many of the Hoshidans here captured if possible, and that one's down for now so no bludgeoning anyone to death." Laslow sounded like he is lecturing a spoiled brat.

"AH! First Lord Xander, Leo and now you! I hate you all!" Peri cried indignantly as she begrudgingly leaves Oboro alone.

"Times up, Prince Takumi, for your little sister's sake I'd surrender if I were you." Laslow advised.

"Shut up! This battle is not over! I refuse to ever lose to Nohrian Scum!" Takumi snapped in defiance.

"And what makes you think you can win, you stupid pineapple head?" Peri dared mockingly.

"Oh, now you've gone and done it!"

* * *

"It should be right here." The Commander said as he escorted the trio into the same war room where they reunited with Ryoma.

"Not where I expect to find a Dragon Vein but whatever." Corrin muttered while Lilith walks to the center of the room, gets on her knees and places her hand on the floor, doing so reveals the Dragon Vein in a very dim and weak white glow and only now is Corrin able to feel it as she couldn't earlier.

"This is it." Lilith said.

"I've never felt a dragon vein so weak before." Corrin said, gazing at the vein.

"This dark magic is unlike anything I have ever felt, almost as if it's from the Outrealms." Lilith muttered before turning to Mozu. "Come here Mozu."

"Me?" Mozu questioned in confusion.

"You're our best chance at purging this corruption from this Dragon Vein." Lilith revealed, to Mozu and Corrin's confusion.

"What? How?" Corrin asked perplexed.

"There's no time to explain." Lilith said as she grabs Mozu's hand and pulls her closer to the Dragon Vein, gets her on her knees and places both her hands on the Vein and in doing so, the Dragon Vein starts to glow even brighter, not as bright as it should but better than it was seconds ago. "Now listen very carefully, Mozume. I know you're confused right now and even more so, scared, and that's alright but you need to be valorous. Okay. What you have to do is simple and focus your thoughts on the Dragon Vein, desire to unleash its power, your blood will do the rest."

"I don't really get it but… okay." Mozu complied, doing as instructed, not just because she was told to but because of something else, ever since she first set foot on Cheve she felt like something was calling her, a force that's both ominous, yet familiar and blissful, even though she's never been here before, or rarely ever stepped outside of her village. In almost no time at all, the Dragon Vein's white light shines even brighter, spreading a surge of energy all across the room.

"This feels slightly different than the other veins we activated." Corrin said.

"It's supposed to be different." Lilith said as Mozu is actually doing it, she's purging Selena's corruption.

* * *

The Nohrians are nearly done ceasing total control over the Rebels' base of operation and soon they can proceed with the rest of Cheve.

"Dammit, where is that Dragon Vein?! I can't even sense it's divine magic." Leo cursed, mainly focus on finding Corrin, and as of this moment, Mozu primarily.

"Selena and Beruka were the ones who discovered its whereabouts but neither bothered to mentioned where it is since there was really no point in its current state." Zero reminded.

"Well, it's biting at us now." Leo scoffed. "We have got to find them before it's… before it's…" The Dark Prince suddenly felt off somehow, and it didn't take long for Zero to notice as his master is starting to lose his balance and trips.

"Whoa there." Zero quickly catches Leo and tries to keep him on his feet but then Leo begins to cough a lot, a clear sign that he's beginning to feel a lot of pain, forcing him to place him down to lean on a wall, and that's when he now has trouble breathing. "HEY! What's wrong?!"

Zero then turns around and notices the Grimm beside him screeched suddenly and turn completely into miasma, like what happens when they are killed, further worsening the situation.

"What's going on?!" Zero shouted, now unaware of the Chevian archers approaching them and waste no time in shooting at them, once they recognize Leo as the faces of the Nohrian Royal Family is almost common knowledge across the West of Horus, but the duo are saved by the arrival of unmounted Rod Knights who create a barrier around the two for their safety and later fire magic attacks at the archers to finish them off.

"What's wrong with the Prince?" One of the Knights asked in a panic, once they see their Prince's current state.

"I don't know but start healing him!" Zero demanded, in which the rod knights quickly do so. "What's the status of the Grimm?"

"We just passed by a platoon of them on our way here, and they just faded away, as if they have been killed." A Female Knight explained, panic in her voice. "What is going on, Sir Zero?"

"I hate to say it, but I think our treacherous Princess has found a way to turn the Great Wall back on." Zero cursed.

"Right you are." Replied Lilith who shows up before them, alarming the knights to prepare and shoot her.

"Hold your fire!" Zero ordered.

"It's over Nohrians, the Great Wall was made fueled with the power of the God of Earth who holds a strong resentment towards your god, as such anything of sacred dark relation inside of it, like the Grimm, will die, and that includes any one of the Dusk Bloodline." Lilith revealed.

"Well, congratulations, little traitor, no sense in trying to get him out of here since we can't even perform Warp Magic inside the wall as well." Zero scoffed.

"No, the Great Wall is yet to reach full power, in its current state Warp Tomes are useable but you only have ten minutes before escorting Prince Leo and Princess Camilla to safety is no longer plausible. Your choice." Lilith explained, giving them a heads up for them to escape before they lose two of the Royal Family.

"Zero…" Leo barely whispered, getting his Retainer and Knights to turn to him. "Don't… you dare do… anything stupid."

"As you wish, Milord." Zero sighed as it falls on him to make the order, even though Leo is still stubborn enough to do that himself but Zero has enough influence to control their soldiers when the higher-ups are out of commission. "This attack is a failure, light the Red Flare outside."

"WHAT DID I JUST…" Leo snapped at his Retainer but stops once he begins to cough again and this time with blood coming out of his mouth.

"Yeah, that's not good. LET'S GO!" Zero ordered the Rod Knight with a Warp Tome hysterically preparing the spell while the others run away to warn the others that they have to fall back.

* * *

"Lady Camilla…?" Selena uttered as she and Beruka see Camilla cease her assault on a soon to be finished Hinoka lying on the ground bested and falls on her knees coughing out blood. "Oh, shit!"

"What in the…" Hinoka muttered, confused before taking this chance to escape while the two Retainers rush to Camilla's side.

"All the Grimm are dying." Ryoma said surprised as he witnesses Nohr's Demons fade away all the sudden, though as relief as he is by this, he would very much like to know why, and he gets his answers by a bright light above as the sky is glowing in azure color that brightens the ground with twice the sunlight of dawn for three seconds before returning to normal.

"The Great Wall!" Scarlet gasped with immense relief.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Selena protested in disbelief. She and Beruka then turn to their right and see a red flare be fired upwards and it is bright enough for everyone to see, especially the Nohrians.

"The signal to retreat." Beruka uttered. "But we can't break through the barrier."

"Let's regroup with the others before we can think about escaping." Selena said as she helps Camilla climb on to Beruka's Wyvern.

"Where do you think you're going!" Saizo hissed as he attempts to stop them from escaping.

"Anywhere we wish, asshole! Forseti!" Selena shouted as she summons a powerful horizontal tornado spell from Morgenstern that blows Ryoma, his retainers, Scarlet and Hinoka far away from the trio, giving them more than enough time to flee but Beruka's Wyvern cannot carry all three women as it's not big enough and so Selena has to flee in some other way which is through the use of her wind magic to propel herself to the air, seemingly flying and at speeds almost faster than a wyvern.

"I liked that tome better when it was on our side." Hinoka cursed.

* * *

"Retreat!" Peri cried in horror upon seeing the red flare. "No fair! We can't lose again!"

"Nothing that can be done about it now, partner." Laslow said while turning to his left and seeing Odin rushing to their side, in the same manner that Selena just performed with wind magic.

"You are in safe hands with me my comrades!" Odin yelled as he performs a wind spell to create two tornados that surround, Laslow and Peri that propels them to the air beside the Warlock as he next places all three of them in a large air bubble that he uses to keep them afloat and fly away towards where the Nohrians are gathering because even though they can no longer take over Cheve without the Grimm and are trapped in the Dukedom they were instructed by Camilla to gather together should they need to fall back under the promise they could find a way out together.

"Well… this is quite the turn of events." Takumi smiled relief.

"I-Is this… Corrin's doing?" Sakura wondered.

* * *

"You got lucky, kid but next time there will be no one to help you. Kohga will be avenged!" Hans hissed as he reluctantly retreats with his men and flees from Kaze who doesn't bother to go after him, and just sighs over the ordeal he just went through.

* * *

The Nohrians regroup near the northeast of the Great Wall where Zero is waiting with a large portal conjured by Mages behind him.

"Alright everyone, into the portal, chop-chop!" Zero ordered.

"Wait, we can still use Warp Tomes?" Selena questioned.

"This pesky barrier is not at full power yet, but as it is now it will kill any Grimm or member of our Royal Family that's inside and it be risky to go and take Cheve with the wall active and our masters in danger of dying so it's back to the drawing board in Windmire." Zero said as the Nohrians waste no time in getting inside, Selena and Beruka being the first since they are carrying a nearly dead Camilla.

* * *

"HA, look at them run away without their precious demons. Cowards!" Scarlet laughed in triumphed. "I knew my faith in you wasn't misplaced, Ryoma."

"I always do my best to keep my promises, though I get the feeling that the gratitude belongs to Corrin." Ryoma smiled, while sighing in relief over their accomplishment.

* * *

"Gawds Dammit!" Selena roared angrily as she slices a box in two with her sword as she and the rest of the army retreated back to the barracks of Windmire. "I can't believe the whole thing ended as a bust!"

"You said that breaking that spell, any spell from your tome was impossible!" Beruka berated her while tending to a still incapacitated Camilla while the healers begin working on her.

"Don't you dare put the blame on me! My curse was foolproof!" Selena argued.

"Against anything Hoshido could've pulled, perhaps." Leo mumbled as he walks to me with his comrades, dismissing the healers tending to him. "Corrin has acquired someone very special who could restore the Great Wall to full strength regardless of what we could inflict. You all did wonderfully, we simply overestimated Corrin's incompetence."

"I've been telling you that for years." Camilla replied weakly, feeling better. "This whole thing was just a minor setback, nothing more."

"The wicked have won the day but victory may yet be ours, my friends." Odin declared.

"For once, Odin, we are at an agreement. Cheve may have survived our first onslaught but our moles are everywhere and remain in the dark in case the attack was a bust and will continue to discreetly sabotage anymore of their attempts to fight back, though with the Great Wall intact we have no way to contact them but it is of little concern." Leo said confidently. "One way or another, Hoshido is all alone in our chaos."

"I can have another go and make sure that stupid wall stays demolish and in pieces for sure next time." Selena offered.

"I'm sure you can but that can wait, Corrin will be up to something else and we better focus on them, for now, the Chevians are cornered sheep waiting to be feasted by the wolves." Leo commented, unknowingly making Selena, Odin and Laslow feel more awkward then they have ever felt in their lives.

"Right…"

* * *

"That was the biggest close call and dumbest of lucky breaks I've ever had in my life." Hana muttered relief as the Hoshidans return to the underground base to rest and heal their wounds after winning the previous battle. "Would've been more satisfying if I had bested that idiot mage in swordplay but a win is a win."

"The Dawn Dragon smiled upon us this day in our efforts to aid the people of his son, it seems." Subaki smiled.

"The Chevians sure are throwing a ruckus over this achievement." Hayato said hearing the people outside cheering in celebration over the battle won.

"Can you blame them, today was a great victory, not only did we prove that the Nohrians aren't infallible but that we can really count on Hoshido to help us win." Scarlet smirked.

"Glad we made you happy, Scarlet but there's still the matter that the Nohrians did manage to breach into your base and caused a lot of damage and almost a decent amount of casualties." Hinoka said based on what they were informed of once they returned.

"Yeah, that took a bite out of my soul, add those deaths to the list of people Nohr is going to pay in blood for." The Wyvern Lord replied with a small hint of venom in her voice. "Our chances to earn the people's trust may have increased but it also became increasingly easier to break now that we can confirm that there are moles among us. It's always been difficult to trust anyone with all this strife and now we are at a race against time to solve this problem because there's no way we're going to aid you guys in stopping Nohr if my people are busy aiming at each other's throats."

"Not yet, I believe I may have a solution that will allow us to snuff out the moles in Cheve and restore order to the Dukedom in our favor." Saizo offered.

"If so, then I shall leave it in your capable hands, Saizo." Ryoma replied to his most trusted soldier.

"Hey, ah, I hate to change subjects but I am super curious, how were you able to get the Great Wall back up." Hayato asked.

"You can thank Mozu for that, she restored it." Corrin revealed.

"She can use Dragon Veins? How?!" Takumi asked largely amazed.

"Shouldn't it be obvious; she has Dragon Blood coursing through her veins." Lilith explained.

"If that's true then why didn't you say so earlier?" Kaze asked.

"I had a feeling the first time I laid eyes on her but I just wasn't sure, something about her bloodline that made it hard to discern anything with certainty but it was clear from the start that she is special." Lilith explained. "But then I saw her withstand the dark magic of the Apathy Grimm and even Brynhildr with no harm to herself and then I was sure of what she really is."

"Hey, you're making it sound like I'm some kind of freak." Mozu argued.

"She means it in a good way, punk, don't go getting upset over something so stupid." Rinkah lectured. "You've been all sorts of weird ever since Corrin adopted you out of pity and you're stronger and faster than any little village brat should be and when Corrin rescued Hinoka from a Nuckelavee, you were more afraid of its appearance rather than it's Terror Scream, meaning your resistance to dark magic is unnatural. Also, my own dragon blood has been getting boiling up ever since I first laid eyes on you, as if it's trying to tell me something."

"I've been feeling something as well, though it was more like something clicking in my head here and there, like a sense of familiarity." Takumi added.

"I didn't feel anything." Hinoka stated with Corrin, Sakura and Hayato also feeling nothing from Mozu the same way as Takumi and Rinkah.

"Well, The Blaze Dragon and Stone Dragon are the sons of the Dawn Dragon so it makes sense that both your bloodlines would see each other as kindred spirits." Lilith explained.

"Kindred." Sakura repeated.

"I'm… an Earth Demigoddess?" Mozu muttered in realization.

"The Earth Tribe lingers on!" Scarlet gasped in shock. This is a huge deal for all of Cheve, for the Earth Tribe are the founders of the Dukedom, and a key subject of their resentment for Nohr, just one of them still being around is a real miracle. Scarlet rushes to the door to the room and checks to see if anyone is eavesdropping on the conversation before closing the door tight.

"What are the chances that we would be so blessed to have found her." Hinata laughed exasperatedly.

"Now that's what I call the hand of Fate at work." Hayato mused.

"My, oh my, good call in adopting her, Lady Corrin." Azama praised playfully.

"I didn't… I didn't know what she really was." Corrin mumbled.

"No way in hell can this information be passed along. If the Moles find out they won't think twice about killing her to keep the Great Wall from ever being cursed again when the Nohrians give it another shot." Scarlet said adamantly about keeping Mozu safe.

"But… I can't bend earth like Rinkah can summon fire or Hayato can control the wind, I couldn't even protect my parents." Mozu said, overwhelmed by this revelation.

"Not all of the Elemental Tribes were known for controlling the element they were named after, the Earth Tribe were instead known for their strength, breaking solid stone and bending steel with ease, running faster than any animal, hardening their skin so densely that they can take any hit no matter how fatal, surviving a fall of a thousand miles and having complete immunity to dark magic, and more importantly, being able to activate Dragon Veins as well." Ryoma explained.

"And young Mozu is remarkably strong as she demonstrated a few times and is fast enough to outrun a deadly predator like a Necrodragon." Subaki noted.

"A Necrodragon!" Ryoma and Scarlet uttered at once. They didn't tell them everything during the reunion.

"Later…" Takumi replied.

"Well Mozu, you certainly proved your worth to us, and sure moved up in the world." Orochi chuckled.

"I got a target on my head!" Mozu protested.

"And that's how you know you stepped up."

"Playful facts about life aside, we should really head back to Hoshido, I have a feeling that Nohr is about to get more savage." Hinoka said.

"Before we do, now is the time to see the Rainbow Sage once again. Lady Lilith, is it possible for you to mark Notre Sagesse the same way you did in here?" Ryoma said addressing the Astra Dragon.

"Yes, and the Deeprealm that will lead us there is a paradise in comparison to the Dead Zone so it will be a safe journey this time." Lilith assured.

"Either way we're not letting you go alone this time, don't want to risk any more mad dragons tailing you back to us. At the very least take someone with you." Hinoka declared.

"I'll go, I kind of like this whole dimension-hopping thing." Hinata volunteered.

"You'll do." Lilith replied.

"We should also contact Lady Mikoto and let her know of our progress." Reina suggested, with all of them agreeing.

* * *

The people of Hoshido are having it hard, with those among the lesser cities and villages being forced to evacuate and seek shelter in the major cities like the Capital, with their lands being constantly attacked by the men and beasts of their rival nation, and their army stretched too thin that there's not enough time to evacuate all of them with few of the cities being forced to hold out and wait while they are being protected with whatever military that can be spared for them, one of these unlucky cities is Karakura as the town had once again been victimize by Nohr but this time the Grimm are fewer and they had mostly Warlocks to content to. Tragically, the Nohrians still won, wiping out Karakura's defenses and ceasing control but have become considerably exhausted but still able to maintain control of the town and when one of the townsfolk decided to take up arms against them, the Warlocks did not hesitate to make an example of them for their defiance against Nohr.

Just when all hope seemed lost, more of the Hoshidan Army arrived to help the survivors, eliminate the Nohrians and heal all the wounded, and there sure are a lot. Leading these forces is none other than Queen Mikoto, despite the protest of her advisors, refused to remain idly by when all this is happening and is taking it upon herself to aid those she can, with Yukimura not far behind as her main supporter since her main retainers are aiding her children. And despite having magic at the level of an Onmyoji, she is sorely lacking in any skill to use offensive magic, as such she is actually more of a Priestess like Sakura, and the best one Hoshido has by far, with her personal Pursuer always close when she leaves the safety of Suzanoh.

"That seems to be the last of them, Milady, the survivors of Karakura are now truly saved." Yukimura informed as Mikoto finishes healing up both a woman and her son at the same time.

"Good, not much left but to hurry back then." Mikoto sighed, a little tired since she has been overworking herself, this isn't the first settlement she visited and aided, having been at it for four days now and it certainly won't be the last if things continue the way they are. "Any sign of more danger yet?"

"So far nothing, Grimm sightings have been minimum in this area lately but that could very much spell just as much trouble." Yukimura calculated.

"We'll have to make do, though I sure hope there isn't any more to do and that whatever surprises that come next have better be good ones, otherwise I'm gonna have a stroke." Mikoto muttered, wanting some good news right about now.

"Mother!" The two of them turn to see all of Mikoto's children, minus for Corrin suddenly appear behind them all the sudden.

"Oh, my children!" Mikoto cheered happily as she rushes to give them all a tight hug, something she desperately needed for a while.

"Ah, Milady, I don't think it's really them." Yukimura warned but not because he views them as a threat.

"Wait, mother, we're not really here, we're using…" Ryoma tried to explain to her but it is too late and as soon as she wraps her arms around her children, she phases through them because their astral projections and she hits her face on the snow.

"This is going to become a trend with her." Takumi muttered.

"Yep." Hinoka agreed.

"Right… Astral Projection from Corrin's dragon friend, not really here. My bad." Mikoto mused as she gets back up and dust the snow from her face and kimono and meet with her family but notices that Corrin, Azura and Robin are absent this time. "Where's Corrin and Azura?"

"A lot's happened." Takumi responded weakly.

"That's kind of what we should expect when there's a war but you know you need to be specific with me when it comes to all of you." Mikoto insisted. And soon enough, Mikoto and Yukimura are informed once again of their progress, and again, they give nothing good, especially with what just happened in Cyrkensia and the revelation that Corrin has been under the influence of Wrath for some time.

"Oh Sephiroth, you children are going to be the death of me." Yukimura sighed while rubbing the tip of his nose.

"Azura… and my poor baby…" Mikoto becomes horrified, holding on to her head while looking away from her children. "You have to bring her back, Ryoma, Corrin can no longer be a part of this madness."

"More than anything I want to drag Corrin back to Shirasagi where it's the safest for now, however we cannot." Ryoma regrettably defies his mother and queen.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mikoto demanded, turning back to face him, surprising all four of them as they have rarely seen her show hints of anger, unlike Yukimura who is more accustomed and knows how badly this is going to turn out if Ryoma is serious.

"We need more power if we are to truly stand a chance against Nohr's ungodly might and the Seven Deadly Sins, as well as turn your barrier back on, and so we need to awaken the true power of Yato, we must meet with the Rainbow Sage again." Ryoma declared.

"Have you lost all sense of reasoning, Ryoma! Each time you entered that accursed Sanctuary you drew closer to death and now you want to put all your siblings through that again, Corrin especially!" Mikoto's own temper begins to rise. It seems that Corrin didn't inherit her temper from the Nohrians or Wrath after all.

"It'll just be me and her this time, the Rainbow Sage, for all his apathy and disinterest in the wellbeing of Horus, will understand our plight, and we already have his greatest creations, he won't put us through his horrid trials again." Ryoma assured.

"You don't know that!"

"I'm sorry mother, you can't change my mind on this one, we need all the help we can get and we can't afford to go soft, even towards our own." Ryoma deemed adamantly.

'I've noticed.' Takumi scoffed, still bitter about his latest scolding.

"Dammit Ryoma, why did you had to inherit your father's stubbornness." Mikoto cursed, regarding how sore this whole thing turned out.

"C-Can we… p-please not… a-a-argue." Sakura pleaded. "There are… d-demons everywhere."

"Guys, she's right can we not do this crap!" Hinoka protested.

The debate is interrupted by a fireball fired from above that comes crashing at the walls of Karakura, tearing it apart and alarming everyone to look to the sky and gaze upon a Fafnir soaring through the night sky and attacking.

"A Fafnir!" Ryoma gasped.

"Of course things were going to go south on me." Mikoto sighed, as if she doesn't have enough to deal with, and readies her bow.

"You have to flee mother, even we have trouble fighting this beast." Ryoma demanded as the siblings can only curse their inability to aid their mother since they aren't physically here.

"Relax you five, I have the rest of the Royal Guard with me and Yukimura has already planned for this sort of thing." Mikoto said unconcern as said Royal Guard arrive on time to guard their Queen as the Fafnir seems to be looking directly at her.

"Naturally, you children just focus on your task and have the Yato ready to awaken and make the barrier operational again." Yukimura said overconfident.

"Alright, please stay safe until we return." Ryoma replied as Lilith cancels out the projections.

"I have not planned for a sudden Fafnir attack." Yukimura confessed, overly concern in reality over this next battle.

"Crapbaskets."

* * *

"Yukimura didn't really plan for that attack, has he?" Takumi asked, judging by how Yukimura himself seemed surprised by the Fafnir's arrival.

"Yep. Gods Dammit." Hinoka cursed over the misfortunes everyone around them is having.

* * *

"Protect the Queen at all cost!" The Commander of the Royal Guard ordered the soldiers to fire all they can at the wyvern-like Grimm, but the mighty beast is fast for its size and evades every shot thrown at it, and it makes its move as from its body, in particular, the belly, exudes black, incredibly viscous tar-like substances that upon hitting the ground take the form of smaller Grimm, like Creeps, Beowolves, Ursai and Boarbatusks that attack the Hoshidans.

The Fafnir summons more Grimm, a few more who morph while still in the air, becoming Manticores and Lancers who quickly put them at a disadvantage being attack both by land and the air with few Sky Knights to support them, and the smaller ones are just diversions, giving the Fafnir a better shot at his main target. The Grimm may seem for the most parts mindless without their human masters to guide them but some have shown to display intelligence, however this is actually the result of Nohrians giving certain Grimm instructions to follow through with strategies while there are no Nohrians around, meaning that there are Loyalists watching from afar who had planned for an ambush, knowing the Queen would come.

The Fafnir fires its mighty fire breath towards the Queen being escorted away but with really no way out. And just at the nick of time, someone comes flying towards the deadly flames and with a swing of twin swords clad in lightning, the flames are countered by a mighty blast of electricity that blows them away and creates an explosion above all of them. The savior then makes a swift and clean cut to the Fafnir's right-wing by the arm, causing it to crash down.

"Robin!" Mikoto gasped, quickly recognizing that the rescuer is indeed Robin.

"~You are the Ocean's gray waves…~" The familiar voice of Azura is next heard as she sings her magical song, somehow able to use the power that comes with it even though she no longer has her pendant but the same light it channels is now coming from her right hand, only much brighter, and as she continues to sing, her magic spreads to all the Grimm who cannot withstand the song, exactly like the Blight Dragon and dissolve just the same, except for the Fafnir who is more resilient and releases another fire breath but Robin gets in the way and takes the hit with his Levin Swords by creating a lightning barrier that blocks the flames long enough for the Grimm Dragon to be killed by Azura's song.

As soon as she stops, the Songstress takes a deep breath, feeling exhausted from using her power to such an extent.

"Azura!" Mikoto cried in relief as she rushes to her and forces into a tight embrace that the former cannot really comply due to how tired she is. "Are you okay?! I thought… I thought I lost you."

"It's… wonderful to see you as well, Lady Mikoto." Azura replied kindly, though there are hints of pain in her voice that Mikoto didn't pick up on due to still feeling confused after seeing her real mother again.

"A pleasure to see you unharmed, your Grace." Robin greeted as he gently flies down beside the two women and fellow tactician.

"How did you two escape, Ryoma and the others told us the Nohrians got you both?" Mikoto asked.

"Good, they made it to Cheve quicker than I expected." Robin said relieved. "It was a close call but I managed to take us out of the Opera House and later Cyrkensia with the aid of the Black Bulls as I discovered a way to contact them months ago and scored a deal with their leader to supply us with what I needed, like a Warp Tome to leave Nestra but when I tried to warp us into Cheve I could only take the two of us as far as their borders and couldn't enter, most likely because of the Stone Dragon's Great Wall, so we decided to come back to Hoshido to look for you, under the hope that you were contacted by Corrin, and my first stop was Shirasagi where we learned you were heading here."

"Well, at least there aren't too many bad surprises today. I'm glad you're both okay but I wish you'd arrived sooner, I just finished talking with Ryoma and the others. Corrin is devastated, believing you were killed and Azura captured." Mikoto explained.

"A pain I will mend soon. Did they mentioned where she and the others might be heading off to." Robin asked.

"Notre Sagesse, Ryoma is adamant about harnessing the Yato's power in spite of my protests." Mikoto revealed irritated.

"It was inevitable and we truly need the Yato now more than ever, we're close to gaining all the necessary power to beat the might of the Grimm." Azura assured.

"Not close enough, but we'll get there, now it's time for you to return home, your Grace." Robin said now holding his newly acquired Warp Tome.

"You can't seriously mean to warp every one of our soldiers and citizens of Karakura to Shirasagi do you? You'll exhaust your Magic entirely, or worse." Yukimura said incredulously.

"I managed to gain some fairly decent amount thanks to the Black Bulls, and even if it's not enough I'm gonna have to keep going forward for all our sakes, we can't stay here for much longer in case more Grimm show up." Robin warned.

"Crapbaskets, you're stubborn…" Mikoto uttered.

'Quite the son in law I'm getting right here.' Mikoto mused. 'Still, why do all the women in my family keep chasing after men with a death wish?'

"You have no idea." Azura sighed.

"Oh, you say that too." Robin replied surprised by what Mikoto first said.

"Huh…"

"Milady!" A Ninja steps forward and bows to give a report. "Scouts have reported a few Dark Mages that were likely the ones who sent the Fafnir after us hiding in the mountains. Once intercepted only a few of them got away while the rest have been apprehended."

"Are there any Loyalists among them?" Mikoto asked.

"We can't affirm that yet. The brand is only visible when it's power is being used."

"Fingers cross that we're finally lucky." Mikoto said. "Bring them all in, it's time to return to the Capital."

Exactly twelve Nohrians have been apprehended and are being rounded up and taken to Karakura where Robin will begin to warp everyone back to Suzanoh. Before he does however, Robin notices that two among the new prisoners of war don't seem like they belong in any squad.

"Unhand me this instant, you miscreants!" One stubborn and rude Butler demanded furiously.

"Not the hair, not the hair!" A sad Maid cried out.

"Naga's Grace…"

* * *

"We're back!" Hinata cheered as he and Lilith return from the Deeprealm located in Notre Sagesse and they've only been gone for probably four seconds and they look like they just came back from a vacation, completely soothed and relaxed.

"You two look like you just came back from a long trip." Hana noted.

"We were, one minute here is a whole year in that Deeprealm and as I said, it's a paradise over there so we couldn't help ourselves and stayed for a while." Lilith explained most satisfied.

"How long is a while?" Takumi questioned.

"How long is 28 days?" Hinata asked rhetorically and playfully.

"Seriously." Takumi and Oboro groaned.

"I'm sorry but I haven't had a real vacation in months and I had Time itself backing me up, it was a win-win scenario. And you always say we should never let those opportunities slide, Lord Takumi."

"Does that mean you two are banging now." Azama asked out of the blue, causing the Samurai and Astral Dragon in question to become completely flustered and shocked at the question, getting a lot of chuckles from the rest of the group.

"Nobody dare respond to that!" Takumi protested.

"If you say yes I'm cutting your balls." Hana warned.

"Nothing happened, and if there was, what do you guys care?" Hinata muttered, still blushing.

"Don't even get us started on your track record with women." Orochi laughed in amusement.

"I'm still here." Lilith muttered in embarrassment.

"All of you please, can we not get off the real topic and focus. So long as you two did your part in marking the island for us, whatever your businesses are, it is nobody else's concerns." Ryoma said next, still trying to wrap his head around all of this. The Seven Deadly Sins are real, Astral Dragons are real (not that he really doubted the latter), other worlds exist (that he certainly did), and that his recently returned sister has been infected by one of the Sins to succumb to unnatural rage, almost all of his comrades have commented on how lucky they were that Corrin was able to stay calm for as long as she did, something that they believe Robin contributed the most. That last part stung like nothing he's faced so far. Corrin was in so much pain, is still in so much pain ever since she was forced to make that horrible choice and during all that, Ryoma was completely absent when she needs him the most, just as he was absent for most of her life, and now here he is, dragging her along to awaken her weapon's power to push deeper into this war.

"Life is full of wonders and horrors, my son, you are more likely to fail more times than succeeding at anything, but out of all things you will succeed and fail at, looking after our family is the one thing I am confident you will triumph at. Being a family man has always been my greatest pride, and now it's your turn."

His father's final words to him before he ran off to hold off the Nohrians attacking their family in Cyrkensia to buy them time to escape come running back into his thoughts. He said those words as if he knew he wasn't coming back, he truly must've known how serious the circumstances were to say that. Ryoma hasn't felt like much of an older brother in a while, many would assure him that he has more important responsibilities as the High Prince and is doing the right thing by making his priorities so, however, that doesn't change the fact that his heart lies with the former. Watching Corrin like this, so sad and lost, like any minute she is ready to give up on everything, completely contradicting what he had originally thought of her the day they saw each other again for the first time in years, despite the anger and distress she went through in the Bottomless Canyon, Ryoma could tell that she was, or wanted to be an outstanding girl, lusting for adventure and thrill, motivated by a curious nature to learn more. It made sense giving that she had been imprisoned in a dark fortress for so long. All of that seems to be gone now, and Ryoma couldn't prevent it.

Things haven't been easy for his other siblings as well who have been pushing themselves to their very limits for the sake of Hoshido as a whole. Now more than ever he must use all of his strength to protect them and make sure they can work through this together and alive. Admittedly, he hasn't been fair to Takumi as well, though he's had it coming for a long time, Ryoma feels guilty for the way he's been treating him but the oldest of the five siblings can't bring himself to apologize, at least not yet. There are other matters that they both have to concern themselves with.

"We'll be entrusting you to look after your people for now but trust that we will be back to assist you, Scarlet." Ryoma instructed her.

"Don't worry about me, good luck out there." She replied with concern, based on everything she learned of Notre Sagesse, that place is a death sentence, and even though Ryoma has already entered the Sanctuary twice, he harbors no sort of overconfidence, meaning that he has second thoughts about returning there if it wasn't for the circumstances presented before them.

"Hold a moment, you may have told mother that we won't be going along this time around but I didn't agree to anything." Hinoka stepped up, adamantly. "Wherever Corrin goes, I will follow!"

"Of c-course." Sakura replied next, not wanting to be separated from her siblings again.

"We didn't come all this way just to finally meet your girlfriend, after all, and besides, I ain't afraid of the Sage as the rest of you, just frustrated." Takumi said.

"Until all threats have been silenced we won't be leaving your side again, Milord." Saizo swore, speaking for both himself and Kagero.

"My life is Lady Corrin's for as long as I draw breath." Kaze vowed.

"Very well, not like I can really stop you all once you set your minds on something." Ryoma replied with a wider smile and then turns to Corrin. "Are you ready Corrin?" She responded with a silent nod, but that is not good enough for her stepbrother. "I need to hear you say it, Corrin. If there were any other options I would gladly keep you as far away from the Sevenfold Sanctuary as possible, however, you have to go and for that you have to get your head in gear. Don't let Robin's sacrifices go to waste."

Corrin grits her teeth in response to his words but thankfully, it seems to have a positive effect on her, and hopefully will cause her to speak with a little more enthusiasm. To Ryoma's confusion, Corrin instead turns her gaze to Scarlet and speaks with her instead.

"Scarlet. Can I ask you a personal question?" Corrin asked.

"That technically was a question, and I'm not sure about that personal part but okay." Scarlet replied.

"The name of the knights your father killed, what were their names?" She asked abruptly, catching everyone off guard by what she could mean by asking that.

"Okay! Now that's cutting in too deep, don't you think." Scarlet snapped, not liking where this is going.

"Corrin, what is the meaning of this?" Ryoma demanded, not sure he himself likes where Corrin is going with this.

"I know, I know, I'm overstepping my bounds with this but I need to know their names, or at the very least the name of the Great Knight who killed your father." Corrin insisted calmly.

"I feel completely obligated in declining to answer that, it was a very dark chapter in my life after all, same for my Ma and little brothers." Scarlet protested.

"Okay, okay. I'm going to keep things in a calm and concise manner then." Corrin said, taking a deep breath before speaking again but completely opposite from a calm and concise manner. "ANSWER MY GOD DAMN QUESTION BEFORE I TURN INTO A DRAGON AND EAT YOU STARTING FROM YOUR ASS!"

"WHOA!" Everyone just gasped in shock by her sudden outburst and downright wrath.

"S-She's infected again! Lilith do something!" Sakura begged but Lilith makes no replies and remains silent and watching since she knows why Corrin made such a question, overhearing Leo's cruel revelation to further disheartened Corrin over her betrayal.

"Archaean's Bane! It was Gunter, okay! The old son of a bitch's name was Gunter! But I don't remember the other three!" Scarlet cried.

Corrin sighs and calms down after receiving an answer and remains quiet for a bit.

"Corrin, exactly why would you want to even know something so traumatizing and go as far as to threaten Scarlet?" Ryoma demanded again, his patience becoming thinner by the second. Corrin weakly chuckles in response.

"Well, brother, the thing is that I'm thriving my patience thin is all, Wrath aside, I've had a lot of steam to blow for a long time and it's not just Nohr that has earned my own anger." Corrin replied.

"Her weak smile is alarming me for some reason." Hayato uttered nervously, that fighting a horde of Grimm seems more favorable than being near Corrin right now.

The next thing that happens no one sees coming as Corrin sucker punches Scarlet, knocking her hard to the ground.

"Scarlet!" Ryoma cried, rushing to her aid.

"AH! Bitch!" Scarlet snapped at the sudden assault.

"Let's go, Lilith, I need some more sleep." Corrin ordered emotionlessly to her fellow dragon.

"Yes ma'am." Lilith muttered as she warps everyone, minus Scarlet to the Astral Plane, leaving the Chevian Wyvern Lord on the ground.

"Getting sucker-punched out of the blue by someone from Ryoma's family in the first meeting. Talk about a rocky start." She muttered.

* * *

"If anyone but Ryoma needs me, I'll be in my treehouse resting." Corrin said again emotionlessly, walking straight to her treehouse.

"You're not going anywhere until you explain yourself, young lady." Ryoma yelled as she walks after her but is stopped by Lilith who gets in his way.

"Lord Ryoma, halt for a moment, please. I know Corrin's actions was completely uncalled for and downright insane but believe me that was the nicest thing she could've done in that scenario considering how personal this was to her." Lilith pleaded with him to leave her alone.

"In what sense was that her being nice?!" Ryoma asked.

"Didn't she tell you; Gunter is the name of one of our friends that traveled with her to the Bottomless Canyon and was killed by the Sin of Wrath." Lilith revealed, getting Ryoma to calm down, now realizing the true gravity of the situation and Corrin's feelings.

"I see now." Ryoma sighed.

"Right, the actual Nohrian father figure. That… that really complicates things." Hinoka muttered, while also having a lot of concern for Corrin. She knows that for them it's been a few days since what happened in the Opera House but chronologically it's only been one night and she's been bombarded too many times already.

"Well… if the young lady wants to rest, then I suggest we all do the same. Tonight was fun yet again but even I have my limits." Reina spoke up next as she takes her leave as well, though something is amiss.

"Did that seemed, I don't know, like un-Reina-like to anyone else?" Setsuna said, noticing something off.

"Nah, the old hag is just having one of her rare moments where she really just wants to relax and not talk about how much she loves death, don't mind her." Orochi shrugged. "Though just in case, I better tag along."

"Right, we'll be in the hot spring." Hinata replied.

"You've vacationed long enough." Takumi lectured.

"Aww, come on, Milord, you know I love hot springs, and there weren't any in that Deeprealm."

"Reina…" Orochi spoke up to her partner with a more concern tone and expression, while the Kinshi Knight in question suddenly collapses to her knees, once she is far enough from the rest of the group.

"This whole time… he's been dead, and I never knew…" She mumbled in a saddened tone, her face obscured by her hair.

"Oh, Reina, I'm so sorry." Orochi sniffed a bit, not liking to see her partner be like this and comforts her as best she can.

* * *

A whole day passes by in the Astral Plane with everyone fully rested and ready to go out to the real world again, though Ryoma still needs time to adjust to this bizarre lifestyle.

"You're sure that only twenty-four minutes have passed outside of this place?" Ryoma asked his allies to verify.

"Correct, Milord, we wouldn't have believed it ourselves if we hadn't experienced this fractured flow of time ourselves, as far as the rest of the world is concern, last night was the longest of our lives." Kagero explained.

"It's not fractured, the Astral Plane just moves much slower than the one you're used to." Lilith corrected.

"It feels pretty fractured to me and disgustingly convenient." Takumi objected.

"I'm gonna need way more time to wrap my head around this whole Astral thing." Ryoma admitted, with a cheeky smile.

"I take offense to that smile." Lilith commented.

"Well, I'm ready so let's go and do this already." Corrin commanded, and Lilith opens the portal that will take them to Notre Sagesse and land right next to the narrow path that will lead them to the top of a mountain where the Sevenfold Sanctuary resides.

"That's the Sevenfold Sanctuary." Corrin said in awe, staring at the large sanctuary at the top.

"Yes, once there we may end up facing a great challenge, however, I am hoping it won't come to that for you." Ryoma said.

"Couldn't you have brought us in closer to save us the trouble of walking this accursed narrow path?" Hana protested to Hinata and Lilith.

"I'm sorry, but this is as far as I can go." Lilith said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Takumi questioned.

"I can't explain it but there is something up there, maybe it's all the Sacred Treasures, maybe it's the Rainbow Sage himself but something up there unnerves me, with all of my instincts telling me to stay away." Lilith explained.

"I feel something too up there, but it's the complete opposite for me." Corrin said narrowing his eyes. "I think… I think the Rainbow Sage is calling out to me to meet him."

"Really?" Ryoma asked really curious, same with the rest of them.

"Robin said that the Sage gave him the Yato to give to me before he even met me to boot. I like to say that I scoff at the idea of Destiny but all my instincts are telling me that this meeting is predestined, somehow."

"All the more reason for you to rise to the occasion, sister, and no matter what happens, never forget that we are at your side." Ryoma declared.

"Our steeds will be no good up there so we have to leave them behind." Hinoka said as hers and Subaki's Pegasi and Reina's Kinshi won't be of much help in the Sanctuary.

"Mozu and I will watch out for them in the Astral Plane." Lilith said as she warps all three animals and Mozu back into her home. The newly discovered Demigoddess wanted to come along but they all agreed that it's best she doesn't get involved into a death trap the rest are willingly walking into, it's already bad enough they're bringing Sakura along, the Princess is so stubborn. "See you in five days, hopefully, I'll be helping Mozu become more familiar with her powers with all I know of the Earth Tribe in the meantime."

"Okay… I can do this; I can do this." Corrin kept repeating those same words in her head over and over again, trying to remain upbeat for this important task ahead of her. "I can do this; I can do this…"

"I can't do this… I can't do this." Corrin takes back her words as she becomes exhausted after fifty minutes of walking, they've been tramping up and they still aren't close to the top. It's like the Eternal Stairway all over again, and again Corrin feels ready to stumble.

"You are really out of shape." Ryoma noted, surprise by watching Corrin look ready to give up this soon.

"She's a working progress, even though she's a skilled as our more prominent Samurais." Hinoka explained.

"Why do… important people always have to live in such huge places that are hard to reach?" Corrin muttered.

"Well, considering all the holy weapons the Sage carries with him, he obviously feels the need to test all who seek him out. This right here is a small test of endurance." Kaze stated.

"Small?" Corrin repeated.

"You'll understand if we do end up having to fight, though once we reach the top we should take at least a five-minute break." Takumi suggested.

"Only five minutes…?" Sakura mumbled, ready to give up as she has not improved in endurance since the Eternal Stairway.

"Always pushing yourself when you don't have to, Sakura." Ryoma chuckled. "Don't hesitate to ask to be carried by someone if you need to rest now."

"No… I can do this." Sakura insisted as she tries to go the distance but doesn't look like she'll make it.

"Quit being stubborn, Sakura, you're a Priestess, meaning you heal first and you're only means of combat is shooting from a distance only." Hinoka lectured, having quite enough of watching her baby sister push herself too far just because she feels left out by her superior siblings, and with impressive strength begins to carry her by placing her on top of her.

"H-Hinoka!" Sakura gasped.

"Just relax and let me do the walking." Hinoka insisted.

"But I'm heavy!"

"Well then if my legs get tired quicker you better boost up your diet." Hinoka joked and purposely at Sakura's expense.

"Aww, I wanted to carry Sakura." Hana objected.

"I could use someone to carry me for a bit." Corrin requested sarcastically, Kaze, however, takes her seriously and begins to carry her in the same fashion Hinoka is doing for Sakura.

"As you wish, Milady." He vowed.

"I was joking Kaze! Put me down." Corrin demanded in embarrassment. "Seriously, I think I've gained a little weight in the previous week."

"Nonsense Milady, I've kept a close eye on your diet and you've actually lost five pounds, compliments of Lilith." Kaze assured her with a smile.

"I didn't think anyone beside Jakob and Camilla could be this overbearing." She muttered.

"Good to see you're getting some of your spirit back, Corrin." Ryoma smiled.

They eventually make it to the top of the mountain and take that five-minute break Takumi suggested before entering the Sevenfold Sanctuary, though the likes of Corrin and Sakura requested a few more minutes but went ignored. Once inside, they are amazed by everything around them, it all feels quiet and relaxing, not unlike the two times that Ryoma, Saizo and Kagero have been here, but that just unnerves them even more than before.

"This place feels completely magical." Hayato noted, feeling a huge amount of Mana in the air.

"Yeah, literally everything here shows signs of something otherworldly." Rinkah added.

"Yet, at the same time there is an air of familiarity for us of Hoshido, and of Nohr." Ryoma noted as they examine the design of the main hall alone, the whole place's appearance feels like a hybrid of Nohrian and Hoshidan architecture, designs that Corrin recognizes from her time in Krakenburg and Shirasagi.

"It feels like I'm back in Windmire or Suzanoh."

"Yes, the Rainbow Sage is entirely familiar with both Kingdoms more than even the current Royals of both, his knowledge is vast and he seems to favor the two Superpowers." Ryoma said.

"Strange how he managed to mend both cultures together." Hinoka said still feeling like all of this is surreal.

"It's beautiful." Sakura said awe inspire by the Sage's Architecture, the mere thought that both nations would become one in perfect harmony.

"It's like this place was made just for me." Corrin whispered. Once she accepted that she belongs in Hoshido, she began desiring to unite both Kingdoms under one banner. This right here is exactly what she wants now more than anything, a place, a dream where she can unite both families. But it's just that, a dream.

"There isn't much the Nohrians can do right, but their taste in fashion is interesting, I'll give them that." Oboro begrudgingly admitted as she focuses on the Nohrian half of this place.

"This all makes me wonder if perhaps the Rainbow Sage is of both Hoshidan and Nohrian parentage like little Mozu." Subaki wondered.

"Could be, there have been many half-breeds that have left a huge mark on Horus in recent years, but the Rainbow Sage, in particular, is nothing more than mysterious as there's a lot about him that doesn't add up." Orochi said.

"What, like the fact that he's immortal?" Kagero asked.

"That's the biggest mystery, one mixed together with another question; is he even human?" Saizo added.

"I was afraid to ask the first time I was given the honor of speaking to him, and as my curiosity grows, so does my fears." Ryoma said. "All who enter should fear and submit to the owner of this sacred place."

"No pressure or anything." Corrin muttered.

"Hey, I d-didn't notice that portrait the last time we were here." Sakura said noticing one large portrait to their left, one that shows warriors of both Nohrians and Hoshidans standing side by side and on the edge of a chasm staring down into darkness with a monster they are about to fight. A Monster that resembles a demonic version of a dragon but it's hard for them to make out, what's really disturbing is the large spherical object that it carries on its mouth with three red glowing eyes on it that feel authentic unlike the rest of the sphere that's metallic and are likely its actual eyes since it's lacking any on its face since there's not much of one.

"That was certainly not there the first time we traveled here." Kaze said as he recalled a completely different portrait on this wall the last time they were here and it was far more impressive than this one.

"A Demon that possesses the form of a dragon." Hayato noted intrigued.

"It looks more like it's a Dragon that has the traits of a Demon to me." Setsuna retorted.

"It could be that all Dragons become something akin to Demons when they Degenerate." Azama suggested.

"Makes sense, Dragons don't just lose their minds when they Degenerate, they lose everything that made them who they once were, their appearance may be no exception." Rinkah added.

Corrin's thoughts become buried at the thought over that possibility. She's already gone feral twice and her rampages were the stuff of horrors, if she were to completely degenerate, would she truly become a demon?

"Still, why the change in portraits, the previous one looked way more fascinating." Kagero wondered.

"And how would you know of what's better or not when it comes to drawings when everything you draw is meant to give children nightmares until they turn forty." Azama rudely remarked, earning him a punch to the face by the irritated female ninja, knocking the monk on to the floor. No one said anything, much less lecture Kagero about her unprofessional act since it is something that they all wish they could do to the disrespectful Great Master daily. Rude Bastard.

"That man at the center, does that sword look familiar?" Hinoka asked, returning the subject back to the portrait and pointing at a man at the center of the people facing the ugly monster, the design of his attire looks to be of neither Nohr nor Hoshido but what really catches their attention is the amazing looking sword on his left hand, it strongly resembles the Yato but with a significantly different design. The crossguard is wider, all four slots on the blade are illuminating in crimson red, the blade itself now has a fiery design for the tip while the sides of the blade have rotating razor edges (similar to a chainsaw, not that any of them know what that is) and the aura of the blade has become multi-colored red and yellow.

"Amazing, it's like the Sword of Salvation has the capability to enter transformations of sorts." Hana said, fascinated by the design.

"The slots are all glowing as if they signify the amount of power the Yato is releasing." Saizo examined.

"Out of all the Sacred Treasure the Sage has created, only five have ever stood the test of time across history and they are the Five Great Sacred Treasures; the most obvious is the Yato, followed by Raijinto and Fujin Yumi who belonged with Hoshido's Royals." Kaze commented.

"Then there's Siegfried and Brynhildr who are currently in the possession of Nohr's Royals." Rinkah added.

"And the Rainbow Sage just so happened to come across worthy candidates of both Royal Families to wield them in the short span of a decade." Ryoma concluded suspiciously.

"W-What could it all mean? Did he want us to come to this conclusion upon seeing this portrait?" Sakura muttered nervously as all of this seems so strange for them to figure all this out so suddenly.

"That is most likely the case, the old man is clearly playing a dangerous game and using us as his chest pieces, the real question is, who is he playing against." Ryoma narrowed his eyes.

"Okay… coming here was biting off more than I could chew." Corrin took a deep breath and takes a few steps away from the portrait, suddenly regretting coming here. "Deep breaths, Corrin, deep breaths."

"Are you having anxiety now of all times." Rinkah questioned.

"Maybe I am. I don't expect you guys to understand but I am not a strong, independent Princess who don't need no man, and I just lost my emotional crutch so you'll forgive me if seeing all this is making me second guess myself." Corrin mumbled.

"Well isn't that lovely, another Sakura to babysit." Azama mocked.

"I WILL FUCK YOU UP!" Hana warned in outraged towards the Monk.

"All of you shut up! And put yourselves in her position before you start to judge." Hinoka hissed.

"Remember Corrin, we're here for you with whatever you may need." Ryoma said gently, sympathizing with her anxiety as he extends his hand to her. "I know exactly how you're feeling right now, the Rainbow Sage's presence can be overwhelming at first but truly there's nothing to fear, and even if there is, just remain by my side and we'll face whatever comes next together. I swear it."

"Okay… Alright… I'll try harder." Corrin mumbled, lifting her spirit as she moves in to accept Ryoma's hand this time, not like before.

"MILADY!" Suddenly and without warning, Kaze rushes to Corrin at top speed, extending his right hand at her chest to push her on to the ground, just as an arrow made of menacing purple energy and shadow is fired where Corrin was standing and instead hits Kaze, piercing through his right arm and severing it from the Ninja's body, exactly the forearm and hand. Leaving all of them horrified as Kaze falls to the ground, quickly bleeding out.

"KAZE!" Corrin, Hinoka and Saizo cried out to him with Sakura frantically rushing to his aid.  
The worse is yet to come as they also look to see who fired the arrow and it is none other than Takumi, who has been standing still in the entrance of the Sanctuary, his face focus on the ground, none of them have even notice that he didn't follow them inside, they've been so caught off with the hall.

"TAKUMI! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Ryoma roared in a mixture of both intense rage and horror.  
In response, Takumi's entire body begins to surge with purple flames, the same flames that Envy's soldiers possess, and also similarly, for a full second, Takumi's presence vanishes from their sight, yet the flames remain to show that he is still there before coming back to their view.

"M-Milord…" Oboro uttered, more horrified than anyone. Somehow, deep down, she knew this would happen.

"Mine…" Takumi spoke with his voice completely distorted, while also sounding both masculine and feminine, like someone else is speaking at the same time as him. "… **Mine**." They could hear the second voice better now and confirm that it's definitely the same as the Sin of Envy, even worse when he reveals his face, showing that his eyes are the same as Envy.

"**EvErYtHinG HeRE! ALL MINE**!" Speaking like a possessed man, Takumi points his Fujin Yumi at them, corrupted by whatever is happening to him with its green holy glow the string had replace with a dark purple that reeks of pure evil, creating another arrow as he pulls the string, aiming to kill his own siblings and comrades.

* * *

**Holy Hell, quite a lot has happened in this chapter. I would like to apologize to those who don't like reading chapters that have too many different things added in one go, it's an issue I don't like myself but I couldn't help it since I wanted to get the Cheve part of the story over with, though I will try to add more lore on it in due time, hopefully. Robin and Azura will reunite with the others next chapter, the latter has acquired an alternative to use her song that I'll get into next time and like in canon Birthright and Conquest, Takumi has gone ape shit. I couldn't resist and had this planned from the start. The Revelation with Mozu was my excuse over her Aptitude Skill since she can be overpowered if given the investment so there you have it. Till next time.**


	17. Chapter 17: Resentment Made Flesh

***Chapter 17: Resentment Made Flesh**

The Possessed Takumi aims his Fujin Yumi that now looks more like Skadi at Corrin and fires a devilish arrow at her. Ryoma steps in front of her and blocks the arrow with Raijinto, and though he succeeds in stopping the arrow from killing Corrin, the arrow releases a shockwave that blasts most of them across the hall, though Orochi is able to keep Sakura and the wounded Kaze safe by creating a barrier around them that manages to block off the damage.

"Takumi! What has been done to you?!" Ryoma tried to reason with Takumi, strongly desiring not to fight his younger brother.

"**SHuT uP aND DIE**!" Takumi roared as he vanished from sight again for another second before firing another arrow, this time at him, that he again is able to stop by slicing it in two, causing it to fly past him from both his left and right. And again this backfires on him as once they are a few feet behind him and Corrin, the split arrow combusts, turning into two violent tornados that begin to suck everyone and everything around them, forcing those with swords and spears to stab their weapons on the ground to prevent themselves from being sucked in, Corrin isn't so fast and has to be held on to by Ryoma while the Yato gets sucked in, along with Rinkah, Hayato, Saizo, Kagero and Setsuna. Hayato is able to stop one of the tornados by placing both his hands in it and uses his powers to dispel the corrupted wind, saving allies, however, the dark magic infused into the wind was highly volatile that it greatly harmed his hands, leaving them blackened.

Rinkah stops the other one by creating the biggest fireball she can muster in such a short time and rams inside the tornado, increasing the heat temperature high enough to blow the wind of it away, stopping it completely. However, Rinkah has a harder time as Takumi shoots another arrow right at her, and her club is nowhere in sight, but luck is still at her side as the Yato was sucked into the tornado she got rid of and is currently right beside her as they both fall and quickly picks it up. Even though she can't use it to cut anything she can still use it for defense like any blade and the Yato blocks the arrow but like before the impact blasts her into a wall, crashing right through it.

Ryoma and Hinoka go in to stop Takumi by ramming themselves at him, knocking him to the ground to hold him down.

"Dammit!" Hayato cried out over the state of his hands. "I can't feel my fingers."

"Stay down and relax, kiddo." Azama instructed as he begins to heal him.

"What in the God Damn Hells is wrong with him?" Orochi muttered.

"T-Takumi…" Sakura sobbed.

Takumi makes a monstrous growl before pushing his two older siblings off him with newly acquired superhuman strength that neither sibling can hold their own against. Getting back up, he goes to the knocked down Hinoka and raises his right foot to stomp on her but she is able to avoid on time as he instead kicks the ground and leaves a big hole in it.

"Takumi, stand down this instant or else I'll really kick your ass!" Hinoka demanded furiously.

"**YoU CAn'T teLL mE WHAT To dO aNYmORe**!" Takumi roared as he charges after her again but is stopped by Ryoma who fires a stream of lightning from Raijinto to push him back, however, Takumi's resistance to magic has grown beyond to the point that he can handle holy lightning and channels the dark flames around him to blow the electricity off him.

"Gods! This dark magic is beyond anything Nohr has ever used against us." Ryoma gasped at Takumi's newfound strength.

"It's not them!" Corrin cried out as she makes her way to Ryoma and Hinoka, alongside with those still able to fight, one of them being Rinkah who tosses her the Yato back. With the Fujin Yumi separated from him at the moment, Takumi settles with close combat as he summons two swords into his hands, the same twin cutlass blades used by Envy.

"Envy's Swords!" Hinoka shouted.

"Oh Gods! Lord Takumi is possessed by a demon!" Hinata uttered in horror.

"Hello again, loves." Takumi speaks up but his voice is no more, replaced by Envy's while he or she shows off the sinister grin she showed them before. "Did ya miss me. I bet you did."

"N-NO!" Sakura cried out in horror.

"How can this be." Ryoma uttered just as horrified.

"Now, now, lobster boy, don't look too surprised, we both know how vulnerable my new mate really is where it counts." Envy said while placing the pummel of her right sword on her chest for emphasis on Takumi's weak will. "It's like I always say, a rose by any other name is still Envy."

"That makes no sense but at the same time horrifyingly accurate." Hinoka mumbled.

"Get the hell out of him, right the fuck now!" Oboro demanded enraged.

"Sorry Soul Sister, but your mate and I have a prior engagement, and it's time I return the favor." Envy smug at Oboro's demand. Seeing such an evil look coming from Takumi's face really set the Hoshidans up the wrong way, with mix emotions of hatred, sadness and desperation to free him but hesitation as they can't really risk fighting the Sinner if it means hurting their Prince and Brother. "Aww, what's the matter, cold feet, your kind is no good if you can't put up a fight so I guess I should let my big sis deal with you bunch for now."

"There's another Sin among us!" Corrin cried in terror over the thought of facing Wrath again.

"That's right Buttholes! In a way, I'm almost sad for things to end this way but I've also reached my limit after spending so much time with you morons and would like you all to vanish from our lives already. Especially you, sister!" Envy snorted with her last two words coming from Takumi's voice as he or she rushes Corrin faster than she could react, kicking her so hard that she gets blown away, blowing another hole on the main hall and crashes into another.

"Corrin!" Ryoma, Hinoka and Sakura cried out to their sister and the distraction allowed Envy to reach the Fujin Yumi before any of them could notice, afterward goes running into the Sanctuary to chase after Corrin, but not before slicing at Orochi's barrier, destroying it entirely with a single swing.

"Try to play nice with them!" Envy laughed while advising to someone else, while the Hoshidans chased after her to save Corrin but are halted by a bright purple light that illuminates in front of them, halting their charge and once they can open their eyes again they see someone standing before them who looks like the Merchant Anna, however there are some slight differences, like how her hair color is dark instead of her natural crimson. She has sharp teeth like Envy's but made of gold instead and she's wearing the female uniform version of the deadliest class of warriors in Horus, the Dread Fighters, accompanied by an Aurgelmir of all Nohrian weapons on her right hand.

"Anna!" Hana shouted confused, also familiar with the secret merchant.

"No! Something about her looks and feels different." Subaki argued.

"Welcome, Hoshidan Mortals, to my new Hall of Treasure. Unfortunately, you forgot to pay the entrance fees… your lives!" The Darker Anna declared viciously.

"Ah… crap, it's the other Sinner Envy mentioned." Hayato muttered.

"Get out of our way, monster or feel the holy sting of my Raijinto!" Ryoma warned venomously.

"Oh, such rush to die for a loved one that can't bring herself to deliver the same affections." She chuckled and mocked at Ryoma's threat. "But if you're so eager to save her as fast as possible, it will cost you. Let's say that beautiful katana of yours, sure there's the risk of Holy Withdraws but I'm sure someone such as yourself can manage."

"Wow, I knew you Annas were greedy but this is an all-new level for you avaricious bitc… wait I know who you are now." Hinata commented, realizing immediately that this 'Anna' is the literal Sin of Greed before them. Either through possession or just deciding to build a body in her image, the Merchant Anna is a perfect example of avarice, so of course, a Sin would look like her.

"To the death then!" Ryoma roared as he rushes towards the Sinner, swinging his Holy Katana horizontally while it surges with immense amounts of lightning to strike Greed down as fast as possible to help Corrin.

The Sin herself has other plans, as she simply raises her odd axe to block as the two clash, all the lightning in Raijinto powers down, to the High Prince's horror.

"More for me then." Greed smirked as she pushes Ryoma back and from her axe, a dark shockwave is fired that pushes him and the rest of his comrades back, out of the Sevenfold Sanctuary. "First Envy will fetch that precious half-dragon soul for me while I get me something just as precious. The blood of the hated Dawn Lineage!"

"Take it all if you dare, wretch!" Hinoka dared, forcing herself back up.

* * *

Corrin groans in pain as she struggles to get up, finding herself in a large room built solely on Hoshidan Architecture but has no time to enjoy the view due to the Possessed Takumi coming in out of the hole she made when she was kicked through the seventh wall she crashed into. Envy closes the gap between them, swings both her swords horizontally at Corrin left and right, not giving her many options except to purposely trip and hit the ground to avoid the blades. This would be a perfect opportunity to thrust her Yato at Envy, however, she can't or else she'll sacrifice Takumi for nothing since Envy will just go to another body.

Her hesitation cost her as Envy stomps her left foot on Corrin's chest so hard that she gasps out blood from her mouth and likely broke one or three of her ribs. Despite that, Corrin continues to fight back, getting the foot off her and forces herself to stand up.

"You're resilience is astonishing! I envy that body of yours!" Envy joked as she rushes Corrin with several slashes. It's like fighting Wrath all over again but she seemed faster during their first fight but right now her swings have been slowed down enough that Corrin can keep up. Is she messing with her, or… is Takumi trying to fight back?

Envy backs away from Corrin and starts using the Corrupted Fujin Yumi, firing several magic arrows that Corrin either manages to dodge or block with the Yato. She tries to get in closer but each arrow fired at her keeps pushing her back. She almost trips, after blocking a ninth arrow, they are so fast and yet off. Again, she continues to hold back all the sudden, based on everything she has shown thus far, Envy would've easily bested Corrin, especially since she's alone with no one to support her, not that the others would've helped completely since Envy, like the rest of her siblings are so powerful, and yet she doesn't seem to be giving it her all, as if her powers keep fluctuating. Lilith did say that the Sins fall into a spiritual state of unconsciousness after they 'die', so perhaps all of her powers haven't come back yet and using them now while in combat is actually risky.

If that is the case, why reveal herself now? Is it to stop Corrin from meeting the Rainbow Sage and awakening the Yato? Her brother Wrath is one of the 'people' who started this war so she's obviously in on it all. And how long has she been possessing Takumi?

So many questions and possibilities running through Corrin's head, she can't think about that now except trying to stay alive long enough to see this through and more importantly save Takumi from this demonic possession.

Corrin manages to get the upper hand, rushing towards Envy and get behind her before she can parry against the Dragon Princess, and goes to wrap her arms around Takumi's waist and throws him, and ultimately Envy on to a wall with all her strength, possibly channeling some of her dragonic might subconsciously, enough force to bash Takumi through and causing him to land on another room, one of Nohrian design. Corrin can't fight alone; she doesn't know how to without risking hurting Takumi even more. She has to go and regroup with the others and hope that they can subdue her long enough to get her out of Takumi safely and quicker but as Corrin tries to run, she has trouble because of the pain done to her body. Envy is hitting much harder than she did in their previous battle for reasons that Corrin cannot bother to think about except that the blows actually feel as painful as her savage encounter against Wrath the first time, if not worse. Gunter once told her that she may one day end up in a situation where she has to flee for her life while with broken bones and in the heat of battle, only adrenaline can help her numb the pain but for some reason, her adrenaline levels are lower than they have ever been, the pain is too much that she can barely run at all.

"Oh, great… like my sentence to Hell wasn't apparent enough." Corrin muttered, before getting literally stabbed in the back by Envy, who then lifts her up in the air.

"Funny you should bring up Hell. Though. What is the matter with you, you're not as angry as you were last time when you cut off my head!" Envy laughed maniacally and then throws her into a wall but not hard enough to leave a hole again. "I hardly recognize you without Wrath's sloppy seconds all over you!"

"Takumi…" Corrin barely uttered while placing her hands on the hole in her back, desperately trying to stop the bleeding and does so by picking up a vulnerary Lilith gave her that's ten times more potent than the regular ones that should be enough to quickly heal the wounds she just received, the only downside is that the reason vulneraries don't do as much help as actual healing magic is because the more potent ones do serious side effects to the bodies, the more common ones being the rapid decrease of stamina and the process of healing being very painful but she doesn't have a choice on the matter and hopes that her dragonic heritage will hold off the side effects. Once she drinks the potion, she starts crying out in pain as the stab wounds and broken ribs begin to repair themselves and as she expected, the process is not kind to her body even though this is actually good for her. Luckily, Envy didn't hit the spine since she can still feel her legs, as there are some body parts a vulnerary can't regenerate no matter how potent like a brain, heart and spine being the main examples. Her body is fixed up but now she's so hurt that she can't stand up yet and needs a bit more time, not that Envy will give her the chance.

"Now that must've seriously hurt a lot, you really should've just bled to death though, but try not to cry, after all this is something you've been expecting for a while. A battle to the death between stepsiblings, though it's not like you ever considered Takumi your brother. You didn't even try to, but then again neither did he so why bother feeling guilty about being one of the catalysts of all his suffering." Envy said now standing right in front of the defeated Princess. "Ironic, how a Prince who practically lives in paradise could be so miserable because of his own family, especially a sister who's been gone his whole life. It just goes to show, sometimes the best way to go about things is to spare the child and spoil the rod!" Envy declared as she raises her right sword to finish Corrin off, leaving her with not many options but close her eyes, and hope that she makes it quick or that someone arrives in time to save her.

And it seems that somebody did as Envy's sword never comes, as she opens her eyes, Corrin sees that Envy seems to be struggling, Takumi's arms shaking as the sword remains upwards, teeth gritting, there is really something going on inside.

"Takumi…" Corrin muttered with newfound hope.

"Hey! What's the big idea? We had a non-deal." Envy protested, trying to force her new body to move.

"Get… get off… of… ME!" Takumi's voice comes out of his mouth, one that is in deep pain, showing his struggle to break free of the Sinner's control, made even more apparent by his eyes returning to normal.

"Takumi! You're resisting her." Corrin gasped in relief, forcing herself back up no matter how painful with the aim of helping her brother. "Fight it Takumi! You mustn't let this parasite take you. You're a Prince of Hoshido!"

"Sister…" Takumi gazed at her, anguish in his eyes so radiant, Corrin just wants to look away from seeing him in such a horrible state.

"Takumi, I know that we went off on the wrong foot, you being a self-righteous prick and me completely caught off with my own troubles, realizing too late how badly I'm hurting everyone else but no matter how much we both try to deny it, we are family, blood means so little in the grand scheme of things. It's why I've been so reluctant to fight my Nohrian Family, but when I said that I would defend Hoshido, I meant it." Corrin swore. "I'm not as strong as Mikoto and Ryoma believe me to be, not even close but I know that the help I can offer can be enough to give you the push to make it through this darkness. Whatever happens today or tomorrow, we just might be able to push forward if we can do it together."

"That… I might actually like that, very much." Takumi finally gives his returned sister a genuine smile as he stops struggling, almost as if he finally regain control over his body and he lowers the sword arm, making Corrin more hopeful. "But… do you want to know what I truly want even more?"

Takumi gives no words to describe what he wants, just actions and Corrin, in her hopeful state could never see it coming, as her own stepbrother swings a sword to her face, cutting off both of her eyes, leaving her bloodied and blind.

Immediately, Corrin screams in agony, hands on her face and back on the floor, betrayed and alone, while Takumi laughs, Envy's voice completely absent and the purple flames are gone now.

"I want you to scream and despair as I purge my country and MY family of you once and for all." Takumi grinned in pure content.

"Takumi! WHY?!" Corrin cried, and her brother again response violently by stomping his foot on her face, pinning her to the wall.

"Why? Isn't it obvious? As you said, I am a Prince of Hoshido. I have but one purpose, and that is to protect my nation and my Throne! And to accomplish that task I have to destroy everything that's Nohrian." Takumi scoffed, now with pure contempt. "And you, Corrin, are no exception, the fact that you still look at your fake siblings with such longing and desperation, it was obvious that you still love them, and if you still love them, it means that you still love Garon and see him as your father, even after everything he's done. And don't think we never noticed, if it wasn't for Robin keeping you under control, clinging on to him as if he was some sort of support for your life and sanity, you would've lashed out at any Hoshidan who addressed the Nohrians as Scum, even if you weren't infected with Wrath, it was obvious how you would've felt, just as it was obvious that choosing Hoshido wasn't a choice made from a rational mind. You're so pathetic! So indecisive. I refuse to accept that MY family loves you more than me!"

"You really are a prick…" Corrin cursed.

"But then again, why should I be loved by anyone, after all I've always been inferior to Ryoma and Hinoka, no matter how hard I try to excel at something, either of them are always there, wanting to keep me in their shadow, as if they're embarrassed that I exist, and even when they're nice to me, you're always in their thoughts, judging me, wondering if you're a superior younger sibling than me, waiting for you to finally come home so they can at long last be rid of me. They always enjoyed the fact that Hoshido has a royal family of five, they just didn't want me to be among their numbers." Takumi scoffed with years of bitterness backing his every word.

'Are these his actual feelings, or is Envy still doing the talking and trying to get even more under my skin?' Corrin wondered.

"Well I'll show them, I'll show them all that I should be the favorite, by being the one to kill all Nohrians as well as all other enemies of Hoshido! Starting with you, Lost Sister!" Takumi declared, backing away from Corrin and raises his right hand with something manifesting into it, which is another Souleater. "As angry and bitter as they'll be about your death, I'll eventually be excused due to being 'possessed' during your murder so I'll finally be able to manage and when I kill Garon and that substitute of mine they will all finally love me unconditionally. EVERYONE WILL LOVE ME! And like my new partner said, sometimes you just have to spare the child, which is me, and spoil the rod, which is you!"

He points the Souleater at her with energy tendrils coming out of it that wrap themselves around Corrin and begin pulling out what looks to be a bluish-white astral version of her, meaning her soul, while she screams with the pain being worse than any she's experienced so far. Izumo wasn't kidding when he said the damage to the soul would be ten times worse. There doesn't seem to be a way out of this for her. This might be it!

Definitely not, as a large sphere of light comes crashing through the ceiling and on top of Takumi, stopping the Souleater from taking Corrin's soul, while Takumi gets blown away from Corrin and knock to the other side of the room, and to his shock, it is none other than an angered Robin.

"YOU!" Takumi gasped in disbelief.

"I believe the rod you were actually referring to was yourself."

"Fell Dragon!" Envy's voice resurfaced from Takumi's mouth with both his eyes and body reentering to its corrupted form, possibly indicating that it wasn't really the Hoshidan Prince talking all along but Envy being manipulative again, only this time with crueler intentions. Robin points his left hand at her and fires a bright ray of white light, the power coming from his Morgenstern that strikes at Envy, screaming with agony as the light consumes her.

"I refuse to ever be addressed by that name again." Robin growled with hate in his voice, and once he ceases his attack, Envy lies on her knees, with serious pain.

"Funny, by your lack of hesitation, you make me think that you were really aiming for Takumi." Envy sneered at Robin.

"What can I say, you both pissed me off." Robin scoffed.

"A fair point but you're too little too late, oh Grandmaster, your brand new Princess and Lord is all but dead at this point." Envy chuckled, addressing the now unresponsive Corrin.

"Hold that thought." Robin insisted as white light illuminates on the floor, consuming the room for almost less than a second before transforming into a healing ground that focuses mainly on Corrin, and Envy can tell that this Healing Ground is way more powerful than any humans can create with Dragon Veins.

"A Dragon Vein! How could I have not felt this thing in here? Hell, since when can you use them?!" Envy demanded and bewildered before quickly reaching a conclusion. "Never mind, now I remember. Grima's sloppy seconds, of course that would have its perks."

"Time for you to also release my new idiot Prince as well, Envy." Robin demanded as he raises his Levin Sword from Morgenstern. "Prepare yourself."

"What, is it Time to Tip the Scales!" Envy playfully replied, speaking Robin's famous catchphrase. Robin response violently, shooting Envy with a white lightning bolt that blasts her not just out of this room but the entire Sanctuary.

"I waited so long to say that again!" Robin uttered, a new urge of pent off anger growing inside him as he flies after his foe, leaving Corrin alone as she'll be fine here, though she is awakened to a gentle but still bothersome burn in her eye sockets with a dim green glow coming from them.

"Oh for Satan's Sake! This mortal's an asshole!" Envy shouted in pain as that lightning attack hurt way more than it should've, it was even faster than it should've. Lightning attacks used by human mages are typically 80% slower than actual lightning but the bolt Robin just shot her with felt twice as fast as the real deal, but it also felt holy.

'Shit, that Tome of his also has the Light of Naga Spell infused into it, meaning any attack he fires is super affective against unholy beings.' Envy cursed. 'But then why did he wait this long to use it? Forget that, how did he recover 50% of his magic power, he was close to dead weight when he was abandoned.'

Envy takes flight and prepares to face Robin as she picks up the Fujin Yumi and fires one arrow at him, and as soon as it's five feet away from her, it enlarges to the size of a warship that Robin takes head-on and slices in two easily with a swing of his lightning blade but once he did so, Envy was gone from where she was as she flew right behind him as soon as she fired and fires again, aiming at Robin's back, however, the Tactician acted fast enough, slicing even that arrow in two, and then flies after Envy before she could react and swings his sword at her, forcing her to use the Fujin Yumi to block, despite the blocking being successful, there was no stopping an energy surge of both lightning and Ignis from Robin from spreading through Takumi's body and harming her further. She furiously growls and releases a mighty shockwave that pushes Robin away but it doesn't deliver any real harm to him.

He's not holding back even though she has the perfect hostage as her meatsuit. He must be trying to back her into a corner and put her in a position where she must flee Takumi to evade a fatal blow? No, according to Takumi's memories that she has access to, the Astral Dragon he's friends with told her that it's impossible for any of the Sins to die, even by the hands of the Gods, and she knows that Robin is no fool who would make any brash decisions without considering the lives he has to protect. He's plotting something with his violent assaults, forcing her to give it her all. Wait. Does he know that she's unable to use all her power yet because she still hasn't recovered from their first battle? No, that can't be it, he's not that clever.

"What does it take to kill you, you're not a God anymore!" Envy roared.

"I may be a Master of nothing but I'm a Jack of all Trades, especially when it comes to the Art of war and magic, so I say I'm a close second when it comes to us lowly mortals." Robin sneered.

"Wiseass!" Envy scoffed as she readies the Fujin Yumi and fires again but this time on the ground deep below them, at the bottom of the mountain and once it does, a large purple tornado is formed and erupts all the way up, the top of it assuming the shape of a drill that narrowly hits Robin but he is able to fly away in time to avoid it. He is then forced to evade yet another arrow from Envy as this one hits her tornado instead, and this new arrow causes a particular effect to the tornado as it grows in power and from it comes out four thinner and weaker tornados that surround the bigger one and Robin, going circles around the two, the combined wind currents leave Robin trapped as he struggles to prevent himself from being sucked into any of the twisters, notching several trees getting dragged in and once they make contact, they are instantly ripped to tiny shreds until there's nothing left.

"Times up, God of Victory. That title is starting to lose its taste with you." Envy smirked, about to finish Robin off this time, and is completely unaffected by the powerful dark winds.

"A pity that still isn't the case." Robin hissed as he brings out his second Levin Sword, holding both weapons tight and keeping Morgenstern very close as he does the unexpected as he rushes towards the main tornado while forging a barrier around himself and forces himself in, baffling Envy.

"What in the God Damn Hells!" Envy gasped. "I knew his final battle with the Shepherds was shit but I didn't think he lost all his marbles!"

More happens to baffle the Living Sin, as a dim yellow shockwave comes out of the tornado, followed by the dark tornado transforming into the biggest lightning bolt Envy has ever seen that drags the other four, also turning them into lightning and merge together as they are condensed and absorbed into Robin's swords, empowering it.

"That's impossible…" Envy muttered, entirely speechless. He gathered all the static electricity in the air and used his magic power to transform her tornados into lightning and absorbed them into his sword. That shouldn't be possible for a human to pull off with Dark Magic, especially not with the magic used by her and the rest of her family.

"Now I see why even Pride of all egomaniacs views him as a threat, if we don't do something about him, we might actually lose again." Envy mumbled in horror. "Crap… and it's not like possessing him is an option at the moment too!"

"Believe me, you don't want to see what's really inside of me." Robin hissed before noticing purple miasma of Envy's Dark Magic that he absorbed begin to force itself out from both his blades. Great! The blades aren't strong enough to contain so much energy and they will explode. So without thinking on it much he lifts his blades into the sky and releases all the evil energy skyward and once it reaches more than a thousand meters the explosion occurs, and it is a massive explosion with a shining purple light that illuminates all of Notre Sagesse, the shockwaves blast both Robin and Envy back into the sanctuary and the entire building begins to crumble from the waves and much of the ceiling breaks, dropping a ton of debris on the floor.

* * *

The Hoshidans fighting against Greed aren't spared from the shocks as they are forced to their knees while trying to avoid the falling debris. Greed, on the other hand, doesn't look bothered at all by the chaos.

"Damn, that Deadman is still walking, I had a feeling those worthless Nohrians couldn't get the job done and it looks like getting my hopes up with Envy is a dumb idea." Greed commented on her sister's fight against Robin. "Guess I'll have to deal with that Broken Soul myself to see just how much he's really worth."

'Broken Soul…?' Hinoka repeated, only knowing one person who's called that. 'Robin…'

Most of them are already on their last toe with Greed being too much for them with Ryoma alone as the only one who can hold his own against her but even he seems to be having a difficult time against the Sinner's overwhelming power.

"Corrin…" Sakura mumbled with her fears growing, all she can assume is the worse with them still unable to reach Corrin and all that explosion outside could've been made by Envy to finish her off for all they know.

"Dammit! Get out of my way!" Ryoma roared as he rushes in even harder to take down Greed with the two clashing weapons again but the Sinner is beyond even Hoshido's strongest, who seems to be toying with him as she easily parries his strikes, even with the holy infused power at the High Prince's disposal, her axe seems just as unbreakable as a Sacred Treasure, and he has gone against many Berserkers and Wyvern Knights who wielded Aurgelmir before, they're extremely rare weapons but there are plenty in Nohr and Ryoma has destroyed all he has come across but this one seems augmented more than the rest. No doubt strengthen by Greed's dark magic.

Ryoma makes as many attempts as it takes to overpower her, no matter how fruitless, such as trying to corner her to a wall, only for Greed to dodge his assault and roll past him. He turns and tries again to strike and aim for her right abdomen, only for Greed to deflect the blade once more. Ryoma then tries to lead her to Orochi who prepares to use her strongest scroll against her, and it briefly looks like they might pull it off until Greed sidesteps and gets behind Ryoma fast, making sure that he is the target of Orochi instead, forcing the great diviner to halt her attack, less she strikes down her own Prince. Ryoma turns to face Greed again, only for her to place her palm on his chest with enough force to blow him away, sending him crashing right into Orochi and knocking them both to the ground.

The hit also caused Ryoma to drop Raijinto and allow Greed to grab the sword, and once she placed her hands on it, Raijinto goes wild with the lightning it emits running rampant, as if it knows that the one currently holding it is an unholy being, and it being a holy sword, won't stand for being wielded by such filth and intends to kill her by itself but Greed will not tolerate such defiance as she utilizes her evil power and surges the Raijinto with it, corrupting it just as Envy did to the Fujin Yumi, it's divine glow turning darkly purple and the lightning becoming black.

"That's not possible…" Ryoma uttered in shock over his precious holy blade having been also taken over by the Sins. As if corrupting his brother wasn't already unforgivable and deserving of all of Hoshido's fury enough.

"MINE! At long last! A Great Sacred Treasure of my own! ALL MINE!" Greed laughed maniacally over her achievement and is just as crazy as Envy. And the first victim of her newly acquired weapon should naturally be her predecessor as she fires a bolt of black lightning at Ryoma, one that should finish him off.

"MILORD!" Saizo and Kagero cried out as they both rush to their Prince's side and use themselves as shields, taking the black lightning head-on, mortally wounding them both as they fall down in defeat.

"KAGERO!" Orochi cried in horror.

"NO! SAIZO!" Ryoma roared, while Greed just laughs at their despair.

"Wow! I wish I had dogs loyal like that, probably would save me the trouble of having to dirty my hands by dragging someone to be my living shields." She sneered. "Nah, it's more amusing to do that."

"We… we can't beat her…" Hana admitted while in complete despair as the loss of Raijinto signals their defeat before the power of Greed, for if they can't defeat one then they cannot even hope to win against all Seven Deadly Sins.

"Uh, realizing that must've hurt." Greed mocked the Samurai.

"Damn you… what do you want from us." Ryoma demanded, still not willing to give up.

"EVERYTHING! Humans! Dragons! All your most precious objects, and most useless, everything in Horus, this world! MINE! What you own I will take!" Greed declared with pure madness and avarice. "And thanks to all of you bringing my kid sister here, this world's strongest weapons will finally be mine! All of them!" Greed revealed as she begins to fly, hovering above them all as if she is about to judge them. "Don't feel bad Ryoma, even if you hadn't decided to come here, Envy would still be possessing your useless brother and I would've still come to claim this beautiful katana. All that you have is rightfully mine to take after all. It's a good thing this had to happen this soon, once I get all the treasure in this fallen paradise I'll be so occupied bathing in it all and making sure Envy doesn't steal anything, I just hope those idiots in Nohr don't wreck everything in Hoshido, worse still that loose cannon Wrath decides to go rogue again and truly burn Sephiroth's playground to cinders completely."

"Wrath's coming to Hoshido!" Hinoka uttered mortified.

"No, he's still in Nestra, which can't be too good for the people there." Greed smirked. "I completely forgot to ask, how is the young Silent Dragon, you know after the little monster of joy my hothead of a brother put inside her to parade around your Capital?" She rubbed salt all over their wounds, referring to the Blight Dragon that Wrath put inside Corrin to kill them all, earning her vengeful glares from Ryoma and Hinoka.

"Haven't seen that walking, talking heater in over two weeks since he went rogue doing whatever shit new stunt comes out of his ass but I know he's been looking forward to this war more than the rest of us and considering how resilient your little Corrin is, I bet'cha he'll be looking forward to a second date, wonder where the honeymoon will be this time." Greed chuckled.

"NO! I will not allow you monsters to hurt her like that again!" Ryoma yelled as he recklessly attacks Greed, using Saizo's katana to throw at her but Greed stops him by shooting a stream of black lightning at him, but instead of harming the High Prince, she just stops him in his tracks and levitates him to pin him to a wall violently.

"RYOMA!" Hinoka and Sakura cried.

"Please, your love for your fake sister is as false as your god!" Greed mocked. "There is no honor amongst Kin, blood or no, if Corrin had chosen to side with Nohr, and let's be real here, she's been doubting her choice, you'd all be out for her treacherous head just as the heartbroken Nohrians are doing right now. Light or Dark, there is only pain wherever humans reside and whatever you touch is destine to be corrupted."

"SHUT UP! I won't stand for any of your poisonous lies!" Hinoka shouted, forcing herself to stand up and try to save her brother.

"Hoshido, Nohr, it matters not to the Seven which of you wins, what matters is how many of you we make losers out of with only the Sins at the top and the one who will truly lose it all will be the Silent Brat." Greed sneered. "And I would love to see her make it to the finish line and watch her burn and weep. And the best part is that you will be the one to keep her in this path, Ryoma. You'll drown her with Hoshido's Pride until she is no longer useful!"

Ryoma growled at her words as he tries to muster all the strength he can to fight back against this atrocious abomination.

"~You are the Ocean's gray waves…~" The familiar tune of Azura's voice startles everyone to look to the entrance of the Sanctuary and see the Songstress standing there.

"Azura!" Hinoka cried in extreme relief, while the songstress continues with her song.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Greed hissed as she ceases her hold on Ryoma to go attack her instead but trips and gets to her knees as the song begins to affect her too with her body raising with a burning sensation. "Shit!"

"The music does affect all unholy beings." Orochi cheered.

"Like Hell!" Greed roared enraged, still able to use all her strength and continues her attack on Azura, only to be repelled as the Songstress summons a shield of water around her that repels and knocks the Demoness to the ground, as well as become wrapped by the water Azura is producing to trap her with. "Get off me!" The Demoness roared causing her magic power to go berserk and releasing a miasma of darkness to counter against the magic water but they prove obsolete before Azura's power and are erased.

"Dammit… you really hit a blockade this time, Greed." The Sinner muttered to herself before taking a closer look at what Azura is using to channel her song and is shocked to see that it's a Dragonstone.

"That stone… but that belongs to…" She managed to utter before she began to scream in agony as Azura is nearly done using her power to 'finish' her.

* * *

Robin kicks the corrupted Fujin Yumi from Envy's hands, then shoots her with a wind blast to knock through a door where she ends up in a corridor. In irritation, Envy starts using her water magic again, firing a geyser from her hands, engulfing the White Mage in water and forcing him back in the room they were in but Robin frees himself by unleashing all the fire magic he can muster, emitting enough heat to turn the water to steam, and once freed Robin charges back towards her and pins her to a wall.

'She's getting weaker all the sudden. I got this.' Robin mused, noticing how Envy's lacking much of her previous brute force. But it may not be enough for him as Envy is still capable of fighting back, grabbing him by his head to slam him into the same wall but the hole she caused by bashing his head in it is not as serious as the previous holes they left in their wake.

'I don't got this.' He muttered.

Envy resummons her cutlass blade and aims to maim him, but Robin is still able to evade being cut by grabbing her wrist and attempts to push her aside again but the Living Sin remains just as resilient as him and tries stabbing him again through the stomach with her left blade but again Robin resists by grabbing her other wrist, briefly locking them in a stalemate until Robin cast another spell. A Bolganone without spelling it out as a fissure opens below Envy with magma coming out to Envy's surprise and backs away from Robin and tries to get the lava off her. It's impressive how Envy's powers are protecting Takumi's body so well, even his clothing looks fine for the most parts.

"Dammit! What's it going to take, Robin! You're already dead!" Envy yelled. "Quit your crap while you still can and realize you're dead!"

"I'll die on my own terms, which may or may not take very long, regardless you certainly won't get any satisfaction from it." Robin declared as he recovers his Levin Swords that he dropped after being blown by the explosion. His words earn him a chuckle from Envy.

"I wouldn't count on Naga of all useless deities to bail you out of this mess." She sneered.

"Who's that?" Robin questioned, looking ignorant but Envy swears he's just messing with her.

"Clever." She sneered again. "Play time's over, kid. Now you really will di… why can't I feel my everything." Envy is strangely unable to proceed with the battle and falls to her knees feeling pain.

"What the hell…" She mumbled, suddenly feeling dread. "Lost in Thoughts… How?"

"You didn't think I come here alone did you?" Robin smirked, hinting to Azura even though he himself is somewhat confused on why she's using it now, away from Envy, and the main conclusion that comes to mind ain't good.

"That doesn't add up! I saw and heard everything through Takumi's eyes and ears, she didn't have the pendant on her neck when she was captured because Aqua snatched it, how is she still able to…" Envy mumbled, realization coming to mind. "The stone… shit!" Envy muttered in annoyance before immediately fleeing to Greed's aid, leaving another hole on a wall.

"Aqua?" Robin repeated in confusion before flying after Envy to stop her as they soon enough reach the main hall and as she goes to Azura, Robin is able to pin her to the ground but not before the Demoness fires a water blast to hit Azura who is saved by Ryoma who pulls her out of the way and subsequently stops her music, sparing Envy and Greed the pain as the latter is set free from Azura's water, afterwards fires a bolt of lightning from the corrupted Raijinto at Robin to force him off Envy and the siblings regroup while their human adversaries do the same.

"Wow, you guys are a sight for sore eyes. Welcome back." Hinata greeted Azura and Robin as the group is relieved to see them back.

"Good to be back beside fond faces." Robin replied.

"Envy! Mind explaining to me what the fuck is he still doing here?!" Greed demanded while pointing at Robin. "And where's Corrin's soul that you were supposed to snatch for me."

"How the hell should I know how he is able to travel around with a wound that can never heal, I'm just as shocked as you." Envy hissed. "Also, Do you really expect either of us to get away with anything with an Angel of Death like him still flying around. BTF, What'd you mean the Dragon's soul is for you. It's fucking mine!"

"NO, IT'S MINE!" The two have a brief bickering. "Son of a Bitch! We need to send this Warmaster packing now."

"You're going to find that killing me will have very disappointing results." Robin talked back to the evil siblings.

"We'll see if you still think that within the next minute. Now Envy!" Greed yelled as she extends her left hand to her back with a large sphere of dark red energy being formed behind her.

"I gotcha! It ends here, High Deliverer!" Envy complied, doing the same with her right hand, forming a sphere of dark purple energy with the two attacks merging together, as the Sin Sisters plan to deliver one final attack to end this once and for all.

"I think you might want to sing again, Azura." Hinata pleaded.

"No need, we've already won." Robin said confidently, even as they watch the two spheres fuse together into a small black hole that both sisters can carry into their hands, and it packs a lot of evil power that will surely kill them all.

"Time to die! Sin Caliburn!" The Twins roared as they thrust their attack but just in the nick of time, a newcomer arrives at the scene, intercepting the attack by simply placing both his hands on Greed and Envy's hands with the attack instantly dispelling, shocking the Sinners.

The one who did this is a man wearing a rough cloth robe, hood covering his face that they can only make out the lower half of it and also see that he has long hair with the same color as Lilith. The robe is covering the entirety of his body, no way to tell that if he's in his twenties, or older but it's clear that he's not as young as he appears either.

"The Rainbow Sage!" Ryoma gasped, recognizing the man and knowing what Robin had really meant when he said that they already won.

"Shit… we didn't think this through." Greed mumbled. The Sage places his hands on one shoulder each of the two and pulls them aside, with the Hoshidan Prince and Merchant knocked to the ground and quickly pass out, and as for Envy, she is now separated from Takumi and back in her original body, same with Greed as her current appearance is now the same as her sister, except that the mohawk hair color is grey instead of dark green to match her skin, making them identical twins who are even more baffled by what just happened.

"Oh, son of a…" Is all they can say as a shockwave is created by the Rainbow Sage that blows Greed and Envy out of his Sanctuary. The Twins scream as they are also blown a hundred miles away from Notre Sagesse and crash land into the seas, ending the battle.

"Oh, thank the fucking Gods!" Hana sighed with immense relief as she falls to her knees, finally getting some relaxation, same with most of them.

"Lord Takumi!" Oboro and Hinata cried out at once as they rush to their now saved Prince, Ryoma, Hinoka and Sakura doing the same and quickly note that he is out cold.

"He's barely breathing, like everybody else he needs serious medical attention. We have to get everyone to the Astral Plane!" Hinoka said with desperation.

Hardly any of them notice as the Rainbow Sage raises his right hand with it glowing with a green light and creates a large green dome, incasing everyone in it as the Sage performs healing magic of his own, hundreds of times more powerful than the magic use by anyone in Horus.

"This is…" Kaze muttered upon feeling this power and before he even knew it, in the blink of an eye his severed arm begins to float and flies back to him, magically reattaching itself back into his arm, already feeling it again and able to move his fingers with ease. "Gods!"

"Incredible." Saizo uttered as he and Kagero are back to full health from a serious injury that should've killed them.

"Hey, I can feel my arms again." Hayato cheered as the blackness on his hands fades as he feels all better.

They are all healed of their injuries, even the wound Robin received from Xander also closes up and heals. Takumi begins to breathe naturally and is out of danger now, to the relief of his siblings and retainers.

"Rainbow S-Sage! Thank you!" Sakura cried of joy to the Sage but said man pays her no mind as he finishes healing everyone and walks to pick up where Raijinto was dropped and in the blink of an eye, Fujin Yumi pops up in his left hand with the Sage staring at both of the holy weapons he made now corrupted.

"My favorites. What have they done to you?" He said with sorrow as he uses the same healing magic he performed for them on the two Great Sacred Treasures and in a matter of seconds, the two are purified and restored to their original forms. "It seems I have chosen poorly." He said before dropping the Raijinto on the floor and walks away from all of them while taking the Fujin Yumi back.

"Wait, Rainbow Sage!" Ryoma calls to him, wanting him to hear them out.

"I know why you've returned a third time, High Prince. I'll be waiting for Corrin in my shrine but she must come alone with my Yato, or she can see herself out with the rest of you." The Sage brushed him off as he goes back inside and ignores the rest of them.

"S-Sorry for the damage." Hinoka muttered to the Sage but he also ignores her.

"Is she okay?" Azura asked as she and Robin examine the body Greed was originally taking, which really is another Anna, the dark hair and teeth are back to being the same as the rest and she's still breathing.

"Yeah, even though she probably spent more time being possessed than Takumi I think she'll be fine." Robin said as he moves her to a gentler position on the floor. "Think this is the same Anna that went missing?"

"I hope so, I don't think we'll be of much use with missing person's cases." Azura said.

"Thank Sephiroth you're alright." Hinoka said, cutting in and wrapping Azura in a hug along with Sakura who cries in relief.

"You two sure know how to make an entrance." Ryoma said gratefully.

"Well, you basically hired me to perform miracles so I'm just trying to deliver." Robin shrugged.

"Hey, is Corrin alright?" Oboro asked.

"Yeah, she's fine where I left her, I'll go get her, you just all rest up, we all took a real beating and performing a healing spell of this magnitude that the Sage just pulled can do a real number on the stamina of those healed. Relax and I promise I'll be back with her in one piece." Robin assured as he flies off to bring Corrin back.

"Surprises keep coming. I mean, how did you and Robin make it out of that hellscape, Azura?" Hinoka asked.

"It's a rabbit hole of a story, things happened so fast and my mind just had a… how do the Nohrian punks phrase it, bombshell of a revelation." Azura muttered.

"Oh, this I got to hear."

"Oh Gods… I will never go sprinting ever again for the rest of my life!" Cried out a woman who they all notice reach the top of the mountain, and it's Mikoto, visibly exhausted, breathing very heavily like she's about to die from said exhaustion and falls to the ground.

"Mother!" Her step-children shouted at once from the surprise of seeing her here outside of Hoshido.

"MILADY!" Her two Retainer shouted next and rush to her side.

"Oh good… y-you're all here. Where's Corrin?" Mikoto asked.

"Mother, what are you doing here, away from Hoshido?!" Ryoma demanded.

"Robin acquired a… Warp Tome and… you didn't… think I… let you… come here without some extra hand." Mikoto breathed.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer." Azura muttered, still uncomfortable with the minor debate she and Robin had with Mikoto about bringing her along, and the woman is very persuasive. "Still though, we left you at the bottom of the mountain alone for your own safety without you even realizing it."

"I… sprinted the entire way up here." Mikoto explained.

"It took us an hour and a half to make it here, and you just arrive under a few minutes!" Ryoma uttered baffled by her mother's achievement, none of them have ever seen Mikoto run for so long, she even hates running. Heck, the day the war started when Suzanoh was attacked by Wrath's Dragon is the only time he can recall where he actually saw her run.

"Adrenaline does wonders for anyone, especially Mages." Mikoto replied, before finally noticing the unconscious Takumi being held by Oboro. "Takumi!" She gasped with concern, adrenaline boiling up again as she begins to crawl to his side.

"He's alright, mother, he's just had it rougher than the rest of us." Hinoka assured her.

"Define rougher?"

* * *

"Ow… ow… ow. They sting, they sting so much." Corrin muttered as she forces herself up her feet while covering her eye sockets. "Dammit… to come so far only to fall like this. I suppose it's only fitting, not like my future wasn't already bloody enough."

She begins to start walking, with no destination on 'sight'. Where is she even going? She won't get far if she can't see anything and she's somewhere that she can't even begin to comprehend. So where can she go?

"Corrin." The Blind Princess stops dead on her tracks upon hearing the familiar soothing voice, leaving her in greater shock than she's had all day. It couldn't be. Could it…?

Gentle hands are placed on her arms and move them away from her face and begin to remove the blood still covering her.

"We're going to have to clean you up a little, wouldn't want your first meeting with someone so famous to go off while looking unpleasant now, do we." He said with a smile for her. "Now, come on, you don't have to worry about anything, for now, it's okay to open your eyes."

She hesitated, each second felt like a lifetime, unable to process what's going on or what to do, except feel fear over this being nothing but another of her escapes into her dreamland over everything she has endured, making her feel more miserable over what will happen if she gets pulled back into reality.

Ultimately, she complies and opens her eyelids with miraculously her still able to see as her eyes have been restored by the Dragon Vein she's standing on and the first thing she sees is Robin right in front of her, very much alive and well.

"Hey Corrin. Told you it wouldn't be easy to be rid of me." Robin smiled warmly to her.

Her hands began to shake as she lifts them up and places them on his face to assure herself that he's real and when he felt his warm touch, tears began to shed from her newly restored eyes.

"Robin…" She mumbled, while even her jaw is trembling by the weight of her own words before she wraps him in a tight hug, while her face maintains a petrified expression, still not able to grasps this as reality. "Please be real. Please be real. Please be real." She kept repeating, begging for this not to be a hallucination.

"I'm real, Corrin, I don't know a proper way to prove it to you but I swear that I'm still walking tall." Robin assured her and without wasting any time, Corrin's new eyes become watery and doesn't hold any tears back and cries loudly.

"I thought… I thought…" She sniffs, not able to find the words to express her joy.

"Hey, it's okay now. The Sins have been dealt with and you're all safe now, so come. The others are wait- Hey!" Robin is caught off as Corrin then tackles him to the ground with both now in the same position they were the night after dealing with the Leviathan. "Again with this."

'Why does everyone who claims to care about me have to resort to beating me up to express themselves?'

Without thinking, Corrin raises her hand and slowly tightens it into a fist while shaking and weakly throws it down to punch him but the mighty Mage Fighter didn't even feel it. She delivers more weak punches, much faster than the last but still very fragile, like her emotional state.

"N-Never… never… ever… e-e-ever leave me… a-again." She's started to sound more like Sakura, her words can barely be understood with the way she's sobbing. "You… promised…! You promised!"

"I know. I'm here now, aren't I?" He replied kindly as he grabs her left hand to get her to cease her punches and holds it in a warm embrace to ease her grief and calms her down by a lot and smiles back at him.

For a brief moment, Robin takes her eyes away from her after noticing something moving on her back and it did not take long to realize that it's her dragon tail that manifested and Robin doubts that she did so intentional given her self-prejudice.

"Ah… Corrin, I think your tail is flapping." He said awkwardly.

"What?" Corrin uttered in confusion as she turns around to see her tail resurface even though she's still in human form and it is indeed flapping. "HOW?!"

* * *

"Goddammit!" Envy yelled enraged while she is trying to survive the violent waves of the ocean because in her current weakened state she can't hold on. "Greed, get me out of this!"

"You're the one who can control water, you do something!" Greed yelled at her back as she's having as hard a time as her. The Rainbow Sage's attack really did a number on them.

"I'm too weak at the moment, I was forced into my own physical form too soon before I could finish rejuvenating!" Envy argued.

"Satan, you're useless! Well, you better get used to this crap because we're going to be at Neptune's mercy for a while." Greed hissed as the twin sins are forced to swim their way back to Notre Sagesse.

"How long is that going to take?!" Envy questioned.

"Girl I will smack you into oblivion. AS LONG AS IT TAKES!" Greed yelled.

"Why am I not surprised to find both of you together." The Twin Sins are grabbed by two giant veiled hands that pull them out of the sea and are now being carried by a floating Sin of Sloth.

"Sloth!" The two said in unison and in surprise.

"Pride forced me to go find Envy and Wrath who ran off unsupervised without his permission, odd how he neglected to mention that you too are doing as you pleased, Greed." Sloth said curiously. "You know what, I don't have time to be curious or getting to the bottom of things, too much of a bother."

"Since when do we need Pride's permission to do shit! Wasn't it his rule that says that we can do whatever we want?!" Envy protested.

"Do I look like I want to call him out on his sudden hypocrisy? Too much of a bother nor do I care. What I do care about is going back to sleep, so you two are coming with me, back to Valla." Sloth said as he starts flying and taking his sisters with him, against their will.

"HEY! Who said you could order us around!" Greed argued as she tries to free herself from Sloth's giant grasps, Envy doing the same but it's a fruitless effort.

"Go ahead, set yourselves free, have fun drowning and dying again, we all know how fun it is to move around Limbo." Sloth said sarcastically.

"We have to go back to the island! The barrier the Sage built around the sanctuary is broken! All those Sacred Treasures! MY Sacred Treasures!" Envy pleaded hysterically like a child blowing a tantrum.

"They're fucking mine!" Greed argued.

"NO, THEY'RE MINE!"

"Do I look like I care about some dumb Holy Weapons that we can turn unholy?" Sloth asked rhetorically. "Pride doesn't care. Wrath doesn't care. Lust doesn't care. Gluttony will just eat them even though they won't taste any good. Forget about the so-called Sage, right now you should worry about quelling the punishment Pride has in store for the both of you."

"Why the hell is he even upset about making sure the chaos of this war continues to spread is something that we should all be looking forward to." Greed hissed.

"Besides, Pride hasn't been himself since we were set free, hell, he even had something akin to a stroke." Envy added.

"You two haven't done anything to ensure this war escalates but expose us to the enemy, especially the former Vessel of the Fell Dragon." Sloth lectured. "And it's because of Envy that he knew who I was when we first fought in Mokushu."

"Then let's go and take care of him out already, we know where he is! And the Fire Emblem is with him too!" Greed argued.

"Forget it, I hate fighting. So much work means less time for napping." Sloth lazily shrugged, only concerned with returning home, letting a big opportunity like this slide.

"GREAT! And now we're supposed to go empty-handed. Fantastic!" Greed cursed.

"Relax, you idiot, you may have lost your chance to crack at those damned halflings, but I haven't!" Envy lectured.

"Oh, shut up! Like any of your plans ever work!" Greed shouted.

"You shut up!"

"This is my life." Sloth cursed.

* * *

"Incredible." Mikoto said in awe as she creates a yumi made of diamonds through the power of the Astral Plane's Dragon Veins. They all retreated here to properly relax and buy more time while Corrin is savoring every moment of having Robin back as well as Azura and filling each other in on what they missed. "To think that I would be able to experience such marvel as the home of an Astral of all Gods and Demigods."

"Yes, I am still trying to process all this myself. Truly the Gods favor our path towards peace for all of Hoshido with such powerful allies at our side." Ryoma said.

"Perhaps, but still, our enemies remain stronger, yet despair somehow feels like it's fleeting." Mikoto wondered.

"Whatever the case, I'm liking our odds, even after suffering another major beating." Hinoka smiled. "How's the arm, Kaze?"

"Wonderful to be honest, I have never felt such bliss in my muscles before." Kaze said relief to have gotten his arm back. "What about you Saizo? Kagero too?"

"Same. If it wasn't for the Rainbow Sage, we would've surely been killed." Kagero replied.

"Goes to show just how powerful the Old One really is, and just how grateful we all should be of his aid." Ryoma said.

"B-but what about Takumi? He still hasn't woken up yet?" Sakura asked overly concern as her brother hasn't woken up yet, as Takumi lies down still out cold with Sakura, Oboro and Hinata beside him.

"Well, he was possessed by a Super Demon, such corruption to one soul should've killed him if not for his dragon blood that makes his soul stronger than most so he should be fine and with the healing done to him by the Rainbow Sage and the Astral Plane he should wake up really soon." Lilith explained.

"Until then, I won't be leaving his side." Hinata declared.

"Me too, I want to be the first one he sees when he wakes up." Oboro boasted, grabbing one of his hands tightly.

"All that matters is that he and this Anna will wake up." Azura smiled. "She's been possessed by Greed far longer than Envy has been inside Takumi so her condition must be worse but at the same time she should recover but at a slower pace."

"Please, never say it like that again." Oboro uttered, extremely bothered by the thought on how long that Demoness has been inside her lord, that she could not help but show off her demonic glare that not even Ryoma can handle looking at her when she does that.

"Well, you guys are surely the luckiest bunch ever. To think that our little Mozu would be someone so special." Robin said in response.

"Oh, you lots sure won't stop making me blush, you know." Mozu smiled just delighted that Robin and Azura are back.

"Not as lucky as you guys, making deals with the Black Bulls, let alone having contacts with them." Hinata chuckled.

"What can I say, I thought I originated from a dark place so I went to dark places." Robin said as he continues the amnesiac charade.

"Yeah, 'very dark' places." Azura said vaguely sarcastic. "And we learned a lot of troubling things."

"Yeah, based on everything we learned from Shura and the other Anna, the Seven Deadly Sins have been terrorizing Horus at a smaller scale, and taking over the criminal underworld bit by bit strangely around the same time Garon killed Sumeragi." Robin informed.

"How troubling, and yet there is no mention of such horrors happening anywhere." Ryoma questioned concern.

"Such attacks continue to happen and yet the public hasn't been made aware of. Garon and his goons have always managed to maintain a level of control amongst the criminal order by putting his most trusted in charge to keep the peace, and based on what I learned from Camilla, Leo and his right-hand man, Zero have been tightening Garon's grip and Shura never mentioned that this attacks occurred anywhere near Nohr." Robin continued.

"They're keeping their distance from the Nohrians, maybe what Lilith said about them not wanting to be caught by the Grimm holds truth." Hinoka said.

"Maybe, I don't know. With Hope, the Rainbow Sage may hold the answers to all our questions." Lilith said.

"And do I have to go at it alone?" Corrin asked nervously.

"It's his request and while I rather not leave you alone for another second we owe him big time after what he just did for us." Ryoma insisted.

"Alright, I just really hope he doesn't screw us over or anything." Corrin muttered just wanting this day to be over with. "Hey, Robin, do you still have my Dragonstone, Kaze told me you confiscated it after my previous episode and I would really love to get rid of this tail already." She requested while pointing at her tail that remains on her back, something that clearly annoys her.

"Oh, are you sure you want to get rid of it, it kind of makes you look cuter." Mikoto complimented.

"Well, I disagree. I don't know how animals and the Beast Clans can like it but I for one don't appreciate having an appendage coming out of my butt." Corrin pouted, finding this thing embarrassing.

"Well, tails are actually above the butt." Hinata corrected.

"Still near my butt and I don't like it, kind of like I don't like anything about my powers, how did it even manifest, and this out of everything else while I was being butchered by Takumi and Envy?" Corrin complained.

"You mean a Possessed Takumi by Envy." Oboro corrected.

"I know what I said. And why can't I get this stupid thing to stop flapping." Corrin hissed, having no control over the tail.

"Maybe you're like a dog who can't help but wag their tails when they are happy." Mozu suggested and decided to prove her point by taking Robin's hand and moves him away from Corrin since she was so insistent on keeping him close, and she ended up being right as the tail stopped flapping and lets itself fall to the floor, indicating Corrin's dissatisfaction of being separated from Robin, and when Mozu moves him closer again the tail lifts itself up and flaps again, showing off the Princess's happiness even though her face shows that she's instead greatly annoyed and again Mozu moves Robin away and the tail falls again.

"Oh, that's adorable." Mikoto chuckled in delight with everyone else doing the same, even Ryoma and Corrin could've sworn she notice Saizo making something akin to a chuckle underneath his mask before he turned away.

"DO NOT MOCK ME!" Corrin screamed enraged but because of her deep red blush, not even Sakura can take her threat seriously and didn't so much as flinch. "I thought he was killed by my foster family! Of course I'm ecstatic to see him again."

"There's no need to feel ashamed, sweetheart, everyone here is a loved one after all." Mikoto assured her.

"I know I've said this before but I'm very flattered that you hold me so highly, Milady." Robin replied to Corrin with a smile that she considers captivating, causing her to blush again that she covers her face with her cape and starts to scream in frustration.

"I hate you so much right now!"

"Well, that escalated quickly." Robin muttered while dropping a sweat.

"And suddenly the previous battle we'd had against the Sins feels like a lifetime ago." Hinoka smiled.

"Goes to show how strong-willed we really are." Rinkah said satisfied.

"That, or we're just a freakshow of misfits." Azama countered but nobody snapped back at him this time.

"Just give me my stone!" Corrin demanded.

"Actually I'm the one who has it, Corrin." Azura, who is sitting right next to her said as she returns the stone to her and once back in her hand, Corrin makes the tail vanish.

"Hey, how come the tail didn't flap when near Azura? I thought you two were like two halves of the same whole because of the whole similar backgrounds and how fast friends you became compare to the rest of us." Hinata asked.

"She's no such thing." Corrin replied a little too fast that it kind of hurt the Songstress. "And need I remind you that attacking the Opera House was her idea."

"Yeah, we really need to have a serious talking about that once Takumi awakens." Mikoto said genuinely disappointed.

"And when we return to Suzanoh." Ryoma added, still ticked off about it as well.

"By the way, Azura, how were you able to use your magic song when we all notice your pendant in your… birth mother's hands after we were forced to escape?" Hinoka asked before instantly regretting asking that, giving the scenario but thankfully, Azura remained as stoic as ever.

"It's because of Corrin's Dragonstone. I can't really explain why but when I held it in my hands after Robin lent it to me for safekeeping, I felt the very same surge of energy I would always feel when I have the pendant around my neck." Azura explained.

"Wait, the same magic power? Does that mean the pendant is also a Dragonstone?" Mikoto asked.

"Probably, I at first couldn't think much of it but after hours of holding it close to me I could not deny the resemblance. And it's not that the two have identical energies it's that my pendant, or rather the gem it carries is somehow a shard of Corrin's Dragonstone." Azura concluded.

"A shard, but there's not even so much as a scratch on it." Corrin said noting how perfectly intact the stone is. "How do we know that your magic involves the use of any Dragonstone to use as a conduit?"

"That may not be it. The stones dragons made to give ourselves the form of cohesion of humans to protect ourselves from Degeneration are created by literally removing slivers of their own souls and give it a physical form. It's the same with my Dragonstone as it was created by my father using a sliver of his soul just like how he created me." Lilith explained. "And each Precursor created dozens of Dragonstones to provide for the lesser members of their race to protect the species from going insane as well as securing the safety of the Human race."

"So both the pendant and stone are the same because they were made by the same dragon." Corrin concluded. "And both Azura and Arete are capable of using Water Magic and are likely the only humans in Horus who can, the only thing that makes sense is that they're both survivors of the Ocean Dragon's descendants."

"Makes sense, though there's no way to tell since Nohr drove the Water Tribe away, or worse." Azura said.

"Important answers that I'm sure the Rainbow Sage can provide; he is the one who I got the stone from." Robin reminded.

"That is gonna have to be put on hold for a bit longer." Lilith said.

"Why is that?" Corrin asked.

"Because Takumi is about to wake up now." Lilith said and in the nick of time, the fallen prince does awaken, only to immediately go into a state of panic, screaming with pure terror in his face, so much so that Hinata and Oboro are forced to restrain him by holding him by his arms.

"Milord!"

"Hold him down, I have to sedate him." Lilith instructed, trying to place her hands on his head but he's not making it easy with how he's trembling and trying to free himself that Ryoma had to step in.

"Calm yourself, brother, please! You're safe now!" Ryoma begged, holding him by his shoulders as tight as he can without hurting him, allowing Lilith the chance to use her magic on him and begins calming his nerves with him starting to relax.

"Get a hold of yourself, Takumi." Hinoka shouted, her voice shaking with dread over how badly Envy really did hurt him with unnoticeable shed of tears on her eyes.

"Oh, my poor baby." Mikoto uttered in sorrow over what has become of her strong son.

"T-Tak-umi…" Sakura cried shedding the most tears.

"Tell us he's going to be alright Lilith." Ryoma pleaded.

"He needs more time to recover and I'll be able to give him all he needs until th- ARGH!" Lilith cried out, releasing Takumi and placing her hands on her head instead as she starts to feel great pain and flashes of nightmarish scenes popping up in her head.

"Lilith!" Robin shouted upon seeing her react this way.

"I'm fine… just give me… give me a second to catch my breath." Lilith uttered as she gets back on her feet and takes a few steps away from everyone.

"Where… where am I…? Where is she?" Takumi asked in such a weak and fragile voice, that it almost sounds like he's dying.

"Envy's gone, Milord, she can't hurt you anymore." Oboro hastily informed him in an effort to keep him at ease.

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about nothing right now but relax." Hinata doubly assured him.

"Lilith, you got a peak on Takumi's thoughts, didn't you?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, I saw." Lilith made a deep sigh as she tries to wrap her head around what she saw. "To ensure full control, Envy trapped Takumi inside his own mind by creating a nightmarish mental prison, one where he was strapped in chains, floating above a sea of blood with a horrible, darkish storm from above. Massive, black twisters everywhere with giant, horribly disfigured monsters within each of them with malicious intentions. Worse of all is that in the hellish ocean lied the true unholy form of Envy, eager to spread her foul corruption. The one true Leviathan."

"As in the Sea Devil that is said to carry the doors to the Underworld in its mouth? Isn't that a monster from another sea folk legend?" Corrin asked.

"Many legends in Horus have been changed and retconned so often that it's hard to figure out its source but since the Seven Deadly Sins are considered to be the worst of them all, it's highly possible that they're tale has intertwined with the rest, and since Envy is confirmed to be a shapeshifter its more than possible that we have yet to see her true form yet." Kaze speculated.

"Oh, I saw it alright, and there's no way we can stop her if we fight her while in the seas." Lilith muttered terrified.

"Then we cut her down while she's on land." Ryoma replied, already swearing bloody vengeance on the Sins. First Corrin and now Takumi has been made a victim and used to harm their friends and family, his hatred for Nohr subsiding in favor of finding and cutting down those demons. But the fight against Greed showed him just how weak humans really are when compared to them, hence why they need more power.

"Kaze… Corrin…" Takumi muttered, only now noticing the two who are alright and well. "You're… you're both okay! I thought Envy… I thought I…"

"Think nothing of our injuries, Lord Takumi, you are not to blame." Kaze quickly replied with haste and a genuine smile and raised his right arm for reassurance that everything is alright.

"Yeah… we… took a massive beating but everyone's okay now." Corrin shrugged, subconsciously looking away from him due to her mix feelings towards her stepbrother more a mess than ever since deep down she's convinced that it wasn't all Envy's doing. It's greatly selfish on her part, sure but she can't help but feel this way.

Looking away from him did leave an impact as the wounded prince can no longer hold it in any longer and begins to cry in anguish over the harm he caused because he too believes that he is just as responsible for hurting Corrin so horribly with the rest of his family unable to do more than to hold him in a family's embrace to give all the warmth and love they can give him.

"The Sins will pay for this." Saizo swore, hating to see the usually strong sniper prince get reduced to such a feeble state.

"Big time." Rinkah added while tightening her fist with fire.

* * *

**Well, here it is, certainly one of my darker chapters and a better taste of the terror of my Deadly Sins and how demonic possession works with them. They let out all the dark emotions of their victims and magnify them a thousandfold and rather or not it was really Takumi or Envy who did such an awful thing to Corrin, I'll leave that up to the imagination. Greed has entered the fray and who better to be her vessel than Fire Emblem's very own embodiment of Greed, Anna. I'm more surprised that I didn't think of this much sooner. But I'm sure the biggest surprise of all was the change I made on who is the Rainbow Sage, I'm sure you can all tell who it is. Also, this might be the last chapter I make for a long while, apart from personal life, I have a hurricane coming to Puerto Rico, where I live, tomorrow, again. Not deadly serious this time but still, quite the hassle. At least I haven't lost my experience dealing with bothersome hurricanes. Till next time.**


	18. Chapter 18: All Clear Now

***Chapter 18: All Clear Now**

Corrin takes a deep breath as she stands before the doors where the Rainbow Sage is waiting and behind her are most of her comrades and family, who will remain behind as the Old One would speak with her alone, any of them go with her than the Sage will not help them. His request leaves a lot of curiosity among them but due to his aid against the Sins of Envy and Greed, they owe it to him to comply without question.

"There's no need to feel nervous Corrin, the Rainbow Sage is not as intimidating as his magic powers, and he is quite hospitable." Robin assured her while standing on her left.

"Xander said as much, but that doesn't make it any easier, my whole body is having goosebumps." Corrin muttered, completely unprepared for this.

"Is this about the anxiety you were having before Envy attacked?" Hinoka asked while standing on her right.

"Ever since coming here I've been feeling the surge of power I get all those times I turn into a Dragon but even more than when I first transformed. Something about this place, likely the Sage himself is calling to me, the dragon inside specifically, and he's the original owner of this stone." Corrin explained as she places her left hand that is carrying her Dragonstone on her chest.

"Well, the man has been around for over two thousand years and participated in the Precursor War. Shot in the Dark, maybe he's a Dragon too." Robin suggested.

"That makes way too much sense." Ryoma agreed.

"The thought never crossed your mind?" Hinoka asked.

"I refuse to jump to conclusions without first learning all the facts, it's not fair to the ones in question nor does it benefit us in the end." He replied.

"Crapbaskets." Corrin mumbled, for some reason bothered about that.

"Oh, you say that too?" Mikoto said, intrigued.

"You say that too?" Corrin repeated, more surprised.

"Aw, I knew we had something in common." Mikoto smiled.

"Believe me, you two have a lot in common." Hinoka replied.

"I'm glad." The Queen grew delighted.

"Actually I picked it up from… never mind, I'm just going to get this over with now." Corrin mumbled. "Wish me luck." She steps forward and hesitantly opens the doors.

"If it's not too much trouble, can you maybe convince the Sage to return the Fujin Yumi back to Takumi. I know he'd hate to be separated from it." Mikoto requested.

"Sure… I'll see what I can do." Corrin complied generously, though she be lying if she said her feelings for Takumi have improved, not sure who really cut off her eyes; him or Envy. Hopefully, the Rainbow Sage can shed some light on who she should be angry towards.

Robin and the rest watch as Corrin close the doors in front of them, leaving her alone with the sage while they remain behind to wait and hope for the best.

"Anyone else getting a bad vibe from all this." Hana said nervously.

"I imagine most of us are feeling the same way, after all, it's not everyday anyone is allowed to speak with the Rainbow Sage without first going through his Trial. Granted, I counted on this occurring but that doesn't change the fact that coming here always makes me fear for my life, today was just the worst so far." Ryoma stated.

"Today was completely different." Kagero reminded.

"That's exactly my point, and compared to tonight, I know that we will be subjected to darker battles." Ryoma declared. "Which is why we need the Sage's power, one last time."

"I'm sure things will work well for Lady Corrin. I know it." Kaze said having high faith in his Mistress.

"All we can do is hope." Mikoto sighed, still having reluctance over this matter.

* * *

As Corrin closes the doors behind her, all noises outside become completely mute to her, as if she has been completely caught off from everyone outside and as concerning as this made her feel, it quickly subsided when she turned around and gazes upon a beautiful shrine mostly comprise of silver, the design doesn't match any of the Hoshidan and Nohrian culture but a completely different one that almost feels alien to her. Before her is also the Rainbow Sage, not looking at her as his attention is focused on another portrait located in the wall in front of them, a truly amazing portrait that shows twelve heavenly dragons who must be all the Precursors, Corrin recognizes one of them to be Qliphoth, standing on the left closest to the Divine Dragon at the center who is the holiest of the sixteen, Sephiroth. They all look so beautiful and happy together like that. A reminder of a Golden Age long gone and deprived of the world due to the madness of war.

"Sin and Virtue?" The Rainbow Sage finally spoke, earning Corrin's complete attention. "Can you guess which is the one humanity should fully embrace and yet do so with the opposite that's full of empty promises. Since the beginning of time, mortals and immortals alike have used the concepts of good and evil in many ways and propaganda to justify all manner of action. Those who claim to be on the side of good, justice tend to only have good intentions but it is the execution that brings them into questioning. Too many have justified theft, justified lying, justified betrayal, justified murder, justified starting wars all in the name of the Greater Good for a variety of reasons. Individuality is humanity's greatest gift but also their greatest downfall and the reason why evil is forever."

By his words, the Sage turns around to face Corrin but his face yet remains cloak from her eyes and continues with his speech.

"And so I will ask you, like with the original wielder of Yato before you, when in the face of annihilation, which side is the lesser evil? Who do you see to be your true allies? And most of all, how can I be of assistance." He asked walking towards her, with the Princess staying silent and still as he leans closer and stops once they are at close proximity, making Corrin very nervous over what he could be planning, and Corrin has been trying to get used to the unexpected, and by God as she been through a lot of unexpected things.

But this… this might make the top ten, and the next thing that happens is that The Rainbow Sage proceeds to wrap her in a heartwarming hug.

'What the heck…' Corrin mumbled. 'Not that I don't appreciate the hospitality but this is way too sudden after the somber words he just threw at me and is now infinitely more awkward than it already was, and twice a scary but there's no way I'll ever be honest about it since I'm already pretty scared.'

The Rainbow Sage releases Corrin from his embrace, offers her a smile as he apologizes. "Sorry for startling you, it's just that it's been so long since I've gotten to meet one such as yourself, I guess I got a little carried away." He said in a tone so laidback and innocent, mixed with a light chuckle that Corrin's mood instantly lights up and give her a clear sign that she doesn't have to bother with formalities. She can really get with that.

"Oh, don't worry about it, It's fine. No harm done." Corrin innocently shrugged, still initially surprised by what just happened and trying to collect her words as she still has to maintain a level of respect and think carefully as to what to say, this man is still deadly powerful if he was able to blow away two of the Sins so easily. "But what do you mean by so long since you've gotten to meet one such as me?"

"Oh, you know, because you're a Dragon, half of one at least. I was born during the Golden Age of Dragons and thrived in the Silver Age. Those were happier times for me. Life without them hasn't done the world any favors, nor me for that matter." The Rainbow Sage explained, despite the kindness never leaving his tone, Corrin can tell there's a hint of sadness and longing.

"You knew I'm one of these Manaketes even before we even met." Corrin stated.

"Oh, I've known about you ever since you were born." The Rainbow Sage admitted plainly.

"Sure, because that's not creepy or anything." She said a tiny bit disturbed by that fact. "What does that make you, my actual father?"

"I made it my business long ago to know all about anyone who could tip the scales of Horus, or Jehovah forbid, the world as a whole. You being one of the last known Dragons to live in human society was something I could not forgive myself if you were to slip from my knowledge. Your rampage in Kurosaki proved as much, but do not think that I deem you a threat, I know you were dealt a deathly blow to your very way of life." The Rainbow Sage said in a more stoic manner. "However, I must confess, I was surprised by your choice to embrace what Hoshido would call your Birthright, I had half expected you to remain faithful to the family you know despite Garon's choice to provide for his people the wrong way. On the other half, I had hoped you'd take the Third Path Robin presented you with."

"How did you…"

"As I said, I made it my business to know all." He interrupted her, ignoring the surprised expression on her face. "I don't know if running away then and there was a wise choice with only Robin to provide for you, even though he is a literal One Man Army, but striving to save two warring nations from a neutral position is not as impossible as it seems at first, especially if you know where to start. So I ask you to answer me, casting all guilt aside with no one else here but us, why did YOU choose this path?"

Every fiber of her being wants to be adamant on not giving an answer, but she can't be quiet about this anymore, she's been hurting ever since.

"I… didn't choose anything." She finally confessed, sadness out in the open, but no tears this time. "I didn't blackout when I transformed for the first time, I blacked out when both my big brothers extended their hands to me and begged me to choose. But by then I stopped listening and pretended I was still locked away in my Fortress."

"I see." The Rainbow Sage said solemnly. He expected that to be her answer. "And your Hoshidan Family? What does your heart think of them?"

"I feel… like I really do belong with them, and I… love them."

"But…" He expects something negative coming next.

"… But I wish I didn't." She again confessed.

"Belong with them, or love them?"

"Both…"

"It's alright, Corrin, this is a safe place and a home of secrets, whatever shame you feel will not leave this room and my lips shall be sealed until you say otherwise." He assured her as he places his hand on her shoulder.

"I want so badly to have remained Nohrian through and through, I wish to Qliphoth for a second chance but I can't go back. I… hate War, I hate the Grimm, I hate Famine. Nothing about that Kingdom feels like home and yet it's where I want it to be. Is there even a right choice to make? Did I make the right decision."

"You ask the wrong questions, my child, Black & White play no part in War. It's never about who's good and who's evil, but who's the lesser of two evils. Poverty and starvation can bring out the worst in mortals, Nohr is the largest kingdom and the most populated, too many have become sociopaths in the long run for survival with no finish line in sight. Nohr is weaker than they would ever dare admit. Their magic, steel and beasts are really just for show with only their anger and desperation keeping them strong but it's also tearing them apart. There is so much goodness there but their good deeds are constantly overshadowed by those who've sinned. Something which I view to be Mankind's greatest failure is that they always focus on the bad side of things, react better to negative conditions. They praise a hero for all his accomplishments and all the lives he's saved but the moment he does one bad thing, even when it was an obvious mistake everything that he had done up until then could potentially be tossed aside and they look at him with fear and scorn, wondering what's to stop him from doing it again or if he was ever just to begin with." The Sage gestured. "Nohr's faults are too serious and too many would wish them destroyed, even if their sympathy for their plight if there is any, is authentic."

"Then how can I save them? How can I stop this war as swift as possible and end the bloodshed all the better?" Corrin begged.

"Again you ask the wrong questions, Corrin. Nohr can't be saved, not the way you want to do it, at least not anymore. No matter what way you look at it, they brought this suffering upon themselves." The Sage said more sternly.

"No, they didn't! It was the Seven Deadly Sins! They did this to them! TO ME!" Corrin argued angrily.

"You're right, the Seven desire this war more so than anyone because they want to burn the world and bring them to its knees simply because they like it and must be stopped and must be your top priority, but with or without them the Third Twilight was going to occur regardless, and the Sins didn't kill Mikoto's new love. They didn't give Garon the power to summon Grimm, and they certainly didn't take you away from your mother." His sternness only grew, and for some reason, Corrin can't help but feel odd in the way he brings up Mikoto.

"My top priority?! I didn't ask for any of this! I never wanted to be a hero, nor did I want to fight like this!" Corrin protested.

"And what exactly did you want to fight for, because last time I checked, you get a kick out of showing off your prowess as a warrior?" The Sage questioned.

"I wanted to fight for sports! For the thrill of combat and be a winner. Show off my strength to be loud and larger than life, and maybe safeguard those from bandit attacks whenever the opportunity presents itself. But not for this, I don't want to fight other nations with such ferocity and hate, I never wanted to end lives, good or bad, and rob people of their homes and hopes." Corrin cried.

"An honest, fun and perhaps honorable lifestyle more akin to a mercenary than a Princess? I can respect that." The Sage said intrigued.

"Why did you even give me the Sword of Salvation?" She questioned.

"Salvation?" The Sage scoffed bitterly at the mention of that alternative name for the Yato. "My dear, there is no such thing as a 'Sword of Salvation'. Any weapon can be used to save lives but those are the actions of the wielder, not the tools themselves for it is not their purpose. The Yato, like almost everything else I created residing in this sanctuary, is meant to destroy and end lives. I created the Sacred Treasures to give humanity the power to survive the horror of the Dragons Degenerating and forge a future where men can live as they wish without the meddling of so-called Gods. To end Wars the only way that it could be done at the time, with more violence. It is the one who I first entrusted the Yato to at the time who spread the forgery that my creation was solely meant to create a shining future. What a hypocritical fool he turned out to be to the bitter end, especially when he unintentionally took credit for founding the Kingdoms for a time. Raijinto, Fujin Yumi, Siegfried and Brynhildr are the real Death Dealers though, but it is those who wield them who are more the monsters than those they deem as the villains."

"Why my brothers too, then?" Corrin asked bitterly.

"You're not the only one who's noticed the similarities your Brothers of both Nohr and Hoshido have with one another. They each fight for their respective kingdoms with the belief that they can shoulder the burden of their people by spilling as much enemy blood as possible so that the day where their citizens will be called to arms, even the most inexperienced and cowardly will never happen, and with each life they take thousands can be saved. That is the true burden of a hero, not to go to war against villainy itself but to accept that the world favors selfishness over selflessness, and how they must shoulder so much so that the weak won't be forced to become stronger just to survive, for as long as possible before they reach their breaking point and pass their experience to a willing new generation. Humans, Monsters, Gods. They're all alike, victims of the make-believe cycle of the weak die and the strong survive. Of the true futility of life itself that is good vs. evil. They just don't realize it, or worse still they refuse to accept because of their Pride."

"This can't be happening. Why can't you do something about this? You have so much power and wisdom, isn't there a way to fix the world without bloodshed." Corrin begged.

"You don't really think I spent the past two thousand years lying and waiting in this Sanctuary just waiting for challengers to face my trials and earn one of my toys, do you? I tried to save the world, my child. I truly did." The Sage now grows with sadness, recalling darker moments in his life. "You remind me so much of myself, like you, I believed that I could save everyone, that deep down every living being desired truth, justice, peace and love over the contrary, that I could inspire all to work towards one better tomorrow after another and abandoned all wrongdoing with words, trust, respect and kindness, never with strength, force, deceit or discord. I saved so many but every time I failed to save someone and was betrayed by those I thought I could trust, I realized that good, like evil, are short-lived. Everything has a timer. Peace will inevitably end and make way for chaos to take its place, taking Heaven knows how long for peace to reign again. And on and on in an infinite cycle. Some people believe that the answer is to kill all who do evil, leave nothing behind of their corruption but as you can imagine, they end up being worse than those said evils and become someone that deserves death above all others. How I despise men like those. I'm not ashamed to admit that I reveled in watching those men fall so tragically. They always do."

"Then what's to be done, then?" Corrin asked.

"Follow the course of the cycle and bring peace." The Sage declared. "I didn't give you the sword because you are chosen, I gave you the sword because, as hard as it is to understand, I do care about you, Corrin, I've always held the Royalty of Nohr and Hoshido in the highest regard, Garon changes nothing, and I want you to keep them safe, Mikoto included."

"Do I want to know why the sudden interest in Mikoto, exactly?" Corrin asked, extremely curious.

'Though I'm pretty sure I already know why but for some reason… I don't want to hear it.' She thought, feeling something very odd inside her, it's neither content nor contempt, just… she has no words to describe it.

The Sage must've sensed her sudden pause as he gladly ignores her question and continues with what he really wants to say.

"I know it's a lot to ask and understand, but you must fight Nohr, beat Garon into submission and make them agreed to a treaty of Hoshido's benefit, influence Mikoto to agree to provide Nohr with the resources they need to carry on with their lives." He instructed. "Of course you are also thinking that you should warn everyone of the Sins and convince them that they are the true enemy and must band together to destroy them once and for all but as things stand now, it can't be done. Nohr is dead set on conquering Hoshido and the latter would never want to stand side by side. You've seen the hatred Hoshido feels through your new allies, what you want can no longer be done, or perhaps it can, it's all up to you really, and you can, if you still wish for it, follow your heart and do what you see as just."

"How can I defeat Nohr and the Seven when I can't protect those I have left, much less myself?" Corrin asked, seeing no other solution but the one instructed to her right now.

"The answer has been with you from the start." He said as he raises his right hand while it glows with an aquamarine aura, which makes the Yato hover off Corrin's hip and now floats between them horizontally, and from seemingly nowhere, the Fujin Yumi appears and also hovering but above the Yato. Corrin watching silently as the Rainbow Sage is about to perform something, no doubt unlocking the Yato's power.

"I, who forged the sacred blade… I, who committed the great sin… I, who wove the divine colors… I call on you now, Seal of Flames!" By his incantation, the Fujin Yumi radiates with an aquamarine aura with bits of particles coming out of it and raining down on the Yato, causing the blade to radiate with the same aura, and the second to the top slot of the blade is illuminating in sky-blue. The hilt also changes, the crossguard of the sword now has a feather shape, along with a knuckle guard as well.

"The Yato…" Corrin gasped in awe.

"I have unlocked a part of the powers of the Seal of Flames, you now wield the Noble Yato, or Empty Night as it is actually called, though personally out of all the names my masterpiece has been given over the years my favorite is Caelum, which means Heaven or Sky in one of the oldest human languages that works well with Empty Night and really wish they've stuck with that one instead of Yato. And to achieve the entirety of its power you'll have to pull through on your own with what you've got for now." The Rainbow Sage said as he presents the transformed sword and bow to Corrin. "Be sure to return that to your stepbrother."

"Thank you for the help you have provided me Rainbow Sage." Corrin bowed in gratitude.

"Don't thank me child, in truth I haven't provided nearly enough aid to be praised, not for a long time. I have long since discarded myself from the rest of the world." The Sage lamented.

"You've done more than enough for me, asking more would only show more of my weakness and uselessness." Corrin said lowly.

"You torment yourself too much, young one, though it is true that you will continue to suffer more along the journey, never forget you are never alone." He reminds her. "And despite what you might think and even though I choose to remain neutral in this war, should the need arrive and you are in desperate need for more help, know that my doors are open only for you, you need only speak the name… Hydra, and I will be there."

"Hydra." Corrin repeated. "Is that your true name?"

"Once, but not anymore, I've had too many in my lifetime I'm not even sure what my true name is sometimes. I'm just a shadow of who I once was before I allowed my own sorrows to make me throw away everything I loved." The Sage explained.

"Sage…" Corrin uttered with concern for him.

"Enough. Go now and be with your comrades, and if you would allow it, open your heart to them, and hopefully, you'll still have a place to call home in the end." The Sage offered her a bright smile before he places two of his fingers on her forehead. "Shame on me to forget, there are two things left to give."

By his words a circular mark of possible holy light is placed on her forehead that immediately fades away.

"And about your brother, give Takumi another chance, he's in a thousand kinds if pain that while he may have coming, he still doesn't deserve it." With that said, in the blink of an eye, the Sage vanishes from her sight and she finds herself surprisingly back in the Astral Plane.

"Corrin, you're back." Ryoma spoke from behind her and she sees all who came with her back to the sanctuary have also been warped back into the Astral Plane.

"How did we end up back here?!" Mikoto asked in astonishment, only now realizing that they're back in Lilith's domain.

"Old man is full of surprises." Robin noted.

"The Yato has changed shape." Ryoma said taking notice the changes done to the Yato blade.

"Yeah, the Rainbow Sage did what we wanted and unlocked a portion of my sword's power, and apparently the Fujin Yumi is also a key of sorts that he used to do so." Corrin explained as she focuses her gaze at her ''new'' blade, the Noble Yato.

"Truly? Then my Raijinto must also be capable of the same feat." Ryoma said astonished.

"Yeah but he neglected to tell me how to use the other Great Sacred Treasures for that. In fact, aside from offering me words of wisdom and a description of his past experience he didn't give me the chance to ask him any more questions about our other mysteries. Like, is the reason why he doesn't age is because he's a dragon too? Is he the reason why Lilith feels compel to stay away, and if that's the case, why is he keeping her away when he was so excited to finally meet me because I can turn into a dragon instead of being interested in the actual Dragon? Why is he interested in Mikoto? Why am I suddenly the center of attention in this War when all I want right now is to have an awesome life with my two families and finally have a boyfriend without people butting in at my business?!" She muttered with complete frustrations.

"What was that part about me?" Mikoto asked caught off guard.

"That's not really important right now." Corrin brushed her off.

"I disagree. I have had lots of secret admirers over the years and I would like to meet one of them at a personal level for once."

"MOTHER!" All of Mikoto's children, minus Corrin, and Takumi, who's absent, cried for a variety of reasons, either because they are embarrassed, unsettled, or the most obvious is not yet comfortable with the idea of Mikoto moving on with someone else.

"Oh, come on, I'm merely curious is all." She muttered.

"Ignoring that. What's our next move?" Corrin asked Ryoma.

"There is still much that needs to be done in Cheve but for now I say it's time we return to Hoshido and mobilize our army and activate the Throne's power to restore our barrier." The High Prince declared. "After that, I think we could all use the time we have to consort with our families and the rest of our comrades because when we are ready we will march in and attack Nohr head-on!"

"Finally." Hinoka tightened her grip as this assault was a long time coming.

"Guys? How did you get back here?" Lilith questioned as she comes in, baffled on how they enter the Deeprealm without her knowledge. "I didn't even hear you outside, much less feel anyone near my mark."

"The Rainbow Sage happened." Corrin replied, keeping the answer short.

"He can travel across time and space?" Lilith uttered. "But… no human should be able to-"

"Yeah, yeah, we already established that he may be a dragon." Corrin shrugged.

"You mean a… Precursor?" Lilith guessed with a hint of curiosity and nervousness.

"I don't want to address the subject right now; I just want something to brighten the mood." Corrin uttered depressed.

"I have some good news for both you and Lilith." Robin spoke up.

"Of course you do." Corrin smiles at him with bliss due to the mere promise of good news. "Anyhow, how's Takumi?"

"He's become unresponsive, which is to be expected given what he's endured. His will is broken but not beyond repair, he just needs time to rest and clear his head." Lilith informed. "Also, make sure he no longer feels inadequate, which is easier said than done at the moment."

"Why would you say that?" Ryoma asked, concern.

"Oh, hey guys." Mozu greeted them all back with a more cheerful tone than most of them are used to. Granted, the little villager is a kind spirit but she never spoke to any of them with such an energetic tone before.

"Ah, hello again Mo… zu…" Corrin's happy reply is cut mid-sentence upon seeing the small villager and left flabbergasted, along with everyone else as they see her with her arms upwards as she is lifting a giant golden statue of the Dawn Dragon, exactly identical to the one located in the center of Suzanoh in honor of Hoshido's founder and patron deity, down to the tiniest detail. Plus Takumi, Oboro and Hinata are sitting on top of it, the Prince looking very awkward, the Spear Fighter neutral and the Samurai looks entertained.

"What the hell have you been feeding her Lilith? And why haven't I had any yet?!" Corrin mumbled in shock.

"Nothing, I just spent the past couple of days helping Mozu unlock the dragonic potential of the Stone Dragon within her in a safe but accelerated rate. Granted I was reluctant to do it at first since the costs were risky but then I figured the Light Scroll's holy qualities could help decrease the risk rate, and Mozu was insistent upon it so we went along with it and now I have unlocked her Super Strength." Lilith explained cheerfully.

"Super Strength is an understatement. Don't dragon sculptures of the Dawn Dragon usually weight over a hundred or more tons?" Hayato questioned with total shock, same as Sakura and pretty much the least physically capable members.

"It feels more like a bag of carrots to me." Mozu smiled, not looking like she's putting any effort at all into lifting the statue.

"Oh dear." Azura uttered.

"Wow… this sure is something, makes you wonder how the Earth Tribe ever lost to Nohr in the first place." Rinkah mused very impress.

"This is quite the spectacle to be sure." Ryoma said while dropping a single sweat. "But what are those three doing up there?"

"Well, after Mozu started lifting weights at an inhuman scale I thought it might be fun to let Mozu carry us as well and it kind of is." Hinata explained.

"I sure feel like I can split a mountain in two." Mozu said, growing increasingly overconfident.

"Slow down there little Mozu, your powers are impressive but don't go getting ahead of yourself just yet, after all, we have yet to fully grasps the limit on how long you can use this strength. Super Strength depended on Mana is largely inconsistent." Robin advised.

"You would know, your muscles feel limitless at times." Corrin argued.

"Need I remind you that Xander bested me in the end." Robin countered.

"Only because you let your guard down because of my corruption."

"Hey, how about you Robin? We don't know how strong you really are when your magic powers have been restored." Mozu asked. "Why not try and lift this big o dragon as well."

"That's not really…" Robin goes silence once he notices everyone back far away from him at the same time that Takumi and his retainers jump off the dragon statue. "Guys…"

"Okay, catch!" Mozu cheered as she throws the statue upwards over eighty feet in the air as it falls directly at Robin, who doesn't bother to run away.

"This is ridiculous." Robin muttered as he quickly raises his hands and easily catches the golden dragon and is able to lift this much weight like Mozu, and of course, the impact of such a massive structure falling like that cause the ground to show cracks. "Was this really necessary?"

"Magic Strength, it's a beautiful thing." Orochi smirked.

"I agree." Corrin smiled with amusement to see Robin's strength in a much ''safer'' manner.

"Ah… Corrin. Y-You're tail is… b-back." Sakura said, noting that Corrin's tail manifested again and is flapping, earning her a few chuckles from the rest of her friends.

"Are you kidding me!" Corrin cried indignantly.

"My, my, Lady Corrin, for a Water Dragon you sure are… thirsty." Azama mocked, insinuating that her tail is more so a clear sign that she is turned on by Robin's strength for mature contents. This riles up the said hormone princess as she has had enough with this disrespectful monk and raises her 'new' sword with the aim to bisect him regardless of the abysmally questionable protests of the others.

Robin is the first to oppose her as he places the golden statue between Corrin and her prey to stop her but she does not relent as she swings the holy sword, making a clean and swift cut, combined with a powerful gust of wind remarkably similar to the Fujin Yumi that blows the upper portion of the dawn dragon up skyward until it is no longer in sight, leaving practically everyone baffled.

"Damn, even the Raijinto can't cut gold so easily." Saizo noted with him also impress.

"Is it… coming back down?" Hana asked.

"Doubt it, anything thrown far enough away from the extent of my domain, from any direction will be lost forever in the endless void of this dimension." Lilith explained while noting her master who's still volatile towards the Monk and is being restraint by Robin.

* * *

The Rainbow Sage or Hydra leaves himself alone on his Sevenfold Sanctuary once again, back to staring at the Dragon God portrait, though he is sure that Corrin will be coming back as her true trials are about to begin and she is going to need all the help she can get with what lies ahead.

"Finally able to talk to her was more fulfilling than I imagined." He smiled with a joy he never thought he could feel again. "There is still so much I have to tell you, Corrin, but not like this and not in this path. Maybe next time… my daughter."

"Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor itself hath any care, But for another gives its ease, And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair." The Sage is not alone as he thought as there is an intruder who manages to enter abruptly but the Sage is not worried as he was expecting his arrival and recognizes that quote all too well. He turns around and notices that it is the mysterious man that Corrin crossed paths with before, Quill. "A fool sees not the same tree…"

"… that a wise man sees." Hydra finished his next quote, familiar with all of them in that epic. "How long has it been this time?"

"Too long." Quill gestured as he looks at the Sage with a gentle smile. "I came as soon as I could once I felt the barrier around your home to keep unholy entities finally broke, from the inside no less."

"I need no one's aid to keep monsters away from my property." Hydra replied.

"As usual you misunderstand, I came here only to observe the show personally." Quill corrected. "It must've been quite the bliss, old friend, to finally hold your half-breed child in your arms like that but it wasn't the long-overdue conversation we wanted you to discuss, and quite incomplete since you purposely ignored your woman, as well as kept the other child away."

"It was not the right time. Too much has been thrown her way too soon and she is still recovering from the grip of Wrath. Knowing the truth about me would only further worsen her condition." Hydra said bitterly.

"Indeed, for it is not her heart that lies in ruins, but her soul, however, we both know that this was more to spare yourself the burden of answering the questions you're not ready to answer for her and her mother." Quill said, knowing there was another reason for him keeping quiet.

"And suddenly this side of me is considered in the wrong as well?" Hydra questioned, though not unkindly or accusatory.

"That day, when you and your family were forced out of your home, you made a very reckless decision to stay behind and hold off the Evil Within so that your wife, newborn daughter, sister in law and niece would have a higher chance of escaping without resistance but it turned out to be a foolish choice, followed by making a second foolish decision to make sure neither of them would come looking for you, and now both sisters are unknowingly aiming their arrows and tomes at each other's throats." Quill monologued in a lecturing tone. "Even after seeing and getting to know their nieces they can't tell the resemblance, there are gaps in their hearts and can't make sense of it, only act in accordance with their new duties. It's ironic that YOU would have a habit of making unwise decisions, you who were once renounced as the wisest of us all outside of Naga's dominion."

"I never planned on leaving that place, I got out due to sheer luck and by the time I got out she had already moved on and built a new family. There was no longer a place for me in their lives." Hydra said solemnly.

"So you say." Quill said as he takes a step next to him as they both return to look at the portrait, it's sight is so intoxicating to them. "Another topic then, why did you wait so long to force the two Sins out of Notre Sagesse? To see the Reborn Hero in action while he uses more of his power this time?"

"And if that was the case?" Hydra replied with another question.

"It was quite the risk, seeing what Envy had put Corrin through, you know."

"I knew the Warmaster would come to her aid, as he has done for all the other Lords he's served in the past, and if he hadn't, I would have." Hydra commented. "But the real reason was to get young Takumi to finally pull that stick off his arse. Envy may have been in control but she was acting under his own jealous hate."

Quill chuckles at this. "Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and Repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence. It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend." He makes two quotes that may best describe Hydra's meaning. "Is that how it is?"

"I never liked Sumeragi and both his sons have inherited his worse traits. His friendship with Garon would've never had changed anything because he was more a pawn than a king." Hydra admitted.

"How unlike you to give in to Envy." Quill continued to chuckle in amusement over this reaction. "A single human life is like a leaf blocking a small river and sometimes letting the river flow could end badly, like a thread of fate being cut. Kingdoms have always been Mankind's most bothersome miscreations, a bad trait that gods learned from them. Nohr and Hoshido have too much power, and thus both are meant to bring more harm than good. Wars are forever, so this battle was always meant to be. It matters not who is good but who is the lesser evil. The Seven Deadly Sins matter not."

"If you had done your part as we agreed then things could've ended for the better and we could've saved them all." Hydra lectured.

"I told you, this is all an experiment, let it walk its course." Quill insisted.

"And if the results are not to our liking?" Hydra asked.

"That will be my problem, you focus on what you do best, and wait." Quill instructed.

"I take offense to that." Hydra muttered.

"A lot of things do as of late but that is to be expected where our lives have led us." He gestured as he pats Hydra in the shoulder. "So, did the Strategician live up to your expectations while up against a true challenge."

"At his current state he is the only one who can stand up to the strength of the Sins but he cannot defeat a single one of them alone, not without his full powers." Hydra analyzed. "That gem can aid in his recovery but with his continued refusal to use Reficul, Corrin's chances of stopping the true enemy are slim. Fortunately, with the power of Caelum in its Empty Night form, the rejuvenation of his powers can be done much more smoothly and faster and it's only a matter of time before Corrin decides to return the blade to her true chosen wielder."

"No surprise, the Breath of Ruin left a real number on his soul before he finally broke free but his survival was a fluke, Hel will come to collect, she always does." Quill noted.

"If she does, I hope she can hold off until the end of this conflict." Hydra hoped.

"I wouldn't hold my breath; the Tactician has cheated Death more times than any other heroes tied to any of the Fire Emblems. Hel's furious, and so is Fate."

"Then let's make them angrier." Hydra insisted as he walks away from the shrine, causing Quill to show a smug.

* * *

"So, how does this work exactly?" Corrin asked, staring at the Throne of Hoshido as she and her allies have returned to Castle Shirasagi and must activate the Dragon Vein in the Throne in order to reactivate Mikoto's barrier, the problem is they have no idea how to do it, they have the Yato with some of its powers restored with the Rainbow Sage even stating that it will be enough but he neglected to mention how to do it.

"Well… I don't really know myself as I said, no one has ever been able to use it for centuries, so far all we know about it is stories of its power to cleanse any form of corruption." Mikoto explained.

"You sure the Rainbow Sage didn't say anything that could indicate how your sword can do the deed?" Hinoka asked.

"Yes, Hinoka, I thought I made myself clear, we spent most of the time discussing our world views and his take on the war before he did this to Yato and seem too keen on dodging all my other questions." Corrin mostly repeated herself. "Guess despite his kind words he really has lost his faith in humanity."

"Can't say I blame him, given the circumstances." Ryoma sighed. "Still, we may not need his guidance to get this done since we know where it is."

"Yeah, it's power is all over the chair, and it always feels intense when we sit in it." Hinoka said as all who can use Dragon Veins can easily sense it's power before them.

"Try sitting on the throne, Cor, the Noble Yato within inches of it may be enough to trigger a reaction." Robin suggested.

"Really, that's it? Just sit on the magic throne and it'll magically fix everything?" Corrin surmised. "Feels anticlimactic."

"Magic, in general, is anticlimactic, and last time I checked it's sort of our thing." Robin reminded.

"No, magic is your thing, Rob, I have an aptitude for it but nothing ever developed." Corrin corrected with a smile. "It's half my fault for being such a poor student and half Leo's for being a poor teacher."

"Maybe you should focus your efforts on the healing arts instead and learn magic with rods and staves." Robin suggested. "They're not easier to master but way more… 'stable' than tomes shall we say."

"I just might do that, if Sakura is willing to teach." Corrin joked, making the Priestess gasps at the implication.

"ME?! B-B-But… I'm not that g-great. I'll just s-slow you down." Sakura uttered.

"She's too modest for her own good." Mikoto chuckled as she gives Sakura a comforting hug. The joke lightens up the almost troubled mood because of the current predicament. "Though, if you need someone to teach you how to channel the magic of the rods I will be more than happy to do it." The mother offered.

"I was joking, I'm fine with just being a swordswoman." Corrin shrugged.

"Oh…" Mikoto whispered, disappointed. She enjoyed training Sakura how to be a healer, the chance to teach Corrin what she knows would be a dream come true, of course, that pales in comparison to wanting her to finally call her mother, which she has yet to do, to her chagrin and sorrow.

"Well, let's give it a shot." Corrin said as she steps forward and sits on the throne meant only for Kings and Queens of Hoshido and she must admit it feels pretty good. It feels very comfortable and remarkable to sit on, though at the same time it felt wrong for her, likely because she never saw herself as a Queen due to how accustomed she is of the status as the middle child of five, then again, every prince and princess must be prepared should they ever need to take the throne at a moment's notice, though deep down she prayed that she would never take on such responsibilities.

'Better me than letting Leo or Elise have to bear the burden of it all, or in this case Takumi or Sakura.' Corrin mused to herself. This odd sensation also feels different from what she had once expected as well, probably because of the Dragon Vein she is now sitting on top off, sure she was vaguely told before that the Throne of Nohr has magical powers of its own, though no one during her time in the fortress ever mentioned anything about a vein there is definitely a power in that particular throne that's also not of human origin.

All attention focuses on the Noble Yato as the blade's sky-blue glow brightens, indicating that it is resonating with something, no doubt with the Throne.

"The sword… it's working." Hinoka noted with a hopeful smile as the aura the sword is generating spreads to Corrin's body and later the entire throne and that's when the Princess begins to truly feel the Dragon Vein in a way that she never has before. No doubt about it now, this one is different from the rest the Dawn Dragon created all around the lands that make up Hoshido, this feels exactly like the one that creates the Great Wall in Cheve. The focal point that binds them all together, the first among them, the Alpha and it's power is amazing.

"Okay, now what? This isn't like before where I could just channel the power to one location, we're talking about purging an entire country of a magical blight." Corrin asked.

"You got me there, this is quite a pickle." Robin said trying to come up with something. "Just focus your thoughts on the desire to remove the corruption wrought to Hoshido by the Blight Dragon and hopefully the Yato will do the rest."

"That seems kind of basic." Corrin noted.

"I'm always open to the opinions of others." He replied and Corrin ultimately decides to go with the flow as she lifts the Noble Yato, and this triggered something as the sword fires a sort of beam into the ceiling but causes no sort of damage but spreads far and wide across probably the castle for several seconds before it faded and only the Sacred Treasure retains the glow.

"Well… that was something." Robin uttered.

"Did it work?" Ryoma asked hopeful and desperate.

"I have no idea, I just had the throne's power spread for what I wanted it to do, and that's usually all there is to it." Corrin said. "This is really something only the barrier's creator can confirm."

"It's too soon to say anything bared fruit, I definitely felt a great and blissful power run on a rampant around us but the Blight has imbedded itself so much into the Kingdom's environment that I'm sure we need more time before we can give the all clear to reforge my barrier." Mikoto affirmed. "But for now I can say for certain that you'd done your part spectacularly, Corrin."

"Great, so now what?" Corrin asked.

"Nothing except have all of you rest up while I and mother tend to the people and troops, as well as assemble the council to discuss our latest political crisis." Ryoma said with mild irritation on that last part for obvious reasons as he bids his family a short bye before departing.

"We're not going to hear the end of the Opera House, are we?" Azura muttered.

"What'd you children think." Mikoto said very sternly for a brief moment before returning to a softer tone and gives Azura a comforting hug to reassure her that everything will be alright. "You've all been pushing yourselves so hard ever since this madness started and even though you've all rested long enough, I suggest you enjoy yourselves some more, no doubt things will get considerably worse."

"Well if we must." Corrin sighed. "Hey, is there a bigger room for three that I can take for myself?"

"Of course, but why not rest up in your old room again, I even had it cleaned up finally for you to feel more comfortable?" Mikoto said.

"I appreciate that but Lilith and Mozu will be staying in the castle for now and I rather keep them close by, mainly when we sleep." Corrin explained.

"Ah, I see your reasoning." Mikoto surmised. "I have just the one, we can go check on it."

"Sure." Corrin nodded, and then turn to Robin. "So, what was this good news you were talking about, Rob?"

"It's better to show you, I'll be right back." Robin said as he takes his leave.

"Can't I just go with you?"

"Nah, you go and prepare a room for Lilith and Mozu, I would like some time to myself right now anyway." Robin shrugged.

"You've had plenty of time to yourself." Corrin reminded.

"No, I spent the last twelve hours struggling to survive while babysitting Azura and getting out of a city on the brink of collapse and marched back to you while stopping to make dealings with criminals, rescued your mom, again and fought off a Sinner all while having an almost unhealable wound that only a dragon could mend so I believe I'm entitled to some me time right now."

"Unhealable wound? You got injured by Siegfried!" Corrin gasped horrified as he and Azura neglected to mention that part to her.

"See you later Corrin." The Tactician waved her off and uses his new Warp Tome to vanish from the throne room, already long gone.

"Hey get back here! Son of… a bitch…" Corrin cursed while sighing exasperatedly.

"I feel like you two should go to couple's therapy." Hinoka suggested, half-jokingly and half-serious.

"I think an asylum is the better place for him to be in." Azura replied noticeably unkind.

"Well, at least there's someone who understands what I'm dealing with." Corrin muttered.

"I know more than even you, Corrin. I know more than even you." Azura sighed to herself as she too walks away from the Queen and three Princesses, still complying with Robin's request to keep quiet about his secret but in her own frustrations she said too much and must leave.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Corrin asked completely caught on by Azura's words about knowing more about Robin. "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

"This is the most awkward I've ever felt." Hinoka muttered.

"Eh, I've seen way more unstable couples." Mikoto shrugged, amusingly.

* * *

Using the Warp Tome, Robin teleports to the prison located in the far west side of Suzanoh, the many prisoners of war have been placed there along with the typical criminals Hoshido deals with. Robin will never say it to any Hoshidan's face but the prison in Krakenburg is smaller in comparison to the one in Suzanoh and less crowded, even before the war. Probably because Nohrian Wardens are rumored to kill off their prisoners after three strikes of insubordination but now that he thinks about it, King Garon figured that if he can't control the psychopaths that run amok in Nohr than he can at least control the criminal underworld and has had his most trusted ''scumbags'' gain a high position among the many crime lords in an attempt to gain the golden opportunity to snuff them out and has been pretty successful thus far, especially since Leo and his right-hand man Zero got in the darker business. Guess Hoshido has a more level of tolerance towards inmates. Not that it's a bad thing but during his time in Nohr, Robin has noticed how crime in their cities is considerably low, sure, you can chalk it up to Nohrian brutality plus Grimm but based on what he has heard, crimes have been under control during Garon's time as Crown Prince, even then he had brutal tactics when it came to handling those viewed by the public as villains when he was more calm and nicer, believe it or not.

Not many talk about the crime rates in Hoshido, the whole country looks so peaceful that crimes also feel nonexistent but no kingdom is perfect and no country thrives without corruption and moral compromises, if Hoshido was the exception, there wouldn't be any real need for an army with so much quantity and quality like the one Corrin's stepfamily controls, the ones Robin is especially wary of is the military branch that work in the shadows, such as the Ninjas, the ones who do all the dirty work that the public best not know about and if the antagonism Nohr gives is to be taken even a little bit seriously then Robin has enough reason to not be spotted by them when he sneaks in to the prison. He's not really supposed to be here since they want to make sure none of the captured Nohrians get in and out and are so strict about it that two prisoners were executed simply because they were caught seemingly trying to unlock their cells when it was visibly obvious that the depowered Warlock was just venting his frustrations on the lock and had no skills for lockpicking but he and his cellmate were used just to make an example to the rest regardless. Robin does not dare use his new status as a royal guard member to authorize coming here due to how new he is to all this and he is just as unpopular with the masses and army as Corrin for the same reason Saizo was so antagonistic towards him, simply being loyal to Corrin, who is viewed with the biggest mix baggage he has ever seen is enough to earn him too many frowns and scowls to receive cooperation with anyone and while he could just ask the higher-ups he is now affiliated with to waltz in here without bother there are regulations that must be followed before any prisoner can be released, especially with the current crisis and this is important so he'll have to sneak them out. Sure, this is a bad idea for so many reasons but he'll make do with the backlashes afterwards.

"Sorry I took so long you two, but a lot's happened and there wasn't enough time or chances to give you leeway given your nationalizations." Robin said apologetically as he warps into the cell where the two he's come for have been placed.

"You have a lot to apologize for, you gibbering oaf." One of them said with contempt.

"Always a pleasure to see you too." Robin sighed annoyed.

"Can we please just get out of here, I heard about prison and it's not nice." The Female pleaded scared.

* * *

"Here you go, nice and new for you and your little friends." Mikoto introduced Corrin to the new room she requested, it doesn't look too different from her own room, except that it's bigger, enough for five people actually but Corrin can't complain since she's way too used to the whole 'bigger is better' and 'better is bigger' as Camilla always liked to phase it. Though now that she thinks about it, Camilla was more likely talking about axes and wyverns, and Escanor is actually bigger than the average sub-dragon. Yeah, that makes much more sense, but the point still stands that she's too accustomed to sleeping in a room big enough for more than one person. She just hopes Mozu doesn't get too overwhelmed by being in such a big place, she already feels insignificant enough as it is. Or rather she did until she discovered her ancestral origin and now feels loud and larger than life, which is good for her. Maybe a little bit.

"Well, what do you think? Will your little friend and the honorific dragon find this to their liking?" Mikoto asked, showing her around.

"I can't speak for Mozu just yet but Lilith won't mind even if she prefers the typical household expected of a stable girl." Corrin said liking the room.

"I still cannot fathom it, a newborn of the ancient sacred race of dragons who govern over dimensions and souls, hiding in plain sight and pretending to be a simple little girl getting by." Mikoto said amazed once she saw Lilith for the first time, sure she lacks the magnificent appearance that is expected of a dragon but her power is the real deal, merely hearing about her from her children was awestruck enough, seeing her was something else entirely, yet at the same time so familiar. "You are blessed to be surrounded and protected by such powerful beings."

"Power is something I was expected to control practically my whole life, for one reason or another." Corrin shrugged, never really taking into consideration how protective the people around her are not just because of some royal status. "I'm more concern with just getting by and not get tangled up with so much of this chaos and get this side of the cycle over with."

"Cycle?" Mikoto repeated.

"The Rainbow Sage, he… he told me much of his world views and how he perceives the never-ending struggle between order and chaos. All of it tied together in a cycle with a timer to how long peace can last before chaos takes a turn and what must be done for peace to reign once again. And now it's my turn to keep the cycle going and follow the path to peace." Corrin explained while looking down at the sword passed down to her by some strange destiny.

"The Sage? How…?"

"No, I don't know and I don't care if he's interested in you." Corrin shrugged.

"That's not at all what I meant!" Mikoto cried while raising her hands up innocently and blushing. "What I meant to say is what was he like? Ryoma never wanted to talk about what he went through in the Sanctuary, heck at the time I didn't want to know, all I could think of was how to properly punish him since he left for the island without my permission as soon as he learned that Prince Xander passed the trial and felt an obvious sting of jealousy that he would never admit. He was immature too as well when he was exactly your age and younger."

"He seemed sad and lonely. Like he lost everything important to him and the will to live but for some reason he keeps clinging on to life waiting for something or someone." Corrin explained from her perspective what she believes Hydra is like. "I couldn't see his eyes because of whatever blackness is covering the top of his face aside from the hood but I could feel it when he hugged me. He was feeling what I felt that day, except for him it was as if hope was returning. Is Immortality really a blessing, or a curse."

"Despair is something I think we can all relate to, that kind of horror, no matter how small can consume even the brightest of stars." Mikoto said empathizing with whatever Hydra is going through. "The day I lost you and Sumeragi was not the first time I fell victim to so much pain."

"Huh." Corrin muttered turning his attention to Mikoto.

"You probably learned this from Reina but I did not originate from Hoshido, you and I are foreigners of Horus, we hail from a land I have no memory of." Mikoto revealed.

"No memory of. What happened?" Corrin asked.

"There are gaps in my memory, decades of my life gone. I remember my youth fondly, my parents, my friends and the beautiful place I called home. The joy I feel of recalling these events but also the pain of not knowing about them is almost palpable, the ignorance on why we're not there anymore is what hurts the most, combined with the fact that I cannot remember what my sister even looked like, those gaps are minor but still impossible to get a clear view."

"What about my father?" Corrin asked sounding very nervous and is disappointed by the shook Mikoto gives.

"Everything about him eludes me as well, all I remember is the warmth and happiness he made me feel when he held me close. You're all I have left of him and the life that was stolen from me. I know it was stolen, all of it." Mikoto said with more sadness visible in her face as she held her hands close. "Sumeragi was my one chance and hope to start all over. I admit that the circumstances that led to our relationship weren't… professional and embarrassing shall we say, but I did love him ever so much, and he I. His loss alone would've been more than I could take, the only reason why I remained as queen even though I was but a consort was that Ryoma was too young and scared to become king back then. Even still, I give anything to finally step down from this position, it's all too much. My failures don't outweigh my successes, I can assure you. But this isn't me." She said bitterly, turning away from her daughter looking at herself in the mirror, not appreciating her royal status at all.

Silence overtakes the room and mother and daughter remain still, not saying a word for what felt like years, even though they're only seconds, the tension between the two is as high as ever and the discussion before them is long overdue. Eventually, Corrin tries to muster the courage to speak next.

"Qu…" She meant to say Queen Mikoto but hesitates, getting second thoughts.

'I'm your mother! Call me Mother! Please!' Mikoto wanted to scream ever since Corrin came back and refused to acknowledge her as such but instead, she repeatedly forced herself to smile. Smile and smile and smile until the mask initially breaks and falls off.

The long-awaited family reunion was not at all what like she and her stepchildren wanted it to be, the long lost Princess of Hoshido had returned a completely different person, a far cry from who they wanted her to be. She had done all she could to help her remember her past, regardless of how small she was, she was old enough to remember enough to believe every word they told and showed her. Mikoto's smile felt like cracking from her face if she held it any longer when she showed Corrin to her old room and she examined the drawings she made like they were someone else's. How silent she was during the whole tour, lost in thought, and she found that while she could always tell what her stepchildren were thinking, she had no idea what was going on through Corrin's mind. It's so unnerving, not knowing her own daughter at all, she wanted to scream. She wanted to sob. She wanted to go back in time and never let her go. But she couldn't do any of those, and instead hid how her words had been bolts to her heart, how Corrin's subtle but still noticeable scoffs of disgust when she learned how there are always leftovers from the food Hoshido have. The same look of disgust Nohrians threw her way when they scream and complain of their famine. How she was so much like them. How it infuriated her as any Hoshidan would by how alike she was to them. For so long she thought her daughter had been reduced to a miserable prisoner in Nohr, deprived of her humanity but once she learned from Kaze that she was actually raised among their nobility as a princess, it was both an inconceivable shock and massive relief that at least she was treated as her daughter should. But why? Why would Garon take her as his own child? Out of some sick pleasure of raising her to kill her own family and countrymen? No, there's more to it than that.

With what Corrin's become, even if it really isn't bad, it still hurt her to see her look at her true family like they were the strangers and not the Nohrians, so much so that Mikoto would wait until she was alone in her room chamber to finally shed her tears and cry herself to sleep ever since Corrin came back.

Dinners were always awkward affairs now with all of them tiptoeing around each other. The simple truth was that Corrin just didn't fit into Hoshido. They even offered her Hoshidan outfits, lovely kimonos that Oboro made and armors meant for Princesses and Queens, and she had taken them, too polite to say no but never wore them except when her Nohrian armor needed cleaning. She seemed to care for it way too much and refused to be away from it for too long. It has sentimental value, no doubt but who gave it to her to be so protective? Hopefully not Garon, otherwise she would've been tempted to have it destroyed regardless of getting into a heartbreaking argument with Corrin. Queen Arete perhaps? Even though she has never seen her face, Mikoto has enough respect for her not to be so hostile regardless of who her husband is and would think twice about destroying something so stylish she might have made for the young woman they both call daughter.

Corrin tried to obey their laws and customs but there were so many things she forgot, so many obvious things a native would never forget, which proves how far gone she really is. At the very least she held no real hostility against Hoshido, as reluctant as she was to accept them, she tried to put some effort into getting to know them but there was just too much tension and uncertainty going on. She seemed most at east with Sakura, showing a smile whenever she got close and in general taking on the role of a big sister, that made Mikoto so happy, until she remembered that Nohr has the young Princess Elise, despite being shorter is actually a year or two older than Sakura who Mikoto must admit is the most adorable and cheerful child she'd ever laid eyes on as she caught a glance of her and Crown Prince Xander during a trip she took to Nestra for a meeting with King Alexander. Corrin no doubt treated her with the same loving embrace, which soured the mood for Mikoto. And she was especially nice to Azura, no doubt because of the same circumstances they both experience so they naturally see each other as kindred spirits but still she kept her distance from the Songstress for one reason or another, which made Mikoto sadder quite honestly.

Corrin was warily curious and friendly towards Ryoma and Hinoka. Those two have been waiting years for the chance to apologize to her but as strong a front as they put, they couldn't take it either as it didn't feel right when they confessed while she didn't remember them. They wanted her to actually forgive them, not pretend to or think she was obligated, and she completely felt as such solely out of pity for their sorrows but she certainly wasn't genuine about it. So instead they tried to bond with her in one of the few ways that was easy for them. Through sparring. It seemed to work; Mikoto would drop by their matches and she'd see them enjoying themselves so at least they knew how to pass the time so long as it was together, though Hinoka struggled not to complain how Nohrian Corrin's fighting style was but on that Mikoto nor Ryoma have a problem with because all they cared about was that Corrin knew how to defend herself and no matter what Hoshido thinks, there's no denying that Nohr's warriors are formidable and trained well.

Takumi didn't like Corrin at all, and Corrin could tell instantly and Mikoto knew right away why. The young Prince is largely upset that the sister he barely remembered, the sister whose return had been a dream for them wasn't just a stranger but a complete foreigner, just like they both were once before. So he became prickly, harsh, suspicious, glaring and made it clear that in his mind, his real sister had died with Sumeragi at Cyrkensia. And Corrin definitely didn't care at all for Takumi either, though she didn't reciprocate the hostility she certainly felt sorely tempted to do so out of distaste for him and made it just as blatant that she wanted nothing to do with Takumi and avoided him like a plague.

For her part, Mikoto wasn't really sure how to really interact with Corrin, and while she did engage in conversation with her, they were laughably shorter than she would've wanted and instead slipped into the shadows watching her from afar. She knows it was no way to rebuild their relationship but she had been so caught up by the new person she was and needed just as much time as everyone else.

But while Nohr was her biggest obstacle from Corrin, the only issue she had at the moment was Robin. The actual foreigner, he was nice and did nothing to earn their hostility but Mikoto couldn't help but resent him by how close Corrin was to him, when she's not avoiding everyone she hides behind the curious Mage who knows his way with words and a blade and has him do the talking and come up with excuses to drive people away when she returns to thinking about her Nohrian Family. Ryoma and Hinoka felt the same way but were more subtle about it than Mikoto, and Takumi seemed to resent him the most, a clear sign that deep down he DOES want to trust Corrin and views Robin as a sort of threat as well for them to rebuilt and the young man definitely noticed as his eyes are keener than most Ninja Masters and certainly felt uncomfortable but did nothing nor said anything due to empathizing with their sadness, and even when Kaze informed her that Robin was more convinced than Corrin about her place in Hoshido and the two started talking about perhaps trying harder to adjust here Mikoto still couldn't let go of her envy at how Corrin was using him as an emotional clutch. It was only after Robin sided with them that Mikoto truly began to open up to him and accept his aid in the Twilight War.

The Queen doesn't even want to think of what would've happened if Robin had returned her to Nohr and what this would've done to her family. He would've been hunted down and executed, that part is obvious enough and Corrin returned and most likely dragged back in chains this time. Robin only brought her back at Corrin's request because she chose to side with Hoshido but when Ryoma explained to her in better detail how it all went down in Kurosaki, Mikoto was devastated because she had finally come to accept how much Corrin loves the Nohrian Royals and how standing against them is destroying her and wasn't in the right state of mind when she sided with them. The family she knew all her life or the family she barely knows but can never be with both? How can anyone make such a choice and not feel remorse regardless of who the real bad guy is? What would Mikoto have done if Corrin had willingly chosen to remain in Nohr, apart from being more heartbroken? She prays the answers will never come as her hatred for Nohr has mostly been replaced with pity on how she feels now.

The question now is, with how far they have come and how much farther they have to go, will Corrin follow through with them to the end no matter how much it hurts?

"I… I'm sorry." Corrin finally spoke up with more courage this time.

"You're… sorry?" Mikoto asked confused by this new scenario and turns around to get a clearer view of her daughter.

"I know I'm not what you wanted me to be once I was forced back here and that I've done nothing but hurt you. And… I don't know what I can say to make up for that except that I'm sorry. And it isn't just you who I've hurt but so many others." Corrin said remorsefully.

"Oh, Corrin, what right do I have to receive apologies when I too hurt you as well and first." Mikoto said bitterly and remorseful herself. "Neither you nor I are free from blame and no matter how much we want to nothing can erase the things we did for the paths we took were no different. My dreams made me blind and mute, I longed to return to those times and kept onwards to a dream that benefited me more than anyone. If only it were easy to forgive and forget when what's gone is forever lost but now all we can do is live and hope that the future will be a brighter one."

"I don't see a bright future for me on the other side of the tunnel rather or not we win this war." Corrin said while she turns to the window in the room and looks at the whole city of Suzanoh. "I haven't been here for long but I just can't shake the feeling that I'll never fit in with those in this kingdom or get it into my head that these are my people."

"I felt the same way when I first set foot in Hoshido but that thing about finding a new home, or in your case ending up in a new place to be your home is that it's like taking a Leap of Faith." Mikoto advised. "I made peace with my past or lack thereof with a new life in Hoshido but it wasn't easy, Hoshidans are at their core people, and people can be monsters when you don't have their trust."

"Something I am going through right now." Corrin muttered with the issue regarding the people's distrust of her having yet to be addressed. "What exactly are they saying about me."

"Some are willing and already do trust you either because of your dragonic nature or out of trust for the rest of the family since all still believe you are Sumeragi's daughter." Mikoto said more openly since she knows keeping her in the dark about this would do her no good. "Many more are afraid of you for reasons not even I can fault them for and are questioning your choice to side with us, as well if you really are my daughter and demand far too much, your incarceration or execution being the most common."

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised, after all, I still see myself as Nohrian, no matter what anyone says to contradict me." Corrin said somberly as she returns to face Mikoto. "I will always have remorse for abandoning Nohr; however, I will strive to get them out of their famine crisis, and first I must walk the destiny the Rainbow Sage presented me with. I will protect Hoshido by fighting against the true country that I love. I wish I could say that I will endure the burden my actions will bring but I was never strong where it counted to begin with."

"Then don't bear the burden of it all alone." Mikoto said warmly as she wraps her arms around her into a hug. "Even if the world turns against you, even if you don't fully accept it, know that I won't ever turn my back on you, not ever."

"Thank you… mother." Corrin, now feeling more at ease says the words that Mikoto has longed to hear, shedding tears of joy that she can only believe it to be as being finally accepted by her daughter. It's like her heart is being warmed up after being frozen for so long, even though Corrin isn't hugging her back having her this close is enough to make all the pain from those stolen years completely worth it, the family isn't as whole as she would prefer but it's enough. It has to be. They stay silent and still like that for how long neither can tell, already losing track of time but they know it hasn't been hours at least. Soon enough, though, the two separate, both with smiles on their faces though Corrin's is faint and understandably so.

"Well… I believe I kept you long enough and your boyfriend has been patiently waiting outside ever since I brought you here." Mikoto said sweetly.

"R-" Corrin stops herself from finishing that sentence and turns to the door, not noticing Robin at first until he walks into view.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything." Robin said apologetically.

"No, it's fine." Corrin uttered. "So, not to be… you know, greedy or anything but what is it you wanted to show me?"

"Not what, who. Or rather two of them." Robin smiled warmly as two individuals walk pass the Tactician to approach Corrin, once again leaving the Princess in an utter state of shock, like she has seen two ghosts, of Jakob and Felicia.

"Lady Corrin!" Felicia cried out in joy to see her mistress again.

"F-Felicia… Jak… Jakob…" Corrin muttered while shaking.

"Milady! I have returned at last. A thousand apologies for the delay." Jakob greeted his mistress in a nicer tone that shows a lot of concern for her.

"Oh, your armor is all dirty. I better get that clean it up pronto." Felicia said, noticing the dry blood on Corrin's wonderous armor.

"Nonsense, I'll do it. Lady Corrin requires the most delicate of hands, you will just make her look worse." Jakob objected.

"That's not true and you know it!" Felicia cried.

"Seriously, even now you two would continue with your pointless bickering." Robin sighed over the argument. The bickering ends as Corrin rushes to give the two a tight hug and again sheds tears of joy.

"You're both alive!" She sniffs, not able to find the words to express her joy.

"There, there, Milady, there's no need to feel sad anymore. For I am here now." Jakob assured his mistress with more compassion while patting her head.

"Please don't cry Milady. Because if you start to cry… then I'll… I'll…" Felicia started to sniff herself and cries as loudly as well alongside Corrin. Robin and Mikoto remain still in silence while smiling over Corrin's joy to have two more of her friends back until the former departs and leaves the four in the room.

Once she calms down, Corrin fills the duo in on almost everything that has transpired and her new life among the Hoshidans. Robin informs Lilith of this who then rushes to the room to see her lost friends who she too mourned for and is overjoyed to have them back. Though there is one key person missing. Where's Gunter?

"Oh, Milady, I'm so sorry for everything that's happened." Felicia offered her condolences over what Corrin has been through.

"Absolutely abhorrent! To think that such a fate would befall my liege. I have failed as a butler for not being there in your time of need." Jakob cursed himself for his absence, ludicrously viewing his own struggle for survival as a poor excuse for not being there for Corrin.

"Please don't do that to yourself, Jakob, what happened in the Canyon was beyond our control." Corrin insisted, not in the mood for her faithful Butler's sudden moments of self-loathing. "All I care about is that you'd both come back to me."

"Are you surprised? I have sworn an oath that I would remain at your side till the end. No task is too great and no journey will be too insurmountable." Jakob reminded proudly. "If Hoshido is where you choose to stand with, then I shall follow. Though it will pain me to raise arms against Lady Camilla, I will shoulder the burden."

"I-I'll stand with you too! I mean, I'm scared to death at the notion of fighting against Nohr, especially the Grimm but I believe that whatever path you take will be the right one, Milady." Felicia rehabilitated her loyalty towards Corrin alone, as naïve as she may sound.

"Thank you both." Corrin thanked with so much gratitude but also feels a lot of regrets as she knows that they too will endure so much if they go through with this as well. "Still, how are you guys still alive? I saw you fall into the canyon, which is supposed to be bottomless."

"That is a tale most strange, truth be told." Jakob said reminiscing on his experience before explaining himself. "After we were thrown into our deaths by that despicable abomination of fire, everything went dark as we passed out and after I don't know how many moments we woke up in some place that we had initially assume to be the afterlife. The place was so strange, the feeling alone gave us a sense that we were no longer in our world anymore, and the geography was unnatural."

"The land and sky itself seemed to be rend in pieces, and float about seemingly at random." Felicia spoke up next. "Old buildings that look decades old, remnants of a civilization all but gone and forgotten. Everything felt so surreal. Beautiful and yet so terrifying at the same time."

"You two look very much alive to us. Could you have fallen into a Deeprealm?" Corrin asked before turning to Lilith. "Lilith, you know about the Deeprealms, is there a portal to one below the Canyon? Is that why it's considered Bottomless because those who fall end up in another world."

"I have no idea. I don't know the locations of every Deeprealm in the world and I have never heard of one within the Canyon but the description Felicia gave does seem to match up to one or two I am aware of that are similar." Lilith explained. "If I had known of its existence I would've gone looking for you three all the sooner."

"But what about Gunter, he fell with the both of you, didn't he?" Corrin asked not sure why she made that question when she already knows the answer especially once she notices the sad expression on both the faces of Felicia and Jakob.

"Oh, poor Gunter." Felicia mumbled in distress.

"After almost an hour of exploring that strange land and concluding that we were somehow still alive, we were ambushed by these mysterious, semi-invisible creatures native to that land." Jakob resumes his explanation but now with a somber look.

"Semi-invisible? Envy's henchmen." Corrin gasped.

"The same soldiers that she used against you back in Izumo." Lilith uttered. "Could you two have stumbled upon the hideout of the Seven Deadly Sins?"

"It's highly plausible, during his battle with Sloth, Robin said that he summoned weapons that were hardly visible if not for the purple flames surrounding them." Corrin noted.

"It was because of those strange, soothing and cold flames why we were able to notice them and they attacked us without hesitation and would remain silent when we tried to communicate with them. They had only one thing in mind and that was our demise. We were quickly outnumbered and forced to run away, succeeding in shaking them off and hide in a cave and it was like a maze inside and we got easily lost and spent days trying to get out, we were lucky that our contacts with those monsters were short and far between." Jakob continued.

"How did you survived for so long? Felicia can barely last two days without food."

"Hey…"

"I told you once before that I am not a man of faith but after what we endured; I confess that I have acquired a second opinion because we found nourishment in the form of Qliphoth's Trees." Jakob said.

"Trees… named after the Dusk Dragon?" Corrin said wanting confirmation.

"As in, THE Trees of Darkness that used to exist in Nohr that can produce food when in a place where there is barely any light." Felicia clarified. "Those were the most delicious fruits we have ever tasted."

"Those Trees really exist? I thought they were just fairytales." Corrin said in awe.

"Oh, they very much existed, Lady Corrin. When Lord Qliphoth walked among Men, he created the Trees of Darkness to produced food for his followers who chose to live with him in a land completely barren and infested with shadows. During the night, or at least when there is little sunlight, the trees would begin to generate wondrous food and provide magic to the land for farmers to raise their crops." Lilith explained. "It's how ancient Nohrians were able to last so long in their lands despite the lack of ordinary food and why they didn't bother to take over other nations when they first acquired the Grimm, because their Dark God provided them with all that they needed to survive and was filled to the brim with resources, arguably even more than Hoshido."

"Then why aren't there any now?" Mikoto asked.

"Because of the Water and Earth Tribes. Back when they were still around, they each suffered a similar crisis, a Dark Mage tortured their people with wicked sorcery for the sake of some twisted experiments, and he claimed that he came from Nohr and was under their orders." Lilith explained.

"Was he?" Corrin asked, nervous to have the answer.

"According to the stories I remember my father telling me when I was a child, no, he actually originated from Canta, a Gristonne Dark Mage who lost everything when their invasion on Nohr ended in failure and craved vengeance. The two tribes believed the accusation and in retaliation, they destroyed all the Trees of Darkness, robbing the Nohrians of their food supply. That's why Nohr wiped them out because they're both responsible for the state the Kingdom is in right now, and they have no idea how to make more of the trees, they were made using God Magic, after all." Lilith finished.

"Gods…" Corrin mumbled, devastated, the moral gray line that Nohr has been stuck in becoming more and more visible to her. Most of Hoshido thought that Nohr destroyed the Earth and Water Tribes because they were being their usual conquering selves but in truth, the extinct tribes brought their demises upon themselves, meaning Cheve's millennia-long feud with Nohr is more based on a long-forgotten truth, not that it would ever change how they each feel about each other.

"Anyway, the Cave we were trapped in held many trees that provided us with all the food we needed to get by, as well as lots of Nohrian and Hoshidan weapons strangely lying around everywhere for us to use. Eventually, we found what we could best describe as a portal of sorts. We had no idea if it was our ticket back home but we knew anywhere had to be better than there so we went for it. Unfortunately, we soon found ourselves surrounded once again by those monsters, though we were mostly ready for them this time, we could only hold them off for so long and as things got worse…" Jakob hesitated for a moment, this next part being rather hard for him. "As things got harder for us, the old fool made the brash conclusion that if the three of us ran to the portal together they would block our path and decided to stay behind and hold them off long enough for the two of us to escape. And his logic proved sound as he made enough of a ruckus that they didn't notice our escape, and before we knew it we were back in the Bottomless Canyon. Afterward, we went looking for you and were shocked that the long-awaited war had begun and got ourselves dragged by one of Nohr's units to help with the invasion, that's how we met up with Robin's lousy face."

"We didn't want to leave him, Lady Corrin but everything happened so fast, we didn't know what to do." Felicia sniffed, remorseful of their actions in leaving Gunter behind. Corrin and Lilith become sad over the news of Gunter's sacrifice and remain silent and mourning, and while this is happening, none in the room notices the scared look on Mikoto's face upon learning the description of where Felicia and Jakob were trapped in and her struggles to keep her tears in check.

'Valla…' She mused with sadness and longing in her thoughts. 'My home…'

* * *

"What?! Most of the Council has been attacked?" Ryoma repeated in shock upon receiving this dire news. He and his two retainers left to try and assemble the most influential nobles who form the Council of Hoshido to discuss their course of action and first went looking for Yukimura who plays a key role in the council due to his position as the top tactician.

"I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, Milord but after you were more or less M.I.A the nobles became routed so to speak, retreating to their respective cities to fortify them into strong bastions to guard themselves from the Grimm attacks and due to all the chaos we have been unable to get into contact with them, mostly because Nohrian assassins have carefully breached their defenses and executed them, we've already lost contact with Abarai and Saitama. And as for the nobles who remain, doubtless to say they still draw breath for ignoble reasons."

"You mean cowardice." Ryoma concluded. "Securing their own safety first and only while leaving the common folk to fend for themselves."

"I'm afraid so and the Grimm like the Nuckelavee have that effect on people and the Nohrians have wasted no chance in seizing the opportunities to capture as many of our citizens and use them to ransom more of our lands and none of them sunk as low as Lord Yamamoto." Yukimura informed.

"Yamamoto? That sniveling rat. I thought he was still in prison after he tried to dethrone my mother?" Ryoma asked with disgust in his tone while Saizo scoffs at the mention of that wretched lord.

"He was set free along with all the inmates from the Shinigami Chasm after it was attacked by three Fafnirs who cause too much confusion and has taken over the city and have the people there at their mercy. No one knows where his wife, Kikyō and three sons are since they've suspiciously been missing since the war started, and it's hard to dismiss the possibility that they've gone into hiding, though like before I think she's not really involved with her husband's schemes." Yukimura explained. "Yamamoto controls Kyoto with his own private militia and as we initially suspected he has contacts with the Blackhounds assisting him and it's likely that they will try to align themselves with Nohr to save his own skin once this is said and done."

"Dammit!" Ryoma shouted enraged as he slams his fist at a table near him. "This war is still fresh and already Nohr have us divided into splinter groups and left us with traitors and cowards. Our nation's pride and unity reduced to petty jokes."

"The sinister methods of Nohr's own top tactician Iago, no doubt, and I fear that maybe these events may not be so sudden as we initially thought as it is way more likely that Nohr has been planting the seeds of betrayal among our ranks during our stalemate with the capture of the two princesses. Yamamoto is just the only one so far who's been open about his treachery." Yukimura concluded.

"That makes much more sense but it also irks me even more." Ryoma sighed. "We cannot let this go on for much longer and we cannot wait for my mother to reactivate the barrier either, we must strike now and ensure that no more lives are lost."

"With the War Council temporarily decommissioned the decision to act falls solely on you and the Queen, our men are ready when able, though I should warn you that our scouts have reported that Nohr is amassing a large brigade at our borders, no doubt to march towards Suzanoh and according to rumors, the one leading the charge is estimated to be Crown Prince Xander." Yukimura continued.

"Than that is where I will be going next then." Ryoma declared far too quickly and eager that he almost startled the three beside him.

"Not so fast, your Highness, these are just rumors, our spies have been able to carefully watch the Nohrians in the borders from a close enough distance to discern the number of soldiers and commanders among them and they have been gathering in the canyon to march since dawn and still no sign of the great Paladin who is well known for being overinvolved with overseeing the preparations as early as possible. And I have reason to believe that this march is a diversion from the real unit meant to topple us where Xander will really be a part of." Yukimura surmised.

"I see, then until we can be sure we must remain on standby." Ryoma concluded, disappointed.

"Not to step out of line or anything Milord but this feels like the right course of action, after all rushing in to face Lord Xander head-on is too risky, especially with the state the cities are in." Kagero objected. "Our economy alone is in shambles and we have to gather as many resources we can muster just to ensure our people don't run out of food and keep the lesser nobles from whoring any of the scrambled power."

"And what makes you think I'm the right person to deal with diplomacy?" Ryoma asked a little sarcastic. "As hard as I tried and studied, being a diplomat is just something I'll never be proficient at. The nobles have made that pretty clear many times before."

"Don't be so hard on yourself my Prince, your father was a joke himself when it came to managing the economy when he first started and yet he pulled through just fine during his reign so I'm sure you'll find a way as well." Yukimura assured him.

"I appreciate the words of encouragement as always, however, expecting me to pull it off simply because I am the heir to a King has a higher probability of ending in disaster than triumph." Ryoma said expressing doubts about becoming a good king when he takes the throne. Thinking back, Ryoma remembers vividly the dread he felt when he learned that he was next in line for the throne after his father died, he was only thirteen and a half and already expectations to be king were high and he quickly fell under the pressure of it all, if not for his stepmother maintaining her status as the queen consort he might've been forced to sit on the throne then and there, largely due to the massive influence and demands of the Dawn Faithful because of their beliefs that his family must remain in control of Hoshido in order for the Dawn Dragon to continue blessing the kingdom. He owes so much to Mikoto and at first, he did not acknowledge her as his new mother due to still clinging on to Ikona in his heart, though he was not open about his rejection like Hinoka was initially. Takumi and Sakura were too young to remember their actual birth mother so it was easy for them to imprint themselves on to Mikoto. It took years for him to realize how much he loves her as his actual mother but he never once expressed it as a son should but only as a prince loyal to whoever sits on the throne. And yet he was so quick to accept Corrin as his sister despite not being blood-related either.

'What a disgraceful boy I used to be, huh father?' Ryoma mused in his thoughts. 'How I could use your guidance right about now.'

"We'll see your true worth as a King when the time is right, for now, Hoshido needs a warrior prince and great general than a lowly diplomat. Something you fit into quite well." Yukimura advised while lightening up the mood for Ryoma as he makes a light chuckle.

"Quite true, though if you are still insistent on being proactive than we might as well go and stop Yamamoto ourselves before his actions could encourage more to desert us." Saizo suggested.

"Right you are, however, we can't go after him with a large unit since we can't spare that many soldiers so we'll have to risk sending a smaller unit." Ryoma surmised.

"To liberate an entire city, Milord?" Saizo questioned.

"Have I ever let any of you down?" Ryoma asked rhetorically with the trio making no such reply since he technically hasn't yet. "As all things must be, things will end up south for us but we have a huge leverage this time to compensate for our many faults."

"You mean Robin?" Saizo concluded. "He's finally resting after overusing his magical powers for days and restoring his body's natural flow, though based on my quick analysis of him, he won't object to further assisting us."

"I figured as much, given how cooperative he's been, and given your diligence, what can you tell me of his prowess as a tactician?" Ryoma asked.

"I admit he is no less than impressive, the way he speaks and plans regarding the course of a battle is that of a war veteran based on my own studies and through his methods overpowering the Nohrian Royal Family felt almost child's play, though that was mainly because we were able to amass the number of troops needed in such short notice as you've seen yourself in Cheve."

"The point still stands that he truly is an invaluable asset in our conflict against Nohr's onslaught and his survival was arguably a blessing for us." Kagero added.

"You mean besides the fact that he and Azura arrived at the nick of time to save us from Envy and Greed?" Ryoma half joked.

"Speaking of the Sins, they seem to know Robin, or at the very least know of him based on how Greed reacted when she saw him, and they even called him an Angel of Death as well as a Warmaster." Saizo reminded.

"Yes, bit by bit his past is becoming more open to us, though the fact that they tried to kill him along with us shows that he is their enemy as well, that's enough reason to remain in good terms with him." Ryoma said being lighthearted towards Robin.

* * *

Robin takes refuge in the room that was assigned to him in Shirasagi in the section of the castle where the Royal Guard members live as the Hoshidan nobility likes to keep their most trusted closed by. He takes off his combat uniform off to take a bath but first, he opens his Morgenstern and from it comes out a clear emerald cut gem that glows in a silvery light once he grabs a hold of it and places it on his chest, releasing its power on to his body. He takes a heavy breath as he can feel his magic power recharging at a faster rate than he is normally capable on his own and he maintains this process for a while, losing track after thirteen minutes due to how refreshing this feels, until it didn't.

Robin falls to his knees feeling what he could best describe as being electrocuted, dropping the gem, coughing for two seconds and then having difficulty breathing, making the process more unbearable. What's more, his entire skin begins to change color and become extremely pale and all the veins in his body become visible and black, which seem to make the pain even worse, and what's more his eyes turn completely black but in spite of all this agony, Robin only manages to make very low growls that none outside could hear what he is going through. This nightmarish pain lasted for seven minutes before it finally subsides and his body returns to normal, leaving him lying on the ground, unable to feel anything and becoming so numb.

"So much for second time's a charm." Robin sighed bitterly as he stubbornly forces himself on his feet to take that bath, having a much-needed rest after all he went through, afterward he dries up to lie down on his bed, wearing no more than his pants and sighs exaggeratedly.

"I can already hear Chrom and the rest of the old gang seething and bickering at me for how I've been handling things here so far, but at least I'm far enough away to not get bash over and over again in the head by Lissa's staff." Robin muttered to himself as he rubs the back of his head, reminiscing on very fond but still annoying and physically painful memories.

"I wonder how everyone is doing right now? Living life the best of their abilities, that part is obvious but… are you all still mad at me for leaving like that? Are you all still mourning or have you all hopefully moved on and not letting the shortcomings of my life weigh you down with guilt, Chrom. I sure hope you're doing alright too, Lucina. I'm sorry we had to part ways without really clearing both our consciousness. And Morgan… I…"

He stops himself from finishing his words, unable to finish and just remains lying down there in complete silence and solitude without uttering a word before seemingly falling into slumber.

"I miss you the most, little girl."

Robin is interrupted from his inner thoughts as he hears footsteps walking near him. There's someone else here, odd how he didn't hear his sliding door opening but he can shrug it off to being tired. He looks up and sees that it is Azura.

"I take it you're done with your little episode right about now?" She asked, referring to what he was doing with the Weisslogia Gem and what he went through in the aftermath.

"All better now, and almost all my strength has returned as well." Robin said with assurance as he gets back on his feet.

"Not sure if that's a good thing seeing what you went through twice already." Azura countered. "I've heard stories on how the Gems of Weisslogia can grand mages of all kinds access to more mana than humanly possible to use their magical powers indefinitely, however the side effects of using them for long periods of time can lead to a ghastly metamorphosis to the body with death being the merciful way out of it, but by what I've seen happen to you when Anna gave you the gem, we were all terrified by your brief inhumane appearance."

"All the Mana in the world is having a tough time entering my body due to what I can best describe as a wall blocking the path for much of it." Robin explained.

"You mean your soul?" Azura surmised.

"It's the best probable cause of my problem, and using the gem, while helpful in making a bigger hole in the wall to recharge myself, it's not healthy for my soul in its current condition to have so much mana transferred into my body so rapidly, then again once the metamorphosis starts it can't be undone so the fact that it only lasts for a few minutes with me means that I'm a different case with even that as well." Robin added.

"All the more reason for you not to use it as much then." Azura said sounding adamant.

"Right, which is why I will try to minimize my use of magic during combat and rely more so on my swordsmanship and tactics to aid our allies in the foreseeable future and only resort to my more potent abilities only when the situation calls for it." Robin agreed.

"Are you going to tell the others about this?" She asked.

"I have to, with the risk of not giving it my all as I used to I must make sure nothing causes everyone to lower their guard." Robin replied.

"Good, though I imagine Corrin will be hard to convince not to worry about you in the frontline."

"She'll have to tolerate me being in the frontlines indefinitely then, I know I've reached total tolerance with her physical abused." Robin sighed.

"Goodness, did she always resort to violence when upset with someone?" Azura asked curious.

"Only when Leo pushed her over the edge with his bad habit of bad talking others just so he can feel good about himself, and then there's Inigo who's way of flirting with women riles them all up for some strange reason, and even though I've never done anything as reckless back then we had plenty of disagreements that wouldn't always end well for me whenever I win the argument." He revealed which made the Songstress chuckle.

"Quite the interesting bunch from this infamous fortress."

"We were a unique cut above the rest of Nohr." Robin smiled. "Though I must ask for the real reason for why you've come as I can tell that checking up on me is only half of it."

"Barely anything gets pass you, it seems." Azura said as her demeanor changed back to her usually stoic face.

"Comes with the territory of being a Tactician. But this is more out of concern for your wellbeing, after all, you have not been given the chance to even talk about your… dilemma." Robin tried to say nicely referring to her feelings regarding her decision to confront her 'real' family in such a way. "Though, to be honest, I'm surprised you came to me about this instead of the rest of our other friends since you have more chemistry with them."

"You would think that but the truth is I'm just as lost as Corrin was when she was brought to Hoshido even after all these years. I know them well but not enough to feel comfortable confiding with any of them." Azura confessed. "For so long I blocked myself off from everyone behind walls to my heart, never expressing how lonely and afraid I really felt, even when I was alone and before I knew about the Ninjas I always felt surrounded by so many eyes and ears. It didn't matter how much compassion Mikoto, Ryoma and the rest showered me with, I knew I didn't belong. I've tried to find my place in the world and sought solace with the teachings of the God of Light and the belief that as long as I kept a strong front when near others I would be okay."

"Why do you think it's alright to open up to me then?" Robin asked with concern.

"Because I realized why Corrin clings to you so much, and while the others may not acknowledge it yet or accept it, you make everyone around you feel safe, it's like there's something inside you that strongly reminds everyone that hope is not gone and there's no need to hide under any kind of façade." Azura said with much certainty.

"I say you're terribly overestimating me but people have said that to me before you." Robin sighed both with flattery and annoyance before he offers Azura a hand. "Regardless, if you need a shoulder to cry on you need not ask with me."

By his offer alone, Azura no longer hides behind her walls as tears finally begin to shed from her eyes as she also starts to tremble, and while there's no way to prove it, Robin feels like she hasn't cried in years, which felt more apparent when he holds her into a comforting hug as she truly begins to cry, not so loud but the bitterness was largely apparent.

"Mommy… brother Xander…" She sniffed in anguish, the sting of fighting against Nohr finally beginning to sink in on how much it is destroying her. Her legs are becoming numb that she falls to her knees and Robin following suit as he holds her tight, refusing to let go until there are no more tears left to shed.

* * *

**So the hurricane didn't hit my home, hooray for PR but there was still my personal life to focus on so this took long anyway and will probably be the last one I make for a long while so I hope you like it, especially with the changes I made with the Rainbow Sage, though I'm a little surprised that no one even gave the slightest review on guessing who the new sage is but no matter. See you all next time and as usual, reviews are appreciated.**


	19. Chapter 19: Goodbye Dusk, Hello Dawn

***Chapter 19: Goodbye Dusk, Hello Dawn**

Dreams are a wonderful thing and a complete mystery at times, the mind is known for being deceptive, even to itself and sometimes what seem like dreams feel more like a memory, as it can be hard to distinguish the two when one slumbers and said memories aren't remembered vividly, and Corrin certainly has moments of her past that she has forgotten, her time with Hoshido in her youth being the biggest one but there are also events from her time in Nohr that slipped her mind for better or worse, though there is this one memory that she certainly will never forget, and that is that one night where she could not fall asleep and had a nighttime stroll in her fortress alone while everyone else slept. Corrin's never worried too much about security since the Fortress is always so quiet and peaceful, especially at night, though while it's so dark it's important to bring a lantern. Her stroll eventually stops once she reaches the top of one of the towers, the very same one where Xander would always insist on sparring on whenever he came to visit. She would always get the oddest sense of nostalgia when coming here since Xander is the one among her siblings that would visit her the least unlike the other three who would make time for her, though Leo and Camilla would occasionally have princeling duties to attend to.

She's not alone as she initially thought, seeing Robin also here staring at the cloudy sky as it is in most nights in Nohr due to its natural link with the Dusk Dragon, or so the religion of the Dusk Faithful believe it to be the case, Corrin thinks so too but she can't say the same for most of her family. He always enjoys stargazing, rarely ever lets a chance to see the stars slip whenever it wasn't cloudy. She notes that Robin has his personal tome; Morgenstern on his right hand while his left hand is glowing with a green aura, indicating that he might be planning to cast a wind spell. He was very insistent on her and Lilith to not share the fact that he can use magic to everyone else so as to not join the military as most tome wielders in Nohr are requested to work under the Monarchy, especially foreigners who choose to settle down in Nohr for many reasons, the main one is to keep individuals with power in check to not disturb the status quo if anyone with power runs uncheck and the rules of the Nohrian Army work rather well to keep everyone on a tight leash, and while Robin was at first open to the idea of being a military mage he quickly had a change of heart for reasons Corrin can only guess and not fault him for so she complied to his wish and never told anyone. And it seems like he's about to practice his magic in secrecy again.

The green glow shines brighter as Robin prepares to cast his spell and without uttering a word, the White Mage shoots an Elwind spell at the cloudy sky, moving much faster than any she's seen fired by Leo and that's when something spectacular happens as once the spell reaches the clouds, the magical force causes the sky to split apart in a very wide range, revealing all the stars above that would be naturally covered by them, to Corrin's utter amazement as she has never seen magic be used like this.

"That was… amazing." Corrin gasped, unknowingly dropping the lantern and drawing Robin's attention to her presence.

"Corrin!" Robin uttered in surprised. He did not expect to encounter anyone at this hour and hoped to be all alone to practice his magic in secrecy while everyone is asleep, and he sure is lucky that it was Corrin who caught him.

"I knew you were good with magic, but to actually split the sky, or rather a cloud that big so easily. When I asked Leo if he could do something like that the first time I felt like stargazing he laughed me off and said that no one can mess with the sky. You always had a knack for proving people wrong." Corrin praised.

"I merely know how to be one with the wind is all." Robin shrugged. "I take it by your silk black nightgown that you couldn't sleep. Another oddball dream?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Oh, yeah, you know every now and then I have the most bizarre dreams, most of them are of great battles, and they tend to feel like they're more than just dreams but somehow more like premo… hey, wait a minute! Are you dropping the subject." Corrin protested.

'I've been caught.' Robin mused.

"C'mon, Rob, you know I can keep a secret and no one's going to find out from my mouth, nor Lilith's, the least you could do is show me some courtesy." She pleaded.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." Robin sighed in defeat. "I have been practicing and trying to better understand my powers and I learned I am capable of a few feats I'm sure no one else can."

"Like what?" Corrin said growing more intrigued.

"Okay, if you want to see some real magic, I'll show you something new." Robin said as he first grabs Corrin and carries her princess style.

"Hey, what are you…"

"Promise not to drop you." Robin smirked as he begins to show his new trick as Corrin experiences flight for the first time as Robin begins to lift them both off the ground and they take to the sky.

"What the…" Corrin gasped in further shock as they are already fifty feet above the tower they were standing on and only going further into the sky. "How are you…"

"I'm using the Mana within me to manipulate my body mass in order to render me completely weightless, thus giving me the Power of Flight. Or at least that's how I see it, it's a little hard to explain since not a single tome at least in Nohr has anything that really explains how to fly." Robin explained, amused by how flabbergasted her face is.

"That's because no one in human history has ever been able to fly on their own before without the aid of a wyvern or pegasus." Corrin mumbled, with her shock only growing. "Robin, this is amazing!"

"You ain't seen nothing yet." He smirked as they soon fly above the clouds and move towards the bigger one, then Robin stops carrying Corrin princess style, now only using his left hand to hold her by her abdomen and starts using a spell from Morgenstern with blue magic coming out of his right hand that fuses with the cloud and once he is done he moves them closer to it and actually stands on it. Corrin can actually feel her feet standing on the cloud as if she is stepping on something tangible, it feels like a very comfortable bed made of water.

"Oh my Gods…" Corrin shouted in disbelief as she gets on her knees and starts touching the cloud. It's so soft and fluffy, and even though clouds are made of water and frozen crystal, she isn't getting wet by touching it, nor does she feel any shred of cold from the night, instead she feels warm. And like snow, she can move it and change its shape and out of pure childishness, she makes a snow angel, or rather cloud angel from it.

"I knew you'd like it." Robin smiled, enjoying seeing her like this.

"I LOVE this! THIS is real magic! It's just incredible." Corrin said so giddy. A realization then dawned on her. "Wait, it's because of you isn't it? Over the past sixteen months, clouds have been appearing less and less around all the farms in Nohr, allowing our farmers to better raise our crop much better than ever and enough so that Xander tells me that father is actually smiling and started paying more attention to the common folk. No one thought it was possible for anyone besides mother to get him to do either of those two things."

"I took the chance to dropped by whenever Leo asked you if he could borrow my swordsmanship whenever rebellions and brigand attacks started again and he was assigned to deal with the issue. Your father sure likes to keep his kids in top shape." Robin said, not denying anything.

"Thank you. I always knew you to be a true Nohrian. Helping those in need like Xander always said." Corrin praised in gratitude with a light blush. "With all the food we've been amassing this year we may hopefully be able to delay the coming war father has planned for so that we don't have to waste such invaluable lives."

"That's purely wishful thinking, Cor, but one that I promise to make a reality however I can, and while I know it may be selfish, I rather not draw any attention to myself, I've never even met King Garon but I here he has a nasty habit of making use of anyone he sets his sights on until they are no longer useful so I rather stay as far away from his sight." Robin said.

"Yeah, he is quite the beast and mother has no qualms about enabling his bad habits at times so it's better this way." Corrin said agreeing with him. "So any particular reason why you wanted to split the clouds this time."

"Stargazing mostly, you know it to be my favorite hobby." Robin said as they both lie down comfortably in the cloud and look up to see the hundreds upon thousands of stars above them. It was like looking at a massive pitch black quilt adorned with tiny specks of light over every available surface.

"It's so beautiful." Corrin awed. "The Chevians believe that stars are actually the souls of the deceased who've ascended and have become one with the cosmic force that birthed the universe, we Nohrians believe so too but more than that the Dusk Faithful claim that they're actually Dragon Eggs. When a human deemed worthy of the standards of Heaven dies, their souls are sent above the world and incase in crystalize eggs that are set to all hatch at once on the day that the Gods finally return to live among men and begin a new golden age with the children of the stars as their vassals."

"Those sure are a lot of babies, and last time I checked, babies love to eat." Robin mused.

"Dragons don't need mortal nourishments, so the overpopulation of lifeforms won't be too much of a problem in a spiritual sense, and besides, with Qliphoth back Nohr won't ever have to worry about going hungry." Corrin cheered with total faith in the God of Nohr. "What about you, Rob, what do you think the stars are really? Promise not to shout out sacrilege if I disagree."

"Honestly, I think they're like the sun, only smaller. Astronomical objects consisting of luminous spheroids of something amazingly powerful that mustn't be mistaken for magic but something that in time can be understood with science." Robin hypothesized.

"Well, that sounds boring." Corrin said.

"It's a matter of perspective but there's more to stars than religion and science. Want to try some real stargazing?" He asked.

"Aren't we doing that now?" Corrin asked.

"Nope, we're just getting started. The best part is looking at the constellations and mapping them out." Robin explained.

"How, exactly? I've never understood how do stars form images like they do?"

"They don't exactly ''form'' a perfect image of someone or something but you can see them in the space between the stars, which works like an outline." Robin tries to explain this as best he can and points at the starlit sky again. "See those two stars?"

"Yes?"

"Now follow them down and connect them with the stars over there, there, and there." Robin instructed pointing his finger at where she should look. "Now what do you see?"

"A… group of stars that form a gibberish thing." Corrin uttered.

"Those are the stars you're looking at and not the space between." Robin corrected. "Let's try it this way then, close your eyes." She complies and does as instructed.

"Okay, now I want you to picture your brother Xander. I want you to visualize everything you know about him: his height, his hair, his facial features, even his usual princeling stance. Once you have a clear picture of him in your head, let me know."

"Okay… I have it."

"Now open your eyes and look at those stars again. What do you see?"

Corrin opened her eyes to gaze at the stars once again and this time she sees the figure of Xander himself between them, standing tall, and literally larger than life as if he is actually a god, which to be fair a lot of people see him as with how he looks.

"Ah! I see it. It's really him!" She said excitedly.

"Congratulation. You are the first person to see the constellation of the next King of Nohr." Robin said pleased. "Keep in mind though, that Constellations are not about what is there, but what about your mind and imagination fills in the blank space. They're about finding something that might not appear to be there at first but knowing deep down that it is."

"Incredible, and you say there are more?" Corrin awed.

"Yep, and we should be able to spot them all this night." Robin smiled.

"Oh, I am definitely going to catch them all." Corrin smirked with more excitement. "Any particular reason why you often stargaze, hoping to find something you yourself aren't sure you want?"

"Pretty much, I come here hoping that maybe the stars would show me an image of something that has a very special place in my heart, an image that would flash a memory into my mind. I came close a few times but I only got half an image and couldn't make sense of it, a clear sign that I've lost more than I realized." Robin said with a bitter tone.

"Oh, Robin." Corrin said now growing concern before gaining back her smile as she holds on to his hand. "You'll get them back, I promised I'll help you."

"That means a lot to me Corrin." Robin smiled back at her for her kind words. Corrin then does something unexpected as she lies back down on the cloud, except this time she gets really close to Robin and wraps her right arm around him, startling him a bit. "Cor…?"

"How wonderful would it be for this moment to last a lifetime." Corrin whispered in his ear with a brighter blush.

Seconds later, Corrin snaps back into reality as that really was a dream based on a memory and she finds herself back in the room she requested for herself, Lilith, Mozu and Felicia since they insisted that she sleep with them and since there were only three beds, Corrin and Lilith had to share one, of which they didn't mind at all.

"Shit… that really was just a dream, and that last part never happened, I wasn't that courageous enough to confess then and now is not the time." Corrin whispered while hissing over her misfortune, And no longer able to sleep, she gets off the bed and gets dressed, putting on one of the clothing Oboro made for her, one fit for female spear fighters, don't know why she gave her this uniform since spears aren't her thing even though she has trained to use them but regardless, she puts it on and starts to take another nightly stroll, though she does catch a faint sign that the dawn is upon her, either way, it's deathly quiet in the castle so she better savor every single moment of peace she can for when the time comes to fight again. And after thirteen minutes of strolling around with no path in sight, this castle is really huge on the inside she ultimately stopped in the training grounds located behind Shirasagi where the Royal Family and Royal Guard train and it looks fancier and more equipped than the one in Fort Jinya. She's a little surprised to see that Ryoma is also up and is just standing at the center lost in thought or daydreaming, and dress in full armor no less. She swears, she's only ever seen him wear the same thing, not that she's one to talk but still.

"Ryoma." Corrin called him, getting him out of what he was thinking as he looks at her.

"Ah, Corrin, I'm not surprise to see you up this early, Kaze said that you're pretty much a morning person." Ryoma greeted.

"That wasn't always the case but recent events have made me jumpy." Corrin replied.

"Perfectly understandable, many of our comrades feel the same way as of late." Ryoma said.

"You mean to tell me that ninjas aren't usually this up an about." Corrin asked as she knows that there are several of them on the lookout for any threats for their Prince.

"Nevermind them, they're always like this, and even I sometimes question if they ever sleep." Ryoma joked.

"Don't they get uncomfortable staying in these positions, I can't imagine Kagero likes staying upside down in that ceiling for too long." Corrin asked, knowing that on their right, Kagero is upside down stealthfully hiding there and at night it's truly impossible to see her but out of a friendly gesture she exposes her hand to wave at the Princess.

"Believe it or not they're more comfortable when they're like this. Don't ask why, it's weird." Ryoma explained. "And you've learned how to spot them. Fascinating."

"Robin learned some tips on how to and taught them to me. Also, Kaze was more than willing to give me more than a few pointers." Corrin said. Corrin next hears the low growling of Saizo once he heard that.

"You did what?!" The Red Ninja groaned to her brother as the two begin to argue in the shadows with Ryoma none the wiser.

"She was really curious and I felt entitled to teach her how to defend herself against stealthy attacks." Kaze said innocently.

"Imbecile! Ninjas must never share the ancient secrets of their clans to outsiders, even our assigned lords." Saizo growled, really trying his hardest not to smack his brother for his insolence.

"Have you ever stop to think that maybe if you had helped Lord Ryoma with his training against stealth attacks, he be more fearsome, and maybe Yamamoto wouldn't had…"

That was the last straw for Saizo as he does smack his brother, causing him to fall off the roof and crashes down on the training ground for Corrin and Ryoma to see.

"Argh!" Kaze made a weak groan.

"Someone pulled the Saizo panel." Corrin said bemused.

"Do I want to know what just happened?" Ryoma asked most confused.

"Nothing worth your time, High Prince." Kaze bowed as he brushes off the whole incident and disappears into the shadows.

"Why do you put up with Saizo?" Corrin hissed.

"He's not so bad." Ryoma replied.

"You'd never engaged in a proper conversation with him, have you?" She questioned.

"No one but Kaze can pull it off." He replied grimly.

"Figures." She rolls her eyes.

"Dropping the subject entirely, I get the feeling that you're not just up and about because of being a lighter sleeper." Ryoma guessed.

"Geez, what gave you that idea?" Corrin said both sarcastically and venomously, even looking hostile towards Ryoma, who raises both his hands in defense.

"Still mad, I get it. I was completely out of line yesterday, and I'm sorry." He muttered nervously.

"You have a lot to apologize for, you fucking lobster." She hissed.

"I promise to make it up to you, for now, I believe the best thing for both of us to do is bent our stress." He suggested.

"I suck at meditation." Corrin replied.

"I'm saving that for Rinkah, I was really suggesting we spar some more." Ryoma said.

"I'd like that." Corrin agreed, and Ryoma draws Raijinto. "Whoa! You want to spar with our Sacred Treasures? Isn't that going too extreme?"

"We'll be fine, and besides, you've got to start learning how to use your transformed sword." Ryoma suggested.

"I know how to use magic weapons like the Levin Sword, Flame Sword, Wind Sword, Runesword, and Iceblade. They're the only type of magic I've managed to use and that's not too impressive considering that anyone can harness their power with thought alone and speaking of Wind Swords, the Empty Night form seems to be just the same as its power while also identical to the Fujin Yumi." Corrin explained.

"I sense it too, however, the concentration needed to use my Raijinto is ten times that of the amount when I use a regular lightning blade, the latter being much easier to control. Unlike regular magical relics, a Sacred Treasure must be treated as an extension of the wielder's body, an extra limb that must be well trained and the muscle memories perfected. Our fight will determine how far you can go with the training you already have with a wind sword." Ryoma instructed.

"Well, if you insist." Corrin said as she draws Yato, take a few steps away from each other and get into their fighting stances before they begin their showdown, that lasted a lot longer than they intended, even as the sun finally rose up, they kept at it, both having the stamina to fight for an hour, though they did stop for a few minutes of rest before continuing, with Corrin using her limited knowledge of wind swords to channel her new power, so far only able to summon Elwind attacks that Ryoma can parry easily but some packed enough force to make the Swordmaster almost lose his grip on the sword, with the Ninjas guarding them watching intently, some even forgetting that they are on guard duty, it's rare for them to see their High Prince exert himself this much on anything.

Corrin howls as she swings her newly changed sword horizontally at Ryoma that the High Prince swiftly blocks and upon impact the two sword release a minor shockwave from the magic they both radiate, of electricity and wind. Ryoma pushes Corrin back hard enough that she nearly trips but is able to maintain her footing in time to parry three swift attacks from Ryoma, though by the third swing she nearly loses her hold on her sword, Ryoma is hitting hard even though his attacks aren't as fast as he is actually capable since he's holding back just the right amount that he is sure his sister can keep up. Corrin, on the other hand feels like she doesn't have the luxury of holding back and pushes onward, delivering a stronger swing while the aura that permanently remains with the Yato glows brighter for a brief moment, signaling that the blade will use more power that Ryoma picks up on in time as he puts more strength into blocking the next swing, and it was a wise choice as Corrin's strike blows him almost sixty feet away from the training grounds and he ends up on his knees and supposedly hurt by the impact. However, one look at his face can tell anyone that he is just fine if his smug is any indication as Corrin succeeded only in making her big brother take things more seriously.

Raijinto releases more lightning magic that starts to bond with Ryoma and in the blink of an eye, the High Prince vanishes from sight, startling Corrin as she starts looking at her surroundings to see where he might be at. One of his Sacred Treasure's many qualities is that it imbues its wielder with the speed of lightning, or at least to a certain degree since lightning magic used by humans isn't as fast as a real lightning bolt but since Raijinto is a holy sword it stands to reason that the speed might be the real deal, though it didn't do Ryoma any good against Greed or even Xander since the former is a Demon and the latter has a Great Sacred Treasure as well that grants invulnerability. But Corrin is inexperience with her sword's power so she can't keep up, especially once Ryoma returns to view and is now right behind her with his sword ready to strike, however he makes a little sniff from his nose that Corrin's ears picked up easily, alarming her to Ryoma's location to make a counterattack and thrust her blade to him but Ryoma vanishes from sight again only to quickly reappear at her left and swiftly points his sword near her throat, getting her to cease her struggle entirely.

"Let's take another ten minute break for you to relax some more, it's clear that you have a bad habit of overexerting yourself when your desire to win takes the better of you." Ryoma said playfully.

"You sniffed on purpose just to get my attention." Corrin surmised annoyingly.

"You wouldn't have noticed me otherwise, your reflexes may be superior to the average Swordmaster and Spear Master, and your eyes and ears don't fail you often to spot danger but your no demon or master of a Sacred Treasure yet." Ryoma said somewhat smugly as he pulls his sword away from her.

"Whatever…" Corrin sighed in defeat as the two go to lie down and rest, and in the nick of time, Jakob arrives with breakfast.

"It's feeding time, Milady." Jakob said warmly to the Princess as he presents her meal.

"Oh, Veggie Chowder. My favorite. Thank you Jakob." Corrin smiled with a hungry expression.

"No thanks are necessary, your Gracefulness." Jakob bowed with respect.

"Odd, I could've sworn you said that Surf and Turf was your favorite meal." Ryoma said recalling a previous conversation she had with her.

"Sometimes Surf and Turf is my favorite, sometimes it's Veggie Chowder, and sometimes is Tangy Coleslaw. I'm more of a top ten kind of gal." Corrin corrected.

"Robin wasn't kidding when he said you were very undecisive." Ryoma said amused.

"Oh, don't take his side on the matter!" Corrin snapped with visible offense on the manner of her issues. "I can be decisive when I want to be."

"I'll hold you to the promise that you'll be better at it then." Ryoma smiled, wisely choosing not to address the fact that her indecisiveness is a critical issue that must be conquered soon. "I should really have breakfast right about now as well, got a big day ahead of us."

"Oh, here you go, High Prince." Felicia called out as she comes in with Ryoma's breakfast. Naturally, people weren't optimistic about Jakob and Felicia joining them, especially after Robin technically broke them out of prison, quite a hassle that was but Mikoto was in too much of a good mood to care as she brushes off the complaints too questionably smoothly and gave the two leeway as long as their loyalty to Corrin is absolute, which seems to be the case given Jakob's… obsession, in all honesty, and Felicia being too innocent for her own good, she's like a less shy version of Sakura, or at least that's how Mikoto sees it. She has yet to see how clumsy the Maid really is.

And clumsy she is as Felicia trips yet again, a loud screech from her mouth, falling to the ground and she might've dropped the food on Ryoma's face, thankfully Kaze showed up right in the nick of time and caught her, preventing her and the food from falling.

"That would've been too close for comfort." Ryoma muttered more relief than he sounds.

"Well, it's nice to see that nothing has changed much with you two." Corrin smiled nostalgically.

"I disagree." Jakob gave a silent hiss in annoyance.

"Oh, I'm so useless." Felicia sobbed in hopelessness.

"The training grounds aren't always well kept so trips are unavoidable but be more careful." Kaze advised gently as to not hurt her feelings.

"Your Nohrian servants are certainly unique." Ryoma complimented as he takes his food to finally have his breakfast.

"Yeah, they're both one of a kind." Corrin said joyously to have them both back.

"As always, you honor me, Milady." Jakob said extremely flattered by her words despite being so composed.

"I promise to do much better next time." Felicia cheered.

"Oh, and how about you, Kaze, I forgot to greet you good morning." Corrin said turning to the Ninja.

"There's no need for that for me, Milady." Kaze said politely. The green ninja notice a discreet scoff from Jakob aimed right at him that the others don't. The Butler really doesn't like him by how close Kaze is to Corrin. He's really overbearing about the Princess, and he really went over the edge when he found out that Robin and Kaze are now her new retainers, the Ninja just knows he's going to have the worst headaches of all time in the future to deal with him now that they'll be working together. Really though, Kaze should be the one holding a grudge after their first encounter and yet the victim is the mature one.

"Well, anything to keep you happy, Corrin." Ryoma smiled at her, naturally much preferring to see her sister smile. "And keep in mind that I'll try my best to help you feel more at ease."

"Yeah, you've made that pretty clear the last twelve times." Corrin said innocently. "And if you insist on it so much, might now be a good time to hear a little bit about what it was like growing up in Hoshido before Nohr, I wasn't exactly keeping an open mind when I first came here. Like your perspective on the family."

"Of course, I've been anticipating for this to come, actually. And our siblings are the best way to start, like little Hinoka, the crybaby." Ryoma reminisced.

"Hinoka… a crybaby? I can't see it." Corrin said having a hard time seeing Hinoka be a crybaby. Sure, she has seen her cry before but those were more sympathetic tears due to feeling useless.

"She has matured tremendously. Now she's an excellent model soldier." Ryoma said before turning to Kaze. "Kaze, you remember what Hinoka was like in our youth as well, don't you."

"Yes, though the reason for her immaturity was because all the other noble girls kept making fun of her for wearing more male-like clothing due to her big dreams of being a powerful warrior and actually thought that dressing up more like the late King would make her looks stronger." Kaze said, recalling those days fondly and how Hinoka would always run crying to the first familiar face she saw to cry on their shoulder whenever she was made fun of for not being ladylike enough and since he was closer to her age and knew each other well enough, he was more than willing to comfort her, whenever he visited the castle that is. "She was never interested in katanas, though."

"We all at one point want to look more like our heroes." Corrin guessed.

"I know better than most." Ryoma said as he two preferred to dress up to look more like his father, and actually still does since Sumeragi was a Samurai and so is he right now, just redder. Sumeragi didn't like the color red, not that Ryoma remembers. "And of course, you know about Takumi. I understand that the relationship between the two of you isn't ideal, toxic being the proper word to describe it but when he wakes up, can I ask you to give him one last chance to rekindle. I think being possessed by that Demon was punishment enough." Ryoma pleaded, still holding on to the hope that things between them can get better. "In spite of his missteps he is one of the most righteous men you'll ever know and I am saying this from an unbiased view since our soldiers respect him more than he would ever dare boast and is popular enough with our citizens."

"I'll try but I don't think I can make any promises when he's concern." Corrin said somberly while placing her right fingers near her eyes. She did not tell the others the extent of the physical pain she endured and plans to keep it that way. She can still feel the sting of having them cut from her eye sockets as well as remember the wicked laughter of Takumi's voice, reveling in her anguish. What hurts the most was the fact that she still doesn't know who she should hate for it, the demon, or her brother. They both have the same dark thought lingering on their hearts if Envy has one at all. "Though, the Rainbow Sage seems to think likewise since he too insisted I rekindle with him."

"All the more reason for you to comply!" Ryoma declared with a bit too much enthusiasm that he immediately makes a fake coughing sound to keep himself composed.

"Went out of character a bit, didn't you." Corrin said smugly. "Don't feel ashamed, I speak with certainty when I say that anyone would do crazy things for family."

"I quite agree, Lady Corrin." Kaze said recalling how complicated his relationship with his twin brother can be at times and how sometimes he wants to slam him to the ground for his rudeness, see how he likes it, but there is sibling love between them even if it's rarely ever shown, or at all.

"You have me there, though I've never had such opportunities to be no more than just the big brother sticking his neck out for his siblings, at least not during simpler times." Ryoma smiled delightedly. "Now, where was I? Ah yes, I want to bring up my thoughts on Azura next. As you know by now, she's always been a bit distant. Even as a child. She's kind and wise, but I wish she knew how to open up a little bit."

"Can you blame her for being so reclusive?" Corrin asked.

"Not at all, what we did to her was devilish and hypocritical, however at the time, I'm ashamed to admit that I saw it as justice due to how angry and bitter I felt because of your loss and did not care for her much until a year later when I began to interact with her and realized that my thoughts were that of a monster." Ryoma said with regret.

"Monster is too harsh to describe the broken heart of a kid." Corrin countered.

"So I've been told before, even still whenever I look at Azura, I feel that no matter what I have to make it up to her somehow but for some reason, I never had the chance to do so." Ryoma said.

"Well, you care, that's a bigger step than most."

"Naturally, I am the eldest, I feel a certain responsibility to everyone under my care. And, of course, I spend a great deal of time in self-reflection. I'm not without my faults."

"I don't think perfection suits humanity." Corrin sighed.

"And you already know what a gentle soul Sakura is, always worrying about others. My hope for her is that she can learn to be a bit more selfish, at least enough to stand up for herself and also more capable of making more friends, it would serve her well. I've noticed that she has been spending time with Mozu, Lilith and Hayato lately."

"Well, they are closer to her age, except maybe Lilith but they've been getting along well, and Sakura loves the carrot stew Mozu makes." Corrin explained.

"Makes sense, she's always wanted to know how farmers raise our crop and more so how to cook for herself." Ryoma said.

"If that's the case maybe you should give her some lessons on how to cook, Jakob, you are well versed with Hoshidan dishes." Corrin suggested.

"I would but I've reached my limits with students given the disaster that was keeping Robin's poison away from the kitchen." Jakob replied.

"Oh, come on, he turned out okay and the kitchen only blew up once." Corrin countered.

"He set my butt on fire." Jakob hissed.

"I said okay, not great." Corrin whined.

"And how could we forget his crime of incinerating Prince Xander's hair and leaving him bald for months that he was forced to wear a wig." Jakob reminded her, causing Ryoma to uncharacteristically snicker at the mention of the misfortune Robin did to his rival.

"Ah, that's nothing, remember when Camilla's retainer, what was the red head's name again… Severa…?" Corrin wondered.

"Selena." Felicia corrected.

"Right, there was this one time when Garon finally agreed to have that family dinner in the fortress with me and Selena persuaded Xander to have more of a sense of humor and he made that dumb joke and the rest of us panicked because we thought there was something wrong with him and immediately send him to the infirmary while he desperately tried to calm us down and father made it worse by putting the fortress on lockdown because he thought some rogue warlock cursed him." Corrin said and that really got a laugh out of Ryoma and a little from Kaze and Felicia.

"See, I can make people laugh as well, my sense of humor is not shallow." Corrin smirked.

"At the expense of others, maybe." Ryoma snickered.

"Oh, don't even start with the criticism." Corrin whined.

"I give no judgment on the matter." Ryoma shrugged.

"I'm glad to see that you're all doing well." Mikoto said as she, Hinoka and Sakura arrive in the training grounds to greet them.

"Hello mother, sisters, I trust all is well." Ryoma smiled at the three.

"The same as always when we're home and together." Mikoto stated.

"Good. And Takumi?" He asked. As soon as Takumi returned to Hoshido he locked himself in his room and refuses to talk to anyone, clearly not ready to talk about the great horrors Lilith described that Envy put him through, of which they themselves are not sure how to handle.

"Physically, he is better than ever, according to Lilith who can discreetly examine him without him ever noticing but emotionally, he's even more fragile than ever before." Hinoka said with sorrow over her brother's current state.

"The Sinners are gone for now and away from Takumi, that's much a win as we can hope for at times like these." Mikoto said trying to be optimistic.

"Yeah, and what about Anna?" Corrin asked.

"She's also up and about and seems lively but I suspect that she's putting a lot of effort to hide her emotional scars, who knows how long she's been possessed by Greed." Kaze said.

"Based on what Robin and Azura told us, the Anna who's affiliated with the Black Bulls has been searching for her for nearly two months so I say she's completely traumatized." Ryoma affirmed.

"That's another life in shambles that Wrath and his kin will also be answering for." Corrin swore with a small hint of venom as she gets on her feet and raises the Noble Yato in her hand.

"Consume your heart with patience, not vengeance Corrin. Believe me, just because we cannot begin to understand how you feel, does not change the fact that we know more so the consequences of letting your thoughts become clouded." Ryoma advised.

"I know that, for the most part." Corrin sighed in defeat. "Anyway, how are we wit the war effort?"

"In spite of the larger numbers, we've managed to hold more of the Nohrian forces from coming through our borders for the most part with our strongest spells, however it won't be long before they breach us but by then we're sure we can intercept them with our armies." Hinoka said.

"And are you're confident on wanting to focus on retaking Kyoto and not taking to the frontline some more?" Corrin asked.

"Yukimura believes this is the best course of action. Kyoto must be saved and Yamamoto brought to justice and we need to assess the true depth on how many traitors there are in our midst and bringing Yamamoto in might be our best shot." Ryoma affirmed. "And I can take a quick guess that you want in on this?"

"I do, I want to really begin to do my part for Hoshido and bringing a corrupt noble low sounds like the best way to start." Corrin answered with enthusiasm, which seemed to satisfy her brother. Though, in truth, she has another reason for wanting to meet this Yamamoto.

"Very well then, I can say with certainty that your strength will serve us well." Ryoma nodded.

"I second that." Hinoka added.

"What about the company we'll be bringing along, will such small numbers be enough to take back a whole city? Robin told me that Kyoto is the largest city in Hoshido and the most heavily guarded, second to Suzanoh." Corrin reminded them. "I mean, sure, Yamamoto may have an army but we have a Robin, which pretty much keeps things in our favor but I can't shake the feeling that things are going to fall OUT of our favor regardless."

"The company of soldiers we've assembled are our best that we all trust to help in our endeavors." Hinoka explained with great faith with their troops.

"My own army? And are you sure they're completely on board with being near me?" Corrin asked very concern over having to face the people now.

"Not to worry Milady, we have chosen our soldiers carefully and we can assure you that the men and women that will accompany us are among those of our people who trust you enough to want to work together with you. You'll be fine." Kaze assured her but she isn't feeling so confident but does not want to address the matter and lifts up a confident expression.

"I'll take your word for it then." Corrin replied before turning to Jakob and giving him a stern glance. "And Jakob, I trust that you'll behave for the entirety of our endeavors."

"Of course Milady… I… disgracefully confess to my folly on the mess from last night." Jakob said shamefully as he did not behave well yesterday when he found out about Robin and Kaze.

"Yes, I really cannot stress enough how bad I feel since I didn't react well to the whole Halloween thing." Ryoma said while awkwardly scratching his left cheek.

"Good for me, because I'm not apologizing." Corrin replied bluntly.

"Corrin, you promised you be nicer to your brother." Mikoto lectured.

"I never agreed I would do so immediately; he was completely out of line and made things infinitely worse." Corrin scuffed as she recalls the events that transpired last night.

**(Yesterday)**

Several hours after returning to Hoshido, dusk had finally settled with the moon already visible in the sky above and everyone is preparing to sleep, among them is Azura who had spent the entirety of the day sulking and expressing her anguish with Robin as her only source of comfort which took longer than the Tactician realized, not that he would ever dare complain since she needed this and he certainly cannot fathom why she waited this long to let out her feelings.

"Well, I certainly hope you're feeling better now. Not that I expect you to be perfectly fine already but at the very least enough to sleep well." Robin said still feeling concern for the Songstress.

"Way better, honestly." Azura replied with a sincere smile. She's still in distress over her situation but there is significantly less weight in her heart than before. "I am grateful that you were willing to put up with that side of me, though there is no need for you to walk me to my room, the castle is the most guarded building in the Kingdom."

"It eases my conscious when I'm the one overseeing the safety. I know I can't remain beside you all night but it's enough for me to take you there myself." Robin said kindly.

"You're too kind for your own good sometimes." Azura smiled.

"I get that a lot."

"Oh, there you two are." Corrin greeted as she, Mikoto, Hinoka, Sakura Lilith, Mozu, Felicia and Jakob pass by as they all find themselves in the entrance to the castle. "Where have you two been?"

"Relaxing in my room, I planned on staying there all day but my poor habit of walking about at night forced me out." Robin said being largely truthful.

"I spent most of my time near the lake, and from where I was sitting, I'm sure nobody noticed me there." Azura completely lied because she knows what it would sound like if they find out that she was with Robin the whole time and she doesn't want to talk about her breakdown but if they find out where she really was she'll have to tell them otherwise they'll jump to the ageless and infuriating conclusion that they were together getting intimate, especially Corrin and blow a jealous tantrum and everyone minus perhaps Robin quickly deduced that she's in love with him. Now that she really thought about it, that was a really awkward position they were both in when Robin offered her comfort and how much she needed him. Gods, that came out so wrong, her heart is pounding so fast it feels like it's going to burst, it's a miracle that Azura is not blushing at this very moment, especially since he wasn't wearing a shirt at the time. The anguish replaced with embarrassment and comedic fear for her life.

"I d-didn't see you there w-hen I… passed by." Sakura replied, strengthening Azura's lie.

"Thought as much. Though I am heading now to my room to sleep."

"And we were just about to say goodnight to you before I hit the bed with Lilith, Mozu and now Felicia." Corrin smiled at her.

"A good night to all of you then. Oh how thoughtless of me to forget, we have yet to introduce ourselves." Azura said turning to meet Felicia and Jakob. "You two are also friends with Corrin?"

"Wow, she looks exactly like Queen Arete." Felicia said in awe once she noticed Azura.

"The resemblance to her Majesty is truly remarkable." Jakob added.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Azura replied.

"It was meant to be, Milady, and it is truly an honor to finally meet you and I thank you for the support you have given to my Mistress so far." Jakob bowed in respect.

"Well, it's good to know you have a soft side after all, though I don't recall you giving me a thank you for helping you get out of prison." Robin noted.

"Bite your tongue or I'll cut it out of your mouth." Jakob sneered with clear distaste for Robin.

"Ouch…" Mikoto winched at the sudden cold words.

"Not even for my sake can you two get along." Corrin lectured with disappointment in her face.

"He started it!" The two men argued while pointing an accusatory finger at each other. The sudden immaturity got a giggle from every girl present.

"Even in my own home there seems to be unexpected ruckus." Ryoma said not unkindly and he and surprisingly almost all their comrades, minus for Takumi, Oboro and Hinata arrive as well.

"It's only been a day and already we could not help but reunite it seems." Corrin said playfully.

"It's really not that big of a deal." Rinkah said bluntly.

"Don't be like that Rinkah, you know she's just being friendly." Kaze said.

"We're still missing three key figures as well as gain some new faces." Hayato noted as he stares at Jakob and Felicia, and while the rest of them can discern that they may be Nohrian by their faces, or at least from the West side of Horus, they can't do so by their clothing since the butler and maid were forced to wear monk and shrine maiden attire respectively to avoid prejudice from the Hoshidans. There's a lot the two will need to be getting used to and while Felicia doesn't mind the maiden appearance, Jakob may require a little more time dressing up like a monk, at least there are more pockets for him to store his knives.

"These two are invaluable comrades of mine that I would like you all to get along in the foreseeable future, and I assure you that they'll be most helpful." Corrin assured them.

"Oh, so these are the not so dead friends of yours from Nohr?" Hana asked as Robin gave them all the heads up while Corrin visited the Rainbow Sage and urged them to remain quiet as he wanted it to be a surprise, which worked perfectly.

"That's them alright." Rinkah said callously, recognizing the two from the day King Garon forced her and her comrades to fight to the death against Corrin to test her. Corrin may have spared them but that doesn't mean she no longer holds a grudge over the humiliation the Nohrian Royals put her through.

"Yep, the old book club from the fortress is back together again." Robin replied.

"You were never invited to book club, you fool." Jakob scoffed at him.

"Shut up, Joker. It was hard to be there when you wouldn't stop giving me subtle signs that you poisoned my drinks." Robin spatted back at him as gently as he possibly could.

"I told you never to call me that!" Jakob glared daggers at the Tactician, while also threatening to throw actual daggers at him.

"Where did Joker come from?" Mozu asked.

"Oh, that's Jakob's real name but he doesn't like it." Felicia explained to her.

"Is there some sort of rivalry going on that we should know about?" Ryoma questioned.

"I'm not sure how to properly explain this, except that these two are a working progress." Corrin sighed in embarrassment over their behavior. "But really, it's nothing to concern yourselves with."

"Technically, we should be concerned because the last thing I want is for my daughter's retainers to have a rivalry that would jeopardize your progress in combat." Mikoto replied.

"Really, because no one seems to do anything about the constant bickering that Hinata and Oboro, Hana and Subaki constantly have over who is doing better for Takumi and Sakura."

"Oh, those four have always been like that and are at their best when they're being competitive." Ryoma shrugged amusingly.

"Thank you." Hana and Subaki replied at once.

"Beg pardon, your Majesty, but what'd you mean by 'retainers', as in more than one? I assure you that Lady Corrin has only ever has one TRUE Retainer, which is I." Jakob commented.

"Oh… right, I forgot to tell you, Jakob. Since I thought Wrath stole you from me and with everything going on, I was urged by my mother that I needed knew Retainers to aid me through all this mess." Corrin explained nervously, knowing how badly Jakob will react to this news, like right now.

"WHAT?! Did you find someone more qualified than me? Is that it! WHO?!" He demanded hysterically before quickly coming up with the answer himself, with his glare on Robin intensifying to the level that it rivals Oboro's demonic glare. "YOU!"

And in the blink of an eye, Robin finds himself annoyingly preventing two daggers pointed at both his eyes by holding back the now jealously enraged Jakob's wrists and Felicia in the middle, fruitlessly trying to keep them apart, with all the Hoshidans watching the events completely baffled.

"OH, COME ON!" Corrin cried indignantly.

"I knew it! I knew you were out to replace me!" Jakob shouted scornfully. "Don't think I never noticed the way you look at Milady with predatory eyes!"

"Jakob, enough!" Felicia pleaded.

"Just what could you possibly have to offer Lady Corrin that could ever hope to surpass me?" Jakob demanded.

"Well, I'm stronger for one." Robin pointed out as he effortlessly removes the daggers from the Butler and throws them both behind him. This does little to impede him, as Jakob leans in closer, officially invading Robin's personal space, something that is about as frequent as Corrin crying whenever she loses a sparring match with Xander.

"Owie…" Felicia mumbled as she is being squished.

"HA! Only a brute without purpose would say something so frail. A man with no past could never understand what it means to serve a master, nor fathom the extremes a retainer must take for their sake." Jakob scoffed.

"What, like you creating a custom blend of tea exclusively for her, or clear even the smallest pebble on the floor so that she doesn't step on any?" Robin questioned.

"Milady's feet are delicate and must be cared for equally so." Jakob argued.

"Wow… Robin wasn't kidding about people being overbearing around my sweetheart." Mikoto said flabbergasted by this… interesting discussion.

"Respect." Subaki complied as he too would take such measures for Sakura, though he would never be as extreme as Jakob since he knows how it would make his mistress uncomfortable.

"Would you two knock it off! This is embarrassing!" Corrin demanded. "And for the last time, Jakob, I don't want you wasting your life making the floor spotless for me to travel. I've done alright so far traveling this gone mad continent no problem."

"I only want what's best for you, your Highness, plus I was under strict instructions from Queen Arete to ignore your whining and keep the fortress spotless to suit your every need." Jakob objected.

"Of course she did." Corrin mumbled.

"Huh, how odd, that sounds like something I would do if you had lived your life here with us and still kept on walking barefooted." Mikoto admitted.

"Ignoring that…"

Kaze sighs over this argument, unable to prevent himself from feeling depressed.

"Feeling inadequate in comparison to those two?" Setsuna asked Kaze, noticing his distress.

"Yeah… I really haven't done much for Lady Corrin's best interest for the majority of our endeavors." The Green Ninja said feeling somewhat like a failure.

"Don't worry, as long as you continue to be good with what you do best, you'll always be acknowledged." Setsuna gave words of encouragement.

"Why does everyone in my family have such obsess retainers but me?" Hinoka protested. "And how come instead of relief I feel…"

"Don't you dare say that word." Ryoma warned, knowing that she is about to say she's jealous and after the crap they went through, they better not say anything regarding the Seven Deadly Sins. They really need to do something about Jakob's wrath and obvious envy.

"Right, right, I'm sorry." Hinoka mumbled. "But seriously, why do I always get the short end of the stick?"

"This is literally the only time I've ever heard you complain about Setsuna and Azama, any at all complaints I hear about them is from everyone else."

"Seriously, Jakob, this obsessive need to serve Corrin's every whim is largely unhealthy and we both know that Corrin wants you to take a vacation already, and after the ordeal you went through to get here, you really should instead of joining a fucking war." Robin advised as he gently pushes Jakob away from him and frees Felicia from her very uncomfortable position.

"Oh, you liked that, wouldn't you?" Jakob continued with his hate fest.

"Kaze, you want to help your partner out of whatever this is?" Robin pleaded.

"No thanks, my self-esteem has been degraded enough on this war." Kaze muttered.

"Partner? Oh, I see what's going on, so you were in on this too, have you." Jakob directs his attention to Kaze next.

"Excuse me?" Kaze asked.

"Sasquatch, don't play dumb with me, that's Felicia's job! I knew there was something off about you from the moment I saw you in Krakenburg, the look in your eyes when you first met Milady is all the telltale signs of a thief." Jakob said accusingly.

"Hold on a moment, you got it all wrong." Kaze said while blushing at the accusation.

"This is a thing." Mikoto smiled, kind of liking this scenario as the male servants of Corrin start to bicker. "So many sons in laws to choose from, who will be the lucky groom and who will give me strong grandchildren?"

"Pretty sure the winning contestant has already been decided." Reina playfully whispered in her ear.

"You stay out of this! This is one of the parts of my life that I especially don't want you involved in any way." Corrin protested.

"I'm your mother dear, I am legally allowed to get involved." Mikoto smirked and winked at her groaning daughter.

"I hate when she gets like this." Hinoka mumbled.

"Mother, no." Ryoma growled in mild irritation, giving off a hint of an overprotective brother.

"Are we really going to let these Nohrians travel with us? It seems rather risky even if their absolute loyalty is revoltingly clear." Saizo asked his liege.

"Risky? Fifty-fifty. They mean well, Felicia at least and they obviously make Corrin happy, so I'll give them a chance." Ryoma decreed.

"This seems like spoiling, and that may not be such a good idea with someone with a mentality like Lady Corrin, pardon me for speaking so bluntly." Kagero insisted.

"I'm making up for stolen time, leave me alone." Ryoma harshly argued with his retainers to be silent but the sweat they both drop is not because they are offended but just that they're left without words to comment at the sudden change in silly atmosphere.

"I'm glad I don't have Retainers." Azura sighed in relief.

"Totally." Rinkah and Hayato nodded in agreement.

"You two are inclined to have a few?" Azura asked.

"Well the leaders of the Elemental Tribes are viewed as royalties of sorts, especially since we each own important regions within Horus and as the children of our respective Chieftains, we count as a Princess and Prince ourselves, so having Retainers have been recommended to us before but I need no one's help with nothing." Rinkah said arrogantly.

"Same here." Hayato added. "Want to bet how long either of us can go before we are forced to have some?"

"You're on." Rinkah agreed.

"Tempting." Azura wondered if she could get into that.

"We're right here, you know." Orochi protested, unable to feel like she shouldn't feel insulted with the conversation of these three.

"Lady Corrin, please tell me this is all some huge misunderstanding. Tell me that you have not allowed this scoundrel to replace me as your Retainer?!" Jakob pleaded with her while pointing scornfully at Robin, who looks like he doesn't care about anything anymore.

"What? No, no, Jakob, no one could ever replace you. You have no equal and there's no one else like you. My greatest gift from Camilla." Corrin assured him while in a tone that sounds like she's speaking to a child. "You are my one and only Butler."

"Milady…" Jakob mumbled while blushing, achieving a newfound inspiration.

"Aww…" Sakura, Mikoto and Felicia said sweetly, touched by this lovely scene.

"But considering how awful things have been going for me, I need way more help than I can get, so consider Robin and Kaze your new partners." Corrin said bluntly, knowing How Jakob would react to this.

"WHAT?!" He gasped in horror before pinching the tip of his nose with intense irritation. "That's even worse than being replaced."

"Wow…" Robin hissed.

"You know, I'm the one who should be holding a grudge since you're the one who threw knives into my chest." Kaze pointed out.

"He did what?" Saizo demanded.

"You weren't even a gift from Camilla, you were her young butler before Corrin literally blackmailed her into giving you up and she even manipulated Xander to helping her with your adorableness." Robin reminded Jakob, based on the oddball of a tale Gunter told him regarding how Jakob went from being a young boy Camilla befriended in the streets of Windmire, brought him to live with her in Krakenburg as a rookie butler, only for a young and infatuated Corrin to snatch him all to herself. It is the only kind of resentment the usually overbearing and loving older sister holds towards Corrin.

"That just perfectly proves how invaluable I am compared to you!" Jakob argued.

"That is not what happened!" Corrin shouted in denial.

"I would give anything to hear this tale in full detail." Hinoka said completely hooked into something so juicy regarding her archrival.

"Shut the fuck up, Hinoka!" Corrin warned.

"This Injustice cannot be allowed, It's already unacceptable enough as it is that you would have forgiven him after what he had done to you on last Halloween!" Jakob continued to be a petty baby about this.

"OH! MY! GOD!" Both Corrin and Robin snapped in outrage and embarrassment with Corrin blushing so madly that her face is as red as Hinoka's hair.

"You, Xander and Camilla are never going to let that go!" Corrin cried.

"Again with that Nohrian holiday." Mikoto wondered, remembering how flustered Corrin got when she unintentionally brought up Halloween.

"How did Corrin even participate in that strange holiday if she was locked in a Fortress her whole life?" Ryoma wondered suspiciously.

"Jakob! For the hundredth and last time! Robin didn't FUCKING RAPED ME WENT WE SNUCK OFF TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN IN WINDMIRE!" Corrin snapped as harshly as she possibly could at the Butler, suddenly forgetting the people around her as she said so and ignoring their shocked cries with Robin covering half his face from all the humiliation, while Felicia looks very uncomfortable with this same old argument.

"Then why did you return home with nothing but some bed sheet that can only be found in the cheapish motel in the Capital, smelling like alcohol and mustard of all things when the both of you snuck off together and he was nowhere to be found for ten whole months?!" Jakob demanded accusingly, furthering the shocks of everyone, mad blushes and girly squeals all around with Mikoto dropping sweats from her face over the intense argument and revelation while Ryoma is popping a few veins on his face and neck in anger.

"I was drunk! Like almost the entirety of Krakenburg over being able to celebrate an actual banquet in over ten years!" Corrin protested. "And I wasn't wasted enough to forget the whole night, I just lost all my inhibitions and went crazy, broke a ton of noses and teeth of anyone who I wasn't interested in. I was finally twenty and still I lacked a real woman's fun and excitement okay! I just wanted to go crazy and forget for one night that I was a Princess!" She lashed out like a rebellious teenager while making a mess of her delicate hair until she ends up looking like one of those crazy women in the street.

"And that justifies you going out and walking straight to a lion's den and run around, giving all those wretched dogs in Nohr the impression that you're for sale!" Ryoma screamed, getting in on the scolding.

"Are you calling me a prostitute!" Corrin snapped in uproar at the implication. "Where do you get off, trying to get your ass in all over what I do in my life all the sudden! You know damn well I can be with whoever I want!"

"Because I am your older brother young lady and the man of this family. Plus, you're royalty and no sister of mine shall ever engage in such harlot events ever!" Ryoma scolded. "I understand that you had a hard life and had little to no chance to explore your womanhood, much less had someone to court but there are certain bounds that must never be cross when finally able to take part in events like banquets."

"This is the most awkward I have ever felt." Azura mumbled.

"This is why we're never invited anywhere; you always start a riot everywhere you go." Felicia sighed sadly to Jakob with how things are getting.

"Well it's a good thing that I'm not really your sister, and I sure need no one telling me what I can and can't do with my life and I'm sure as Hell in a period where I don't need you!" Corrin fought back not about to be scolded for something that happened more than a year ago.

And again, Corrin's words visibly hurt Ryoma, this time physically, and that says nothing about how Hinoka and Sakura feel about this argument with Corrin implying that she doesn't need or want any of them for anything with her life problems. Ryoma, however, will not relent, he will be the older brother Corrin sorely needs in her life and just because she said so, doesn't change the fact that she does need her big brother.

"Don't use that tone with me! You are the frailest woman any of us have ever met, so much so that Sakura should be giving you her sympathy instead of healing your broken bones every time you get a slap in the face by your past!" Ryoma deliberately insulted.

"OH SNAP!" Subaki and Hana uttered at once over the audacity and admittedly, amusing comeback.

"Things are really getting heated now!" Azama laughed, while also cheering for more, same with Hayato.

"Should I be offended by that!" Sakura asked flabbergasted.

'In hindsight, I am glad to have met all of you and have been given the opportunity to be present for all these silly arguments.' Rinkah secretly admitted over how her friends are like.

"You Son of a Bastard!" Corrin was at her last wits, attempting to punch some manners into Ryoma but Robin holds her tightly to keep her from getting physical.

"Weren't you originally arguing with Joker?" Robin muttered.

"I'll deal with him later! And I am NEVER discussing what really happened on Halloween!" Corrin declared as she releases herself from Robin's grip. "It was MY special night and I loved every second of it! I already got enough nightmarish lectures from my Nohrian Family who swore I would never be allowed to be courted until I was forty."

"Finally, something the Crown Prince and I can agree on!" Ryoma replied, liking that punishment for her.

"FUCK YOU!"

"Having siblings must be hard." Orochi sighed, having no real words to this odd argument.

"I can't speak for everyone who's an older brother but life with a younger brother has never been a bad thing for me." Saizo noted.

"Your brother is Kaze, who's better than you, so you two don't count." Kagero said flat out.

"If that's how you feel you should've dated him instead as I told you too." Orochi said with a smug, earning her a slap to the face from Kagero.

"What did I tell you about butting in on my personal life." The Ninja Lady growled.

"Totally worth it." Orochi maintains her smug while she rubs her right cheek.

"Well, I'm glad someone enjoyed her night because I don't remember squat, especially how I ended up in Nestra while in a wagon with hobos." Robin muttered, still none the wiser on how he ended up in that bizarre situation. Well, it wasn't all bad since the hobos were extremely nice people and gave him new clothing since he woke up with nothing on.

"Oh for Dawn's Sake, you two are beacons for trouble. I didn't think it was possible for anyone to go through so many misadventures." Azura sighed, wondering on what other incidents these two have been through. And why does she wish her life was almost as exciting as theirs.

"Your blackout was the result of all the Hellgrammite you took, so your out of character episode into an animal aside, that was pretty much my fault." Corrin apologized.

"You have to do more than apologize. Xander and almost everyone was murder happy about chopping off my head when I came back if it wasn't for Arete who left me off with a warning, but being on everyone's death notes still stung, and Elise kept insisting that Kana would be an adorable name for a baby of either gender?" Robin demanded angrily. "Plus, Camilla sent assassins after me, and I know it was her since Beruka was among them."

"She did what?!" Corrin gasped.

"Aww… a grandchild named Kana. How beautiful." Mikoto giggled, completely delighted and already daydreaming about being a grandmother.

"Kana does not sound gender-neutral." Hinoka countered.

"Yeah, Loki sounds more preferable." Reina added.

"Oh, shut up, what do any of you know about being a mother." Mikoto pouted.

"Nothing at all." Reina sighed, while Orochi pats her in the shoulder.

"Exactly."

'It stings how thoughtlessly she sides with Elise.' Sakura thought while pouting herself.

"Hellgrammite? Isn't that the Anti-Magic drug Nohr invented to render Mages unable to use magic and leave us docile?" Hayato asked.

"Yeah, real mean sons of bitches." Rinkah hissed angrily. "That's what those dogs used to keep me from using my powers when they captured me."

"I hear that having too much makes Mages go crazy and wild like an animal?" Setsuna asked.

"Oh yeah, Robin did go crazy when I unknowingly forced seven Hellgrammites on him thinking they were something spicy as a joke." Corrin said while looking away from everyone, not wanting them to see the heavy blush on her face. "Turns out I am super selfish when I'm drunk."

"HA! She's hiding her face when she said that which means she did more than see our dear Tactician act like a wild animal." Azama accused amusingly, earning him the claw-like pommel of the Noble Yato thrown right at his face by Corrin, knocking him straight to the ground with a broken nose.

"You broke his nose!" Hinoka shouted as she and Setsuna check on the Monk.

"I've been waiting to do that for years." Orochi cheered sinisterly.

**(Present Day)**

"I think the whole castle heard our outburst and I can already hear the gossips further encouraging me to leave Hoshido." Corrin muttered in distress.

"Everyone did overhear, and now the only way we can stop the gossip is by giving them something juicier." Mikoto said.

"What could be juicier than Corrin having an affair with her retainer?" Hinoka asked.

"I don't know, me seeing someone else." Mikoto suggested.

"NOOOOO!" All of them minus Corrin, Jakob and Felicia argued against.

"Fine, but I'll keep that as my trump card." Mikoto pouted.

"W-hat even is H-Halloween, if you d-don't… mind me asking?" Sakura asked nervously, more so to drop the current subject. Corrin sighs seeing this coming and very reluctant to talk about it.

"Halloween is the most important Nohrian holiday where the people celebrate the Kingdom's foundation, exactly on October 31st, or Wyvern Moon 31st as the people in Fódlan prefer to call it but it is also a night where the people engage in the most strange but fun parties where they dress up as monsters or anything they want, and children would traverse their neighborhood and get free candy from people in something call Trick or Treat, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories." Mikoto explained to her.

"Wow, Azura would be great on Halloween." Hinoka said intrigued as she never bothered to learn Nohrian culture. "In Hoshido we also naturally celebrate our founding day, and it's called Christmas."

"I heard, and Halloween was especially celebrated in Windmire and a lot more effort was put into it, not to mention that the Royal Family was traditionally obligated to walk among the citizens and greet them. Last year was going to be better than most since they had amassed enough food for the whole capital to enjoy and after years of longing to see the activities while I remained trapped in the Northern Fortress, I at last saw an opportunity since Garon could not attend Halloween that time, being forced to settle some domestic dispute in Westmarch and for some reason the whole family joined him. Not wanting this chance to slip through my grasps, I persuaded Robin to fly me to Windmire and finally gaze upon Halloween. And that's where it went all downhill from there." Corrin muttered in distress as that day comes back rushing at the front of her head as she tries to keep it buried.

**(A Year Ago)**

Halloween is truly something to cherish with so many people to see and many more things to do, this was truly a night to be proud to call yourself Nohrian and there is one more event from Halloween that takes place in the aftermath of November 1st that basically only those who are sober can partake in, which is the Walk of Shame parade. Without fail, every year at the end of Halloween people end up walking home feeling dirty, shameful and wake up from a hangover from a party of the streets while everyone who's sober watches them and make fun of their state, and this year all the Retainers of the Nohrian Royals have gathered together to witness the display while in a café.

"Look at them, heading home after their dirty, filthy hookups." Selena chuckled with sadistic pleasure watching so many of them with their embarrassed faces, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Looks like that bee got beesy." Charlotte mocked watching a woman, dress as a bee walk by, looking calmer than the rest.

"Looks like that maid didn't turn down somebodies bed." Laslow added, seeing another woman dressed as a maid and is pretty sure she isn't really a maid. They next see a man dress as a wolfskin and Peri makes a howling sound.

"Hey doggy, why don't you try and get a bite at me next." She dared.

"Why, Peri, you dirty girl, I didn't know you were into that stuff." Zero mused in a flirtatious manner.

"This is so stupid." Beruka muttered, not sure herself how could she allow Selena to drag her into this.

"Oh, live a little, would ya, we rarely get a chance to hang out just the ten of us." Selena lectured.

"Indeed, comrades in arms shouldn't just band together to answer the call of duty, one must also share tranquility with comradery and fuel the fire in our hearts for when the time to answer the call of justice finally comes." Arthur declared with great enthusiasm that rivals Odin's theatrics.

"Truer words have never been spoken, Brave Scion of Justice. Though the Darkness's call for action remains silent and still we must remain vigilant that does not excuse the fact that our eternal souls must relish with the simpler things in life." Odin added.

"By simpler things, you mean food than I'm down for that, cause I'm hungry." Effie said, waiting for the breakfast she ordered.

"With everything you ate yesterday, I would think you'll at least skip breakfast and wait for lunch." Benny said.

"What, that's crazy talk, I couldn't possibly wait that long, even I have my limits you know." Effie argued.

"What you just said is crazy talk, you constantly eat enough for a whole battalion." Selena lectured.

"So, I have to keep my strength up at all times for Lady Elise's sake."

"What were you, raised in Hoshido? Food is no different than gold in Nohr and excluding yesterday everyone should only eat what they need and not as much as they want." Charlotte reminded.

"Well, that's just stupid."

"Tell that to the King and pretty much the entire nobility, who would be more than happy to execute you for it." Beruka countered.

"Hell, the only reason we haven't told on you is that Lady Elise of all people literally blackmailed us and even Lord Xander and Lord Leo to stay quiet." Zero added while glaring at Arthur. "I can easily tell where she found such sensitive information about us."

"One should not reject their friends for who they are but embrace them." Arthur said adamantly.

"Just wait until I get even with you, bub." Selena cursed.

"AHA! There is nothing you can do to hurt me physically or mentally that I don't already do to myself." Arthur declared proudly.

"Shit, he's right." Selena cursed.

"Your questionable amount of bad luck is nothing to be proud about." Benny objected.

"Well, he has to cope with his life somehow." Effie pointed out.

"I didn't even know the Princess had it in her." Laslow said remembering when Elise actually blackmailed him and Xander of all people to keep quiet about reprimanding Effie.

"Says a lot about her determination on whatever she sets her mind on." Odin smirked.

"Hey, look, the Royal Family is back already." Laslow said as he sees the Dusk Family traveling in horses with an escort of Paladins, Dark Knights, Rangers and Sorcerers guarding them as they make their way to Krakenburg and worsening the Walk of Shame for those in it who desperately cover their faces to avoid the superior shame.

"Hello everyone, how you doing?" Elise greeted the retainers. "I hope you all enjoyed your day off."

"We most certainly did your Highness. A joyous night as always." Arthur gave a big thumbs up. "I trust the unwanted predicament was settled wonderfully and beautifully."

"Those are not the words that I would use to describe that hassle, and we're in need of a new Minister of Domestic Affairs." Leo said most displeased.

"Speak for yourself, I think that went rather well." Camilla said looking pleased instead.

"It could've been worse." Arete added. "Wouldn't you say, dear?"

"Hmph." Was Garon's only reply while maintaining his usual frowning expression.

"He thinks it went well." The Queen said next with more humor.

"All that matters is that things might improve with our newest candidate in mind being much more trustworthy. All and all, I say last night was better than the previous holidays." Xander said prouder himself. "So this is the so-called Walk of Shame. It certainly feels fitting."

"Hey, look Effie, a giant banana for you to eat." Elise laughed pointing at a man dressed like a banana, who immediately bolted from sight as soon as Elise pointed at him.

"How utterly insightful." Leo scoffed with distaste.

"Everyone's a cockroach during our founding day." Garon added.

"Don't be rude, this is the most fun they get to have as a people." Arete insisted.

"Honestly, does it get any better than this?" Laslow said most happy.

"Ah… yes, yes it can." Zero replied with the most satisfying smug he can muster as he points at the newest candidate of the Walk of Shame that certainly none of them will ever forget.

Corrin walks through the streets alone feeling more ashamed than anyone this morning since all she has to cover herself is a smelly old bed sheet not recalling what happened to the dress she was wearing when she came to Windmire and her hair is a complete mess and smells like muster for some reason, while the rest of her smells like alcohol. Also, she has a bruise on the right portion of her forehead that looks a few hours old, no doubt due to getting hit by something blunt.

"My head hurts so much I think I'm going to burst." She groaned, either because of all the alcohol she drank or by whatever hit her head, probably both. She soon notices two men sober enough to not be a part of the Walk of Shame passing by who can't help but want to take a peek at her, causing her to snap at them. "What, you've never seen a woman with bedsheets before. Get lost."

"Hey, you're the drunken bitch that broke all of my brother's teeth." One of the men snapped at her enraged.

"Yeah, be grateful that's all I did, cause I don't need a blade to castrate you pigs, now get!" Corrin becomes more hostile and intimidates the two men enough to actually run away in fear. "That's right, runaway you filthy animals, I'm the only conqueror in this city."

Corrin takes a deep breath to calm herself some more. "Now where's that wagon, I couldn't have thrown him that far and I really hope I didn't give him a concussion, or worse." She said nervously and desperately looking for Robin. "I can't believe I threw him off the window like that, he's never going to let me live this down." She looks around and sees all the Retainers, looking at her with shock expressions, even Beruka, minus for Zero who maintains his smug.

"Hey, you're the assholes and sluts who drew a brick at me!" Corrin snapped, mainly referring to Selena and Peri who went on a rampage on Halloween after drinking too much.

"You're one to talk." Selena sneered.

"We're the least of your worries." Zero replied as he begins to laugh maniacally at how bad this really looks for Corrin.

"S-S-Sister…"

"Oh, Crapbaskets…"

The familiar mortified voices of her sweet little sister and beautiful mother send a shiver down her spine as absolute fear begins to take whole over her. Every fiber of her being refuses to turn around and face the Hell on her left but as hard as she tried, another part of her painfully reminded her that there's no running away from this and turns around and all of Windmire is beset by the loudest, most horrified and girlish scream any of them have ever heard in their lives.

**(Today)**

"That day marked the first time when my daddy issues really became noticeable to everyone and when I was officially grounded for the first time in my life." Corrin muttered recalling that dark morning and petrified and ashamed expressions of her Nohrian Family, even Garon's. She didn't even think that anything could actually shock him. And as all the Precursors as her witness, there is no way in hell she will allow her Hoshidan family to learn all the details of everything that went down.

"It bothers me more than it should hearing you call Garon daddy." Ryoma said.

"Well, it physically hurts him, hence why he forbade even Elise to ever call him that. She was eight at the time." Corrin replied.

"The more you know." Hinoka chuckled.

* * *

"Breakfast time, Milord." Oboro called as she enters Takumi's room chamber with breakfast for him. Said Prince that has been docile since his awakening after being freed from Envy and lies sitting in a chair while looking through his window that has the best view of the Capital from the Castle and remains there motionless. Being a 'Meatsuit' for a Demon really messed him up and hasn't spoken since he got out of the Astral Plane and according to Lilith and the Ninjas who have been watching over him all night, he hasn't slept either, all he's done is stare at Suzanoh with lifeless eyes.

Oboro leaves the food in a table before walking back to his side and placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Are you feeling any better?" She asked, knowing it to be a foolish question but felt compelled to ask it. No response from Takumi though. "You must be hungry? I got you your favorite."

Again, no response.

"You should know that things with the Rainbow Sage went well in the end with him bestowing power to Corrin and now the Barrier of Concord is starting to be restored little by little so we will soon be able to take back our lands." She informed but again no response, urging her to next bring up a topic that would surely make him curious. "You wouldn't believe what came after because it turns out that Lady Corrin has quite the tales that you especially would love to hear in full details."

Again, no response.

It hurts her so much to see her Lord be reduced to such a state, who she knows to be so outgoing and outspoken, headstrong, valorous, cunning, and handsome. Her hatred for the Demoness easily overshadowing her vendetta against Nohr over the loss of her parents, something no one thought was possible. Though in truth, she feels responsible for his current state as well. She never paid much attention to lore on Demonology but she knew the basics, that they're evil personified, live only to spread chaos and death, and are able to possess people and bring out their darkest traits, and if there's one thing that she will never openly admit but will also never dismiss is that Takumi is also very petty, insecure and envious, his emotions can be just as frail as Sakura's at times and his desire for more power makes him a danger to not just himself but others and the Seven Deadly Sins are monsters born of such emotions, the realization that Envy didn't die from being decapitated should've immediately been a red flag that she may have found his way into Takumi's soul with how jealous he is of Ryoma, Hinoka, and now Corrin's strength and dominance over him but Oboro denied these ill thoughts out of fear on how the others might treat him and now he has paid the price for her inaction. Surely, Lilith could've found a way if she had known the problem sooner.

"I'm so sorry, Milord, this is all my fault." Oboro admitted while sobbing and holding him in a warm embrace, wanting this moment to last forever.

"It's more my fault than anyone else, Oboro." Finally, words come out of Takumi's words, raising Oboro's hope into infinity.

"Milord!" Oboro cried in relief as the two look at each other in the eye, his remain lifeless but this is still progress.

"I know it's bothering everyone to see me like this but… I just need time." Takumi said.

"Of course, Takumi, dear, whatever you need, I promise to provide." Oboro replied for more enthusiasm.

"Then can you not tell the others about this yet; I want a bit more time to myself."

"Of course, does… does that mean I should leave now." She asked nervously.

"No, it's fine if it's just you." He replied, making her happier and with a blush.

"Yes!"

"I'm gonna be out of action for a while, I won't try to find a way around it, much less use the Deeprealm to 'accelerate' the process. I much rather remain here, in Hoshido. I've been away from our home far longer than I would ever prefer." Takumi said with longing.

"I can speak with confidence when I say we all feel the same way." Oboro replied, also missing the sight of Suzanoh, they've never been away from the Kingdom for this many weeks, made even longer by their interdimensional experience. "Things will get even stranger, though."

"I don't doubt that." He replied. "Oboro, there's something I need you and Hinata to do for me."

"Anything."

"Look after my siblings for me, please. Since I won't be there, you two are the ones I trust the most to do this. It'll be alright to leave me here in the castle because of all the defense." He requested.

"Including Corrin?" Oboro asked to backcheck.

"Especially her, she's at the center of all this mess after all." He pleaded.

"Of course, leave everything to us." Oboro said assured of herself on that end.

"Thank you." Takumi said, finally smiling again, and there are even hints that life is returning back into his eyes. This was the last straw for Oboro, no longer able to hold herself back and pulls Takumi in and kisses him with no more words to give as the two just close their eyes.

* * *

"Oh, Anna!" The Anna in league with the Black Bulls shouted with joy as she rushes to the Anna who's been missing for months as Robin brought her to the hideout of the Black Bulls once she checked out and also brought Azura along with the two and Shura watching the sisters embrace each other in a loving embrace.

"Anna…" The Anna who suffered the agony of being the vessel of Greed cried sorrowfully in her sister's arms, the free spirit and seemingly untouched demeanor that Annas are known for completely gone, breaking down like Takumi did once near a familiar face.

"Oh you poor thing, what has happened to you, you've lost your fire." The Black Bulls Anna said ever so worried.

"I…" The Recovered Anna tried to speak but she could not muster the courage to do so.

"That's not important right now, what you should do is take her somewhere safe, naturally the best place would be her home but anywhere that lacks gold would be way more preferable." Robin suggested.

"What are you nuts; gold is the lifeblood for us Annas!" Black Bulls Anna objected adamantly.

"Actually, I think I rather go and visit Uncle Jake's farm and stay there for a while." The Recovered Anna agreed to Robin's suggestion, getting a horrified gasp from her sister and even makes Shura raise an eyebrow at this sudden response.

"Uncle Jake but he's all boring and charitable." She argued.

"Trust me, it's for the best that she walks this path for a while, the things she went through are life-changing." Robin insisted.

"Well, alright, but let's get you all dressed up to look more Anna like. Hoshidan kimonos don't suit us at all." Black Bulls Anna suggested as she takes her sister to her room.

"I know, I look silly but it's not like I could say no to the royals who decided to bother themselves with nurturing me." The Recovered Anna replied.

"I get you darling, and I don't object. Did you managed to swipe one of their pieces of jewelry at least?"

"Anna!"

"What…?"

"Ryoma told me about the Anna family and their magical origins. Are all the females born into the family really identical in appearance and are called Annas while the males are naturally different?" Azura asked awestruck.

"Yep, and they're all about the merchant's life. Now granted, there have been plenty of rare instances where the daughters are born with different facial features. Though they are greatly loved, those girls are often seen as defects." Robin explained.

"Well, that's a good way to let you know you still love your kids for walking their own paths." Azura said sarcastically. "But how can they all tell each other apart."

"That's a trade secret that will obviously cost you if you want to learn." Shura said as she earns their attention.

"I know better than most. Anyway, I kept my end for Anna, questionably way quicker than expected, truth be told, trust that I'll keep yours too." Robin assured.

"I'm counting on it." Shura smiled confidently.

"Neither of you mentioned it but what was it that you want in return for giving us the Warp Tome and Weisslogia Gem?" Azura asked.

"Money, what else? Lots of it. It may seem pretty base and pathetic to those with noble goals but if you stick around, you'll find mine just as noble too." Shura said.

"Like restoring Kohga." Robin concluded.

"You know it." Shura replied while tightening his grip with determination.

"Kohga? You're one of the survivors of the lost nation?" Azura uttered surprised.

"Don't look so surprised, though I do find it intriguing how someone so esteem as yourself would bother to know anything about a bygone place." Shura said.

"I learned much during my stay with the Hoshidan Royalty, as well as the true tragedy of those events, such as the lengths the survivors went through to retaliate against Mokushu, Hoshido's inaction and the loss of Queen Ikona." Azura replied.

"I don't remember much on how things went down, I only know what I was told by my parents who longed for the chance to return to those glory days and resent both Nohr and Hoshido for the parts they played in the lives that became the norm for us, though not to the same extent as the other survivors who founded that band of savages known as the Blackhounds." Shura explained.

"That would explain why those guys mainly terrorize Hoshido." Azura concluded.

'And why their brand resembles that of the fallen nation. I wonder if this Hans is also from Kohga?' Robin mused. Corrin mentioned to him the Berserker she brought along to her expedition but didn't interact much when he was in her service, mainly due to Gunter and Jakob making sure she does so as little as possible and he was very stoic and wisely chose not to do or say anything that could lead to trouble, however he did make some vague mentions on hoping to get the chance to cut open any Hoshidans they may come across with sudden ferocity and venom that she did not pick up on at the time, so most likely yes.

"So you founded the Black Bulls with the intent to amass enough gold to buy off the lands Mokushu stole to restore your nation." Azura concluded.

"It's safer than going to war again, plus Mokushu's current Daimyo cares more about gold than land so there's hope to get on his good grace as I have in the past." Shura explained.

"Swallowing up your family's pride to restore their honor in a more peaceful fashion. You are nobler than you give yourself credit for." Robin praised with Azura nodding in agreement.

"You overestimate me, my hands are as dirty as any bandit, I just have my endgame all set, and even then there will be a lot more to do." Shura shrugged.

"Maybe, I just hope mankind doesn't get swallowed up by sin first, otherwise all will be lost." Azura said with worry regarding the demons.

"You make it sound a bit too literal." Shura said.

"She is, and this is something I wanted to discuss with you, it concerns the true enemy and instigators of the Third Twilight War." Robin said.

"You mean besides Garon and his mad dog, Iago?" Shura questioned, concern.

"It'll be really hard to believe." Azura said as they tell him their story, only the parts with the Seven Deadly Sins.

"You're right, it is hard to believe." Shura rubbed his chin as he processes the information. "I mean, dragons are one thing, since we have Wyverns who are arguably proof enough and the Grimm are more beasts made entirely out of pure dark magic than actually demons based on all the historical and religious books I've read but actual demons? Of the world's foulest legends no less. That's borderline asinine if you ask me."

"We wish we were being asinine, more so in this case, I mean, but it's the truth and the Anna we rescued can confirm our claim since she was possessed by the literal embodiment of Greed for months until the Rainbow Sage freed her and Prince Takumi from the Sin of Envy." Azura reassured him.

"What a mess, and we humans are barbaric enough and now we have to deal with true evil." Shura hissed. "And you're telling me that the famed Rainbow Sage wants you to concern yourselves more on fighting Nohr instead of those bastards."

"Basically, but he also told Corrin that she and more or less all of us must follow the path we believe to be just enough and be ready for when we must face them, and so far the Sins really seem to be avoiding confronting the Nohrians, in particularly the Grimm, so maybe they'll become less involved and go into hiding if we can get at least one of them to spot them." Azura surmised.

"A good conclusion with a major hole, Garon has been spying on us for a fair amount of time, and with his Seer Grimm no less so he himself must know at least about what went down in Izumo but nothing game-changing has occurred yet but until we encountered them again and with a decent amount of Grimm thrown into the mix we may never know what's there real problem with Nohr." Robin added. "Regardless we are fighting this war on two fronts, three counting the corrupt nobles in Hoshido. We're not asking you to help us in this fight, but at the very least we hope you can share with us what you believe to be worth our notice, Shura."

"I don't mind but I definitely don't want to pick a fight with real monsters from Hell so I'll lend a helping hand, but don't consider the Black Bulls to be your official allies in the war. It matters not to us which kingdom wins." Shura declared.

"That's fine, this is all for benefit after all." Robin stated.

"Still, we're grateful with whatever you can give and we give our thanks and wish you luck because I'm sure we're all going to be in the same deep kind of trouble." Azura said as they bid their farewells.

"Don't worry too much for us." Shura shrugged.

"I'm afraid I must. We should be going now, so give the Annas our best regards and take care of yourselves." Robin said as he warps himself and Azura back to Hoshido in mere seconds, back in the training grounds where there doesn't seem to be anyone around. "Nothing left but to go to arms against this Yamamoto."

"Indeed but first you should come with me, Lady Mikoto had a gift to give you and Corrin." Azura said.

"Me? Corrin I can understand." Robin said skeptically.

"Just humor her." Azura said as she escorts Robin to a room that houses many hoshidan style suits of armor, some of which are spectacularly designed, the kind you expect from royals and nobles, the one that Azura pays attention to is one encased in a glass display box, a suit of white armor with gold and blue designs and a cape that looks perfect for Nobles bread for battle.

"Nice armor." Robin complimented, marveling at the sight of it.

"Indeed, it's a traditional combat armor meant to only be worn by the Royal Family and their most trusted friends when a show of strength and character is needed or are forced to utilize brute force. And since we're faced with the latter, this is basically what the public expects their generals to look like." Azura explained. "Divine, all righteous and pretty much favored by the Gods."

"And you want me to wear it?" Robin concluded.

"You'll be the right hand of one of the newest commanders of the Hoshidan Army, as such it would keep the minds of soldiers to stay at ease by being led by someone who's at least Hoshidan at heart, this is just insurance." Azura added. "I can already tell that you'll look great wearing it but you don't seem to agree."

"It's not that I hate it, I just don't see myself as someone who would stand beside the nobility and having such a life. I much prefer living in the plains among the common folk." Robin professed unsatisfied.

"I see. I can't say I disagree with your world view since royalty isn't as perfect as the poor make think it to be, but then again what lifestyle isn't imperfect? Whatever makes you happy in the end, although right now what Horus needs is not the Everyman but… let's say… the Superman." Azura described, earning her a chuckle from Robin.

"Superman? Come on, why do people keep thinking so highly of me? That's something Owain and Cynthia would come up with." Robin said humorously.

"Think of it as you will but it will do everyone right if you wear it." Azura insisted. "Of course, to wear this requires you to also have a noble status which will be given to you in due time and you can relinquish it whenever you like once the war is over."

"Fine, I look great in white anyway." Robin discards the uniform from Nohr and puts on the Hoshido Noble uniform that makes him look like a king more so than a general, and for good measures to his new look he brings out both Levin Swords while he looks himself in a mirror, and he certainly looks fantastic, Azura seems to think so.

"Is wielding both swords necessary? There's a reason most people don't use more than one Magic Weapon at a time because it's just as strenuous as the Tomeless Arts." Azura advised.

"To an extent, I can handle it but not too often. I may be adept with dual-wielding but I much prefer to use one and leave the other hand empty to use my spells." Robin said.

"I much rather you save an arm for me when I need to fly." Corrin said entering the room, wearing a very similar getup to Robin, which fits them perfectly and matches them together even greater. To the common folk, they both would be mistaken for the true King and Queen of Hoshido by the majestic appearance their white hairs and armor give them.

'Smooth, Corrin.' Azura mused.

"Well, you certainly look like a Warrior Princess of Light." Robin complimented.

"Jakob said much the same, of which I don't disagree." Corrin smiled. "I am in need of light after all, now that my time in the Dusk is over."

"I'm sorry." Azura said with regret, knowing how horribly the attack on Cyrkensia was for her as well.

"Don't be, people do stupid things when they want to win so badly, and just because I'm still mad doesn't mean I should keep acting like we're the ones in the wrong." Corrin said doing her best to brush off the hurt she still feels in her heart. "Still friends and sort of, kind of sisters?"

"I would like that very much." Azura smiled with much bliss to hear Corrin ask that.

"Ready for the next battle?" Robin asked his master.

"No, but when will I ever be ready to strike down enemy lives?" Corrin replied with weak sarcasm. "On the bright side, I have you guys to speed things up."

"Truly, we will do our best to make sure Kyoto is successfully saved. We may be outnumbered but our advantages are numberless." Azura said confidently.

"The odds will always be stacked against us but that doesn't mean certain defeat, we simply have a lot of obstacles to overcome." Robin added.

"Wish I could share your enthusiasm." Corrin sighed ashamed of herself. "I can count on the both of you to stick with me through all of this, right?"

"To the bitter end." Robin promised.

Despite his words, Corrin still feels so much unease, the recent dream she had returning to her thoughts, filling her with more sadness than joy.

'Robin… I never had the courage to say it but the thought of you getting your memories back always scared me because I hated the thought of you leaving and never coming back. That night when you first took me flying was more precious to me than finally leaving the Northern Fortress because, in that moment, it was just me and you and all the world's problems below us without a care at all as I was finally free. I don't care how selfish it makes me; I want that again more than bringing peace to Horus. If I could just have you, losing everything else wouldn't be so awful. But now that I know the state of your soul, I just don't know what to do. I can't handle not knowing anything, I never could. But deep down I just know I'm going to know everything soon. But unless I hear it from you it'll all be so meaningless.'

* * *

Back in the Sevenfold Sanctuary, Quill remains with Hydra and is momentarily sitting alone in a Nohrian style dining hall, blissfully writing something on a piece of paper that might be a poem given his fascination with the Shadow Comedy, though he is not alone for long as Hydra walks in to meet with him and places a book beside him, tempting Quill to stop what he's writing and sees that it's the same book that he left with Corrin during the Necrodragon attack.

"I left this in Corrin and Lilith's possession for a reason, you know." Quill said to Hydra as the Sage takes a seat on the other side of the table in front of him.

"I know, and while I appreciate it, your blessings and protection spells always draw too much attention, typically unnecessary ones. That's why I gave her my own Blessing instead, which she will unknowingly pass on to the rest in due time." Hydra explained.

"It's really nostalgic to see you be proactive after being isolated so long." Quill complimented.

"I can say the same about you, I've spent centuries worried how you've been using whatever power you can muster at times to prevent Nohr from falling apart when things are at their worse, more so their warped economy. And then there's your habit of entertaining young minds in the slums with poetry." Hydra said.

"I have my hobbies and toys to make these lonely years bearable. And safely too, which is more than I can say for you, meddling with the Windows between Realities and watching other worlds and the endeavors of all those heroes and villains, feeling tempted to drag one or more here to help with our problems." Quill noted. "I'm surprised you hadn't yet."

"I see someone hasn't lost his bad habit of stalking whatever peeks your interest." Hydra sighed.

"I'd hardly call it stalking considering that it was a challenge not to notice what you've been up to. You know opening a window draws too much attention with that kind of surge of energy running loose. I'd be hard pressed to believe if nobody else outside of humanity noticed." Quill countered. "Just because you know what you're doing, doesn't change the fact that it's risky, and forbidden for even us to meddle with other worlds."

"Tell that to the Warmaster. This isn't the first time he's traveled to other worlds by mistake." Hydra said.

"Mistake being the keyword. He's always been an unfortunate soul. Though, you're not convinced, are you?" Quill questioned.

"It makes no sense how he ended up here, his soul was completely destroyed when he slew Grima. Reconstructing a soul can only be done by two individuals and they've both long since passed from all worlds." Hydra said, sounding frustrated. "Not knowing the answers, it's like Degenerating all over again. The inability to answer is maddening."

"You say that and yet you weren't pressed for answers when he came to you that day." Quill reminded him.

"He was just as riddled as the rest of us and unsurprisingly unhappy about being given yet another chance to live again. A poor lost soul is all he's ever been and all he'll ever be. And in his current state, it wouldn't be difficult to say that Sothis might be responsible." Hydra explained.

"The nuisance from Fódlan, let alone the dead have no place in this chest board." Quill declined. "Besides, I doubt that misanthropic daughter of hers even knows what the hell is happening outside of her fantasies. Especially those she has under her claws."

"That's cold even for us." Hydra bemused.

"Yeah, well life is nothing if not a hassle and all people are hassles. Just take a deep breath and relax. The truth will come at its own pace, not like we have the power to force it out into the open all the time." Quill advised.

"I get that but this is the fate of our world we're talking about, any kind of unknown could prove catastrophic, and what if his lingering existence is because the Fell Dragon lives on." Hydra suggested.

"That child is gone, my friend, cease your paranoia at once and clear your mind, you're useless to me and your daughter if you point your blades at Robin, or need I remind you why he's so eager to die in the first place." Quill warned.

"I've seen his unjust fate in both timelines and the sins of Ylisse, just like everyone else." Hydra countered.

"Then speak no more of this and calm down already. You're making me nervous and my poems demand absolute patience." Quill instructed as he returns to his writing. "Thanks for returning my book."

"You're welcome."

* * *

**Okay, so twenty days isn't exactly that long but regardless, I'm sorry for the wait and that I don't have much to say, except that I hope you enjoyed this more comical chapter, no doubt one of my personal favorites and a nice show of Corrin parting ways with her old life as she embraces her new one despite still having the same friends from before, minus two still at her side. Plus, Corrin will now be using her Hoshido Noble uniform and Robin too, since he's earned a noble status to the eyes of the Royalty, at least to make his role as a commanding officer more official. I must say 65 Favorites, 101 Followers and 47 Reviews are some nice numbers for me, I'm glad to have kept this much support. Till next time.**


	20. Chapter 20: The Little Yang in the Yin

***Chapter 20: The Little Yang in the Yin**

From a tall tree falls a ninja to his death as his neck has been cut and lands on top a samurai, causing him to fall as well, allowing the Spear Fighter he was fighting to stab him in the head with her silver naginata. She is attacked from behind by an Oni Savage ceasing the chance to strike with his club but is shot in the back with three arrows that halt his assault and is later finished off by a shuriken that hits him right in the forehead. A small skirmish occurs in the woods outside of Kyoto as the liberation force sent to apprehend the treacherous noble, Yamamoto with them already engaging the post guards and by the looks of it have managed to catch them off guard and subduing is easy enough with them yet to lose any soldiers and Ryoma already delivering the finishing blow to the commander of this unit.

"Area secured, Milord, none have escaped to give away our arrival." Saizo informed the High Prince who is leading the company.

"Good, any word from Corrin and Hinoka's groups?" Ryoma asked while feeling a great amount of unease.

"They're doing just fine on their end." Saizo explained firmly.

"Good, let's meet up on our chosen rendezvous point." The High Prince ordered.

* * *

Another Ninja cries in pain as she gets kicked on to a tree by Kaze who engaged her in combat. Ryoma, Corrin, Hinoka and Sakura came to Kyoto, bringing only eighty soldiers with them and have divided them into three units, 30 go with Ryoma and 25 each for Corrin and Hinoka, and Sakura accompanies the former. Each unit goes to engage the guards protecting the city from the outside from the west, south and east to enter the city from the sewer tunnels, and while it will be surely well-guarded is still arguably the safest route.

"This is your last chance Nemuri, stand down and cease further hostility." Kaze warned the female ninja that he is familiar with who unfortunately does not heed his warnings and stands back up to fight but is halted as she is hit by a blizzard that immediately encases her in ice, along with the tree behind her, leaving only her head unfrozen. Kaze quickly turns to see that this is Felicia's doing as she is the only one in the company that is able to use natural ice magic.

Corrin's group is arguably the strongest, even when not including Robin as they take out their adversaries the fastest and apprehend all they could, though naturally enemy casualties are unavoidable even if it was just a few.

"That's the last of them?" Corrin asked Robin who enchants the shackles they place on the defeated enemies with magic to make them more difficult to free themselves from.

"Yeah, it should be safe to leave them here for now, especially since all contact here from the city is completely nullified." Robin explained.

"Then we best meet up with Ryoma and Hinoka already. Where was the rendezvous point again?" She asked.

"It is north of the city, Lady Corrin, the only place that strangely doesn't have any guards that is guaranteed to be safe to meet up unnoticed." A Samurai informed her.

"What about the Aerial units. The Military Branch that guards Kyoto is over-reliant on Pegasus Knights?"

"Sky Commander Suì-Fēng remained faithful to the crown and kept the Sky Division from Yamamoto's clutches but were sadly all wiped out." A Priestess informed the dark news.

"Dammit! At least the skies are clear for us to proceed slightly more safely." Oboro muttered.

"I wouldn't count on it just yet." Kaze sighed.

They waste no time in heading there and are the first to arrive with Ryoma and Hinoka still haven't shown up yet but none are worried.

"Kaze, are you alright, that woman you fought, Nemuri, you know her?" Corrin asked, noticing the somber look on his face.

"I do, in fact, I know most of the Ninjas we just confronted. Goteitaishi, Kirio, Baishin, Makizō, Yumichika, Momo, Kisaragi. We all trained together as children under the tutelage of my father and uncles. We all swore under the Dawn Dragon Oath to dedicate our lives to the crown. Nemuri was wildly known for having a rebellious streak and quite the hothead for a warrior of the silent arts but she, like her whole family is extremely devout followers of Sephiroth, I dare call them zealous. And yet it was plainly obvious in her eyes that there was no hesitation in striking down her own countryman to keep Kyoto under Yamamoto's clutches." Kaze said with sadness and regret over fighting former comrades and shame towards them for their actions. Something that practically all of the Hoshidans beside them are feeling right now, Sakura's look of anguish is a common sight nowadays but today is different since she's not bearing witness to bloodshed against Nohr or patching up wounds inflicted by them but this time against her own people which must take a heavier toll on her poor heart.

"Yuki, Jūshirō, Yachiru and Nanao were also among them. Those four always wanted to be Pegasus Knights but their family lineage bound them to being Sentinels instead." Subaki said feeling bitter as he just got back from striking down former friends.

"Traitors. All of them!" Hana cursed under her breath, wiping out some of the tears in her eyes before they can come out and anyone would notice. "May they never find redemption for their sins in the Eternal Flame of Iblis and drown in Qliphoth's Sea of Despair."

"Maybe… maybe they've all been blackmailed; Yamamoto threatened their families or a loved one and has them on a leash." Corrin suggested, trying to make sense of all these acts of betrayal.

"That's a high possibility but more wishful thinking, and as resourceful as the adversary is, Yamamoto couldn't have gotten dirt on all of them, and I can't shake the feeling that at least a few dozen of them should've been able to escape and warn the Capital much sooner regardless. It's regrettable but the men and women we're up against are our enemies and must be treated as such. Dead or alive, we must rescue Kyoto." Azura declared very firmly about this whole scenario.

"The discord here is not as bad as it is in Nohr but it's still quite the hassle to fathom how this could happen in Hoshido." Jakob said surprised by how tight Nohr's chaos would reach here so severely and will surely leave an impact on future generations. "Doubtless to say that this is a curse inflicted upon by that serpent, Iago."

"This does feel like his level of deception. The question is how long has he been in contact with the ignoble members of Hoshido's court?" Robin wondered.

"Long enough to leave a stain on our honor that will take decades to mend." Subaki sighed.

"What's Yamamoto's deal anyway? Why go through all of this in the first place?" Corrin wondered as she was barely briefed on the subject of the former nobleman.

"He's almost your stereotypical noble, self-absorbed and far too prideful but still commanded much respect and admiration from the people, and technically still does despite his incarceration. He like many disapprove of your mother's position as Queen for many reasons, the most common is that she was originally a foreigner of Hoshido and many Nobles tend to be sensitively pitiful when someone not of noble birth is put in any sort of position of power. Yamamoto wasn't the most outspoken about it but the subtle hints were as good as any reason to keep an eye on him and his attempts to dethrone the Queen four years ago was the moment we dreaded for years." Kaze explained.

"And how did he think to accomplish that, by staging a civil war? If such a thing happened or was moments away from occurring Nohr would've known about it and Leo would've never kept his mouth shut about it to me or anyone else." Corrin wondered.

"His first act of defiance was targeting my family, as you already know, we of the Igasato Clan have long since sworn allegiance to the Crown and served as the bulk of the Royal Family's defense, in order to get to them disposing of us first is the safest bet. That being said however, my father, Saizo the Fourth wasn't very popular with the nobles and really got under their skin, having only respect for King Sumeragi and sadly, my brother who is now the head of the family picked up on his bad habits and thus has the same unpopularity and ceasing the opportunity to use the distrust to his advantage, Yamamoto carefully spread a foul rumor among the nobility that Saizo was planning to stage a quo instead and our clan was already preparing a militia to attack. Fortunately for us and funny enough, Azama somehow caught wind of this and out of a mere whim warned Lady Hinoka and Lord Ryoma of Yamamoto's treachery and Yukimura staged a clever tactic to expose him by pitting him against me and Saizo, while we were both still oblivious to the crisis. Even though your mother and siblings had complete faith in us they couldn't ignore such accusations no matter how unlikely and put us through a test of sorts to ensure our loyalty and it was fortunate that we were not aware of it sooner because Saizo was not in the right state of mind when he found out that Yamamoto was using our family like that." Kaze explained. "Especially since Yamamoto send ninja assassins after Ryoma before we caught him and said assassins were in fact traitors of our clan who sided with him."

"I'm surprised he wasn't executed on the spot for such actions." Oboro said while listening in.

"He was supposed to but political pageantry and close ties with the previous queen spared his life and he was instead sentenced to the Shinigami Chasm. A deathly prison built around the border that separates Hoshido from the Flame Tribe's homeland that is arguably the most gruesome prison in Horus where the worst of the worst are taken never to be seen again." Kaze continued.

"My father visited the chasm before and he told me grimly that it be a blessing if I never get to go there just to escort a criminal." Hinata said.

"I was told much the same as well." Kaze said.

"I've seen it myself. A perfect example of why Muspelheim is not a place you want to die on." Robin said with a look that told Corrin that he harbors empathy for anyone criminal enough to be sentenced there. "There's a reason why it's called the Shinigami Chasm because death is essentially the only freedom from that place and the warden and guards are all Flame Tribalist so that's a huge bonus as to why you best behave in Hoshido."

Corrin, Sakura and Felicia gulp at those words.

"Shinigami? Isn't that one of the many aliases of the Ice Tribe's Dragon Goddess?" Jakob asked familiar with the name.

"Yeah, it's the Hoshidan word for God of Death, and the Frost Dragon Shiva is also worshipped as a Goddess of Death as well as Ice, fitting how Niflheim is the only place left in Horus that contains any information about Necromancy and how the Chieftains are sworn to make sure such power remains buried forever and for some reason they're against destroying that dark magic instead." Robin explained.

"It's a matter of principle rather than common sense." Felicia explained.

"Better the Grimm than an Army of the Dead." Corrin muttered in contemplation and still sore about the Necrodragons. Ryoma and Hinoka's groups finally arrive and they can now proceed.

"I take it you all had it done wonderfully as well?" Hinoka asked with her group looking no worse for wear.

"Wonderfully is not the word I used but things do feel easier still, so no loss of life on our side just yet." Corrin replied.

"Excellent, now we must enter the city and our safest bet is to travel through the sewer tunnels." Ryoma said.

"They only look unguarded with no signs of magical security within but there's no denying that walking in is a huge risk. We need a diversion to better proceed." Kagero advised.

"Let me take a peek in first." Lilith said as she volunteers to examine the tunnel and does so by using her magic to transform herself into a bird, that is funny enough a robin and once she is close enough she turns into a rat to safely investigate.

"HA! She turned into a robin." Felicia chuckled.

"We can see that Felicia." Robin mused.

"She can shapeshift too, that is one resourceful stable girl." Rinkah uttered.

"I've always wondered how she was able to keep the stables in the fortress so spotlessly clean." Jakob added.

After almost fourteen minutes of waiting, Lilith returns exiting the tunnel in her true form and rushing to Corrin's side.

"The place is full of ninjas and diviners who have the placed magically booby-trapped. I managed to disable most of them without their knowledge and prepared a powerful sleeping spell that should activate on my call but there was not much else I could do." Lilith informed.

"Excellent work but if there is no guarantee that we can enter with a higher probability than it is still ill-advised to enter with such big numbers while relying on stealth, we must create a big enough diversion to catch them all off guard and force them to focus more of their soldiers in one direction." Ryoma concluded. "They won't be foolish enough to do this with all their troops but just enough."

"In that case then we might as well trigger some explosions all around the city and put them in disarray." Rinkah suggested callously.

"Try to take this a little more seriously, Rinkah." Corrin hissed at her.

"No, she actually has the right idea." Robin countered.

"I do?" Rinkah muttered.

"She does?" Corrin uttered. "Wait, you plan on flying to the city, launch an attack on wherever there aren't any civilians and tempt them to hit you with everything they've got?" Corrin questioned.

"Basically." Robin replied.

"I love this plan." Jakob cheered.

"You would." Robin hissed.

"You recently said you wouldn't be using your magic recklessly." Corrin protested.

"I'm not going to go all-out, just enough to get under their skin and if I'm really lucky, get Yamamoto's full attention, making it easier for all of you to mobilize." Robin suggested.

"It would be safer if you did not go alone so I shall accompany you." Ryoma declared.

"Your Highness…" Saizo wanted to protest to this but once the High Prince raised his hand for him to be silent, he knew there was no point.

"I want in on this too, it's been a while since I was given the chance to really let all of my dragon fire loose on a wider scale." Rinkah volunteered.

"Suit yourself." Robin said.

"Fine!" Corrin hissed reluctantly. "But wait, what signal do you intent to pull this time, another huge lightning bolt?"

"I prefer a red flare." Robin shrugged as he grabs both Ryoma and Rinkah's hands tight to take them to the sky with him. "How are you two airborne?"

"Hmph, I do alright." Rinkah shrugged arrogantly.

"Not as much as I would prefer but I'll last a short ride." Ryoma said showing little concern as Robin takes to the sky very fast and they all could've sworn that they heard a small squeal from the three and it definitely didn't come from Robin or Rinkah.

"Is… Ryoma afraid of heights?" Corrin questioned.

"Lord Ryoma fears nothing!" Saizo quickly argued boastfully and feels insulted at the insinuation.

"He simply doesn't like being away from the ground, there's a clear difference." Kagero added.

"No there isn't. Either he's afraid or isn't, regardless, he's not having a good time up there." Jakob scoffed.

"Guard your tongue, Nohrian." The Red Ninja warned.

"Wait a minute, why can't I just go with them? I've got wings." Corrin said.

"Need I remind you that you can't fly without me and I am better-needed moving pass the sewers." Lilith reminded her.

"Oh crud, I really need to get to work on that." Corrin cursed her incompetence. She may condemn her dragonic powers but she will not dismiss how grand it is to have the ability to fly on her own. She really loves taking to the skies, hence why she always wanted to be a Wyvern Knight like Camilla. "Anyone know how to ride a Wyvern because I think I may need to take the same lessons the hatchlings take while in dragon form to get these wings of mine working."

"Say no more, Lady Corrin, you may not know this but I too am well verse on how to manage a Wyvern from my experience with Escanor." Jakob volunteered.

"I can help you with flying as well." Hinoka also volunteered.

"I don't mean to turn you down, Lady Hinoka but Pegasi and Wyverns are completely different in their methods of flight, it's a common misconception but the wings of a Pegasus are meant for gliding not really to take flight as they actually rely on kicking the air to remain airborne, and if they flap their wings constantly no one would be able to ride them, unlike Wyverns who actually fly by flapping their wings." Subaki reminded her.

"I know that, but I can still be of some use, Corrin's an actual dragon after all and not some knock off."

* * *

Robin, Ryoma and Rinkah now float above Kyoto, roughly ten thousand meters above and remain afloat as Robin uses the same magic he used to make a large cloud tangible enough for them to stand on, afterward he picks up a large circular glass that resembles the one used on telescopes that is a magical relic with the same properties that allows them to zoom in and have a perfect view of the city from this height. While Robin is scouting the city, Rinkah is having a loud laugh at Ryoma's expense.

"Please stop laughing at me." Ryoma uttered embarrass.

"You squealed! You actually made a squeal upon taking flight. Who would've thought the mighty Ryoma is afraid of a little height." The Fire Princess mocked.

"I fear nothing! I just don't like being away from the ground is all." Ryoma defended himself, which is really a poor attempt as there may very well be no difference between not liking being airborne and being afraid. "Plus, in what world is this altitude considered a little? Not even Wyverns can go this high up!"

"You've clearly never encountered the Wyverns raised in Muspelheim." Rinkah snickered.

"Can't you focus on something else, like the fact that we're actually standing on a cloud of all things!"

"Eh, I have a really open mind so I'm not impressed."

"If you kids are finished with your time in kindergarten you might want to take a look at this." Robin insisted as he points at one particular red building that looks like one for a noble full of himself would be living. "By any chance is that Yamamoto's residence?"

"Yeah, I recognize his poor taste anywhere." Ryoma affirmed.

"Doesn't really look all that different from your place, only smaller and redder." Rinkah added.

"That's exactly my point, the bastard is so full of himself that he thought to commission his own version of Shirasagi in Kyoto without are knowledge."

"Alright, aside from making sure we get the city's full attention that's where our havoc must be the focal point to lure enough of their troops for the others to come in with less intrusion." Robin said. "But first things first I need to make a few preparations."

"Like what?" Rinkah asked.

"I much rather show you, right now I'll leave you two on the roof. Try not to squeal." Robin said half-jokingly as he creates a red glowing orb that he tosses and leaves in the sky before he flies them down into the city. While Ryoma didn't squeal this time he was hugely annoyed. He wasn't going to live this down.

In mere seconds they were already within the top of Yamamoto's manner, several archers on top from every angle but none spotted them yet and by the time they could they were all carefully taken cared off.

"I'm surprised you know how to deal with anyone without causing a ruckus." Ryoma complimented Rinkah as she suffocates the last sniper.

"My mom used to be a ninja master for Mukushu up until that Mad Daimyo's War that devastated Kohga made her question her morals." She replied.

"You two stay here and don't start any ruckus just yet, I have a few contingencies I want to try out before we can truly start." Robin advised.

"Whatever you got in motion be quick about it." Rinkah demanded as Robin flies off.

* * *

"All seems to be going well with the barrier so far, Milady." Orochi said as she and other Diviners have been assisting Mikoto in getting the Barrier of Concord ready to reactivate once again and they have been at it for hours after Corrin unleashed the Throne's power.

"Yes, I can feel the Blight fading from Suzanoh but there's still too much of it all over Hoshido. In order to reactivate the barrier all corruption must be expelled from at least the Capital, that alone just might be enough to set our main defense in motion and dispel the rest of the blight, chunk by chunk." Mikoto calculated.

"Indeed, the atmosphere isn't returning to normal, it's improving significantly, activating the barrier with the Seal of Flame's power will result in something greater." Orochi added. "However, it's still too soon to do anything so extreme and we'll have to wait at least one more day."

"One more day is enough to make me go mad with anticipation, with Nohr's reach feeling closer than ever." Mikoto sighed. Getting her barrier up and running the first time was a pain and keeping it active for years was even more hazardous and now she just knows it'll be even harder.

"And hopefully you can at least make sure it works on all invaders and not just Nohrians instead. Gotta do something against those Blackhounds too." Reina advised as she walks in on the conversation.

"This spell is deeply complex and troublesome and originally I could only ward off a certain threat at a time, I just lacked the power before, even with all of Hoshido's mages at my side since the Barrier was never meant to protect an entire nation, I'm constantly putting it beyond its limits and if I were to go any further it would've fallen apart." Mikoto explained. "Weakening the strength of the Grimm was an added bonus due to its nature as a form of Light Magic."

"You never said the spell was based on a lost art like the power of light." Orochi said surprised.

"Sorry, the Barrier is a spell from the place of my birth, or at least I think it is, no one in Hoshido has ever heard of it until I used it." Mikoto replied, not really sure herself.

"Wow, you, your daughter and soon to be son in law have terrible memories." Reina mused seeing the odd pattern in the family.

"I know, I just hope it's not somehow magically contagious and my grandchildren one day just out of the blue forget me." Mikoto muttered, already thinking way too ahead on Corrin's future.

"Isn't it a bit too soon to be thinking about grandkids, the time you have with your step-kids is scarce enough as it is with all your other duties and their misadventures." Reina asked.

"After that Halloween madness, I'm starstruck that I'm not already a grandmother. I mean, we all know what really happened that night between those two white delinquents." Mikoto said, fully aware that her daughter drugged Robin into having sex with her, so really she's the rapist and it's a miracle he remains at her side still. Any decent guy would normally walk out after something that awful. Corrin is luckier than she realizes.

"Yes we do." Orochi snickered seductively regarding that juicy tale.

"You two are the weirdest retainers, I swear." Mikoto complained.

* * *

"Wow, so this is what the Capital Suzanoh looks like. Amazing." Mozu uttered as she is walking around the capital, not wanting to stay in the Castle all day and could not help but want to explore the place and it's all so breathtaking to the former villager, and even though the city square is still in ruins from the previous attack there is still charm to it that Mozu can't seem to put it, and the townsfolk are really nice. Hayato also tagged along, not too comfortable staying in Shirasagi and having nothing better to do but still looks annoyed, like he doesn't want to be in the Capital either.

"It looks fine in looks anyway." Hayato said nonchalantly.

"Are you okay, you seem off all the sudden. Are you perhaps homesick. I know I feel like that plenty of times." Mozu wondered as they stop and remain right at the center where it all began with most people wanting to avoid the scene where the Blight Dragon appeared so they're alone for now.

"It's not that, though I will admit going this long away from the tribe, heck, being away from Oldstrong this long brings a lot of anxiousness but I'm just annoyed that I wasn't allowed to go into the fight in Kyoto." Hayato said annoyed of being excluded.

"I don't like being left behind either but you really should consider how Lady Corrin feels, she allowed us to come along and feels responsible for our wellbeing and the last thing she wants is for us to be involved in one carnage after another." Mozu said, agreeing with Corrin's decision even if she has let her new powers get to her head a little bit.

"Well I don't appreciate the babysit, I left home to rise up and make a name for myself, not be a bench warmer." Hayato hissed.

"Why the rush to be an adult already, you know you got your whole life ahead of you to be thinking of all this carnage." Mozu questioned, getting annoyed herself with the Wind Tribalist, who despite being in good terms with everyone in the group he does have a tendency to get under their skin with his big mouth and inability to take a short joke without acting like a flame tribalist instead.

"I'm no stranger to carnage and death." Hayato bit back, startling Mozu a little bit.

"What do you mean?" She muttered.

"Forget it, you wouldn't understand." Hayato shrugged.

"Well then help me understand, we're both from the same cloth aren't we?" Mozu insisted.

"Look Mozu, you're new to this whole… Demigod lifestyle but the first thing you got to get behind is that it's not all sunshine and rainbow, we who have the blood of the dragon gods are popular for the wrong reasons more so than the right ones."

"I thought the Wind Tribe and Flame Tribe were in good terms with Hoshido." Mozu said.

"We are but that's beside the point since ancient times the tribes have held control over the most significant lands in Horus, my tribe controls Oldstrong, Rinkah's with Muspelheim and Felicia's has Niflheim. It may seem like no more than a desert, a volcanic and snowy region but there's so much more to those lands, secrets that outsiders of our teachings cannot begin to grasps and we didn't come to be just because the Ancestral Dragons wanted to start a family with humans or assert their dominance, no, we were chosen to guard their secrets since they can no longer do it themselves, having lost their physical forms." Hayato explained. "I don't know what those secrets are because only the Chieftain and other higher ups that help run the tribe have the privilege to know and guard it but somehow that information has been leaked and all sorts of groups who "hide in veils" have come in search of it and numerous battles have been fought over the ages to claim whatever it is, and the other tribes have suffered similar attacks before. I was very young when it occurred but the last time my tribe was attacked, my mother, uncle and two of my cousins were no longer a part of our lives."

"Oh, Hayato." Mozu mumbled dishearten by his tale.

"I learned then and there that the world is not a nice place and not even kids are spared from the evils that come and go whenever they like no matter who gets caught in the crossfire." Hayato growled while tightening his fist. "It's why I need to get stronger and I don't have the luxury to be a kid. I'm going to be the Chief of the Wind one day and carry the Will of Ramuh and the people on my shoulders someday after all. Fuga gets it but he doesn't seem keen on letting me bear the burden and has been overbearing ever since. I get that he's my dad and he's only looking out for me but I'm smart enough to know that I can't be protected forever, not when those villainous characters are still out there."

"And you think that maybe these people might be from Nohr?" Mozu asked.

"Who else could they be. They're the ones who robbed us of the Water and Earth Tribes, Ramuh only knows what became of the others. There are only three of us left in the world and you can bet that now that they know you're the last direct descendant of the Stone Dragon, they will come for you as well since we know for a fact that whatever the tribes were hiding somehow haven't been stolen yet." Hayato cursed, revealing a resentment he's been holding towards Nohr for so long.

"But I don't know what this secret is?" Mozu muttered.

"Doesn't matter, you're the only one that's really standing between them and Cheve, the Great Wall is more powerful than it was when Ryoma activated it so there's no way they can pull the stunt they did before to break in. Your life is the only key that can unlock it now and they don't necessarily need you breathing to get to YOUR Dukedom and as a descendent of Archaean you're the rightful Duchess of Cheve." Hayato continued. "Being blessed by the gods is not a good thing Mozu, it's the worst kind of curse. Like being the greatest swordsman, it doesn't matter how fearsome you are, sooner or later people will come to challenge you and they may never leave you alone until you are surpassed or dead."

Hayato's words should've brought dread to Mozu, and it did but she's not showing any apart from her usual nervous expression.

"I'm not afraid, I'll pull through somehow, as long as Lady Corrin and Robin are with me, I'll be fine." She said trying to sound courageous.

"Whatever eases your…" Hayato ceases his words once he feels something hot on his chest and reaches for his shirt to show a necklace he keeps hiding with a pearl attached to it that is glowing red hot.

"Oh, that's a pretty pearl." Mozu noted.

"And a cause for trouble." Hayato narrowed his eyes. "This is a special item designed to hunt down practitioners of dark magic, whenever warlock-like mages are close enough, roughly about a hundred yards away the pearl will glow like this. It's been acting up whenever I'm near Robin since he too uses dark magic, and it especially glows like crazy when near Grimm."

"I thought nobody in Hoshido uses dark magic." Mozu said.

"It's frown upon here in the East but not many can resist the temptation so those that due use it keep it a secret, and anyone exposed usually gets deported but can stay so long as they accept an agreement from the law enforcement, nothing military like since dark mages are forbidden to join the army. I really thought Suzanoh would be the last place anyone from the darkness would be stupid enough to settle down here, unless…"

"There are Nohrians nearby." Mozu concluded dreadfully.

"It's showtime." Hayato declared, looking ready to rush in towards danger.

"Wait, you really mean to rush in and attack some warlock?" Mozu questioned.

"Why not, all of Hoshido and Oldstrong are in a road where dark magic is a definite kill with fire." Hayato said.

"Shouldn't we call for backup first. If there are Nohrians here we should warn someone."

"What, and cause a panic, this is a city full of scared and angry people and when the subject of the two is within proximity people throw all reason aside and behave like a pack of idiots, the less they know the better we can handle this." Hayato boasted. "Come on, Mozu, we can't afford to wait for backup and risk this being an actual crisis. If it's just some dumb townsfolk messing with the dark arts than we'll turn a blind eye and if it's something serious, I'll call for help and it'll be easy enough for me to send a message to the castle with my magic."

"Well… okay, but where do we even begin to start looking for someone that screams I'm a bad guy?" Mozu muttered.

"Easy, we go wherever the pearl keeps glowing and stay away from the direction where it becomes dimmer and where better to start searching than the sewers." Hayato suggested.

"But that's like the most obvious place for the guards of the Capital would think to infinitely check for danger."

"I think I speak with total confidence when I say that one must be overly deceptive when planning any sort of invasion so I say that's our best bet." Hayato said confidently and rather Mozu liked it or not the two younger members of Corrin's group ventured into the sewers on what is hopefully a wild goose chase despite the magical evidence to the contrary and just to be on the safe side they managed to steal, or rather ''borrow'' as Hayato puts it, a Silver Naginata from a Spear Fighter on patrol in the city while he stopped to have lunch, Mozu wasn't too happy about that but once they were within the sewers of Suzanoh she couldn't complain.

"It smells awful here." She mumbled in disgust, desperately covering her nose.

"What you expect, sewers are where the trash from above is placed to safely dispose of it, all the big cities have undergrounds like this built for that purpose. Keeps the outside clean and with magic the disposal is easy enough even if it typically takes time to get the dirty work over with." Hayato explained while seemingly not too bothered by the smell since he's not covering his nose and is instead focus on his necklace with the pearl glowing brighter. "I knew it, one or more Warlocks in Suzanoh."

"What could they be doing down here?" Mozu wondered.

"Only one way to find out." Hayato said as they go where the pearl leads them until they reach a wider path and find their targets and discover the Dark Mages, exactly eight Warlocks and one Sorcerer, all of them standing on a violet glowing magic circle with demonic-looking markings, each one holding a tome of dark magic with both hands each that is glowing with the same color as the circle, as well as their eyes and are all speaking an incantation in a language Mozu can only assume is Magecraftian, and even their eyes are glowing with the same color.

"What are they doing?" Mozu asked.

"I've read about this incantation before. They're trying to create a portal, one large enough for a whole bunch of people to come in." Hayato said recognizing the words of the incantation from his studies. "And they're putting in a lot of effort and magic into this."

"Why, I thought they could come and go as they please with the Queen's barrier gone?" Mozu asked.

"No doubt because the Hoshidans cleverly built a magical Protection Stave surrounding a massive portion of the Capital that protects it from enemies magically barging in and this spell will thwart even that. That Yukimura fellow was right and the huge battalion coming from the borders really is just a diversion to split Hoshido's forces while the true threat is still within Nohr waiting for their chance to strike at the heart of the capital totally off guard." Hayato surmised. "Nutcracks! It looks like they're almost done too, we better get to them quickly."

"Don't you think this all feels a little too easy, I mean for them to sneak in here without being caught must mean that they must have…"

Mozu is unable to finish as Hayato is suddenly sucker-punched from behind by a man dressed like a Berserker and then gets his face slam into the wall on his left, seemingly knocking him out cold, and before she could scream she is caught herself and her mouth covered by another Berserker as the Mages are in fact being guarded by other Nohrians.

"Well, look what we have here, two punks thinking they're some kind of heroes." The Man holding Mozu hostage smirked sinisterly.

"Son, you two are quite clever to have found us by yourselves but you are still quite the dumbest little shits I have ever had the displeasure of putting up with if you actually thought just the two of you could stop this but I do commend you both for getting this far." The other Berserker said mockingly as he raises his iron axe, clearly having zero qualms about killing the two of them despite their age. "Sorry kiddos but no witnesses and the Nohrian Army has no patience for babysitting."

"That's fine by us." Hayato said somewhat weakly, getting on his knees as he faces the two men with his nose now bleeding from the impact but doesn't look broken yet, the little man is quite durable despite his still delicate skin. "But you should know that you're the ones in over their heads."

At the nick of time, Mozu shows off her new dragonic strength and easily frees herself from her captive's grip and on impulse squishes too hard, not only breaking the armor covering the man's forearm but the arm as well, the bones crack so loudly that everyone nearby could hear it, with the Berserker screaming with immense pain, falling to his knees and clutching his now ruin arm in anguish.

"What the fu-" The other Berserker uttered as Hayato gets some payback blasting the cruel man away with a wind blast. The Demigod then proceeds with the Warlocks as he fires a horizontal tornado attack towards them that they quickly take notice of and are forced to cease their spell to create a barrier to protect themselves and the impact also hits the manhole cover above them that is blown upwards for those in the immediate street to notice and begin to panic over what this could mean.

More Nohrians show up to kill the two and one of them would've caught Hayato off guard if not for Mozu who valorously gets in the way and clashes her naginata with his iron sword and she hit it so hard that she actually manages to shatter the blade, to the shock of the Ranger. Mozu then hits the Ranger's chest with the bottom tip of the polearm hard enough to send the man flying, bumps into three other men as they all crash into the wall with a hole being blown open, causing the rest of the Nohrians to remain paralyzed with shock and admittedly fear over the two monsters attacking them.

"Oh… my… I…" Mozu uttered shaking rapidly over how insane this all is and afraid herself. For three seconds as it is soon replaced with a lot of inhuman enthusiasm and thrill. "That was fantastic! I can't believe how easy this is! I feel amazing!"

"I knew that Dragon Adrenaline would get a kick out of you eventually." Hayato smirked, counting on this happening.

"We can actually win this! I can win this!" Mozu declared, now getting in over her head, not that Hayato will even try to get her to calm down, and the Nohrians seem to have regained their composure.

"Agreed, but just to stay safe we better get that backup now." Hayato said as he creates an orb of green glowing wind and flies it out of the manhole where it reaches for the sky and expands until it creates a tornado that never touches the ground and is large enough for all to see and for those who don't see it, the strong wind current it emits spreads pretty far and can be felt by many, a clear sign that not all is well.

* * *

"You're Majesty!" A Basara comes rushing to the throne room where the Queen is discussing further plans with Yukimura and her two Retainers. "There's trouble in the Capital, a magical tornado has appeared in the sky but has not touch the ground, no doubt the work of a Wind Tribalist."

"But the only resident of Oldstrong currently in Suzanoh is Hayato." Orochi uttered.

"I knew that kid was going to find trouble one way or another but for him to cause this sort of ruckus without reason is very unlikely." Reina concluded.

"Could it be the Nohrians?" Yukimura said dreadfully. "But how could they have breached our Protection Stave?"

"I'll assemble the Guard!" Reina said leaving with haste.

"I'll go on ahead right now and get to the bottom of this." Orochi added heading to a different direction.

"Looks like I'll have to rush our clock by a lot." Yukimura said having no choice now.

"So be it then." Mikoto said before turning to a Priestess beside her. "Go and double the defense on Takumi. No, triple it. No, quadruple it… tenfold? Yes, tenfold the guards. Nobody wearing black gets near my boy!"

"Yes, you're Grace." The Priestess bowed before going to follow her orders but quickly stops to march back to her Queen. "Wait, does that include our men since basically all the Samurais and Ninjas have black with them?" She asked to clarify.

"Okay, I wasn't thinking right when I said that so let me rephrase myself." Mikoto muttered.

* * *

"You'd had your chance and now we're coming in!" Yelled one of Yamamoto's men from one of the streets of Kyoto as six men are about to force their way inside a small market that is also the home for those who own it that has their doors violently smash open.

"No! How dare you barge in here like this!" The store owner demanded in outrage but also fear since he knows what's going to happen to him and his family. "I've paid what was demanded like everyone else."

"Half, and you were given enough time to get the amount from your 'friends' and now we have no choice but to make an example of you so that the rest of this city don't make the same mistake!" The leading man said as he points a katana at him.

"Please, you don't have to do this." The Owner pleaded, already shedding tears with his wife behind holding their children protectively.

"Maybe you're right. But then again, I don't want to be right." The Man smirked sinisterly.

"Then I'll see you again in the Underworld." Robin said as he was fortunately around while this is occurring and assaults Yamamoto's men with a wind spell that blows them out of the store and throws from high up before they fall violently enough to gravely wound them but nothing that can't be nurtured.

"What…" The Owner uttered.

Nearby soldiers rush to the scene upon seeing their comrades lying on the street in such a state but they don't get a chance to do anything, much less help them as they are all struck by lightning from above and they also fall to their knees, Robin flying above them as he quickly flies back to Ryoma and Rinkah.

"Sorry for the nineteen-minute wait but I got a little sidetrack by how Yamamoto has been handling the people here." Robin said. "Apparently raising taxes is Yamamoto's way of keeping people in line and those who don't pay on time are made an example of."

"I would've probably spent the whole day sidetrack if I could see how unfairly that scum was mistreating my people." Ryoma replied.

"We won't have to be that long." Robin said as he begins to channel magic from Morgenstern and in mere seconds, nearly everywhere that leads to the sewers ignites with explosions that spread from below in quite a reach and plenty of havoc in the surface for the citizens but more importantly Yamamoto's men who are pretty much everywhere to notice. Robin follows it up by creating a large cage made of lightning to cover up Yamamoto's home, really getting the attention of the guards.

"Showtime!" Rinkah roared as she jumps off the roof along with Ryoma as they spread their own chaos. And finally, Robin triggers the red sphere he left in the sky to implode, releasing a bright red flare for their allies outside to see.

* * *

"That's as good a signal as any." Corrin said as now is the time to strike.

"Follow me, I know the quickest path that will lead us right below Yamamoto!" Saizo said as they all march forward while their aerial unit take to the sky towards their target and thanks to Robin's distraction, the many archers that are station in the rooftops are too distracted by what's happening down below to notice and it helps that Robin took the time to subdue a few himself.

"Over here!" One of the soldiers guarding the sewers spots Corrin and the army, only to be immediately forced to slumber by Lilith's sleeping spell as it starts its effect and thanks to the carnage Robin caused, the amount of resistance is fewer and wisely he kept the path that leads to where they need to go intact.

"Die, Royal Dogs!" One of Yamamoto's men shouted as many of them arrive to intercept them with the battle commencing.

"Quit getting in our way!" Corrin shouted as she delivers a strong swing to an Oni Savage, sending him crashing through a wall, but this one is sturdier than the rest and manages to get back in the fight and tries to maul her with his Great Club, though Jakob interferes, getting between them and succeeds in impaling him by the neck with his Soldier's Knife before he could counterattack.

"Fools like these can never comprehend when mercy is offered to them. It's sickening to look at them." Jakob scoffed.

"How far is Yamamoto's stinking house?" Hinata asked.

"It's pretty far, but we will get there soon enough provided we engage less resistance." Kaze said.

"Doesn't seem like we'll take too long, you smell that. There's an awful lot of smoke in the smelly air." Azama said.

"Robin must've set fire to several sections of the city to strike down the majority of men station below to save us more time." Kaze concluded.

"Wow, he sure is resourceful." Felicia said in awe. "Wonder why he hid the fact that he was a mage all this time?"

"Didn't want the attention and become persuaded of joining Nohr's army." Corrin said.

"He's sure doing us wonders." Oboro replied.

"Halt!" More enemy units arrive to block their paths.

"Nothing but a pointless nuisance after another." Saizo scoffed.

"We won't let any of you near our Lord, especially you, Scourge of Nohr!" One of them declared, pointing venomous at Corrin.

"Do not call me that!" Corrin yelled and instinctively she transforms her left hand into its more beastly form and fires a water blast at them that blows most of them to the ground.

"Crush anyone who dares spill ill words to Milady!" Jakob cursed with his breath as they all move forward.

"Are you okay, Lady Corrin?" Felicia asked with concern.

"Yeah, just peachy." Corrin shrugged, not wanting to talk about it. "What about you two, as surprised as you were you brushed off the fact that I can turn into a dragon rather well."

"You're asking that to someone who's Foremother was also a dragon?" Felicia replied, reminding her of her own lineage.

"Okay, that's fair but still odd."

* * *

"So much for not using more of his magic." Azura said as she flies alongside Hinoka, leading the aerial assault and make their way to their destination while gazing at the carnage Robin has caused, granted it really isn't that bad and not too noticeable since the majority of the damage was done underground but Azura and most well trained Sky Knights and Archers have a knack for spotting key detail and see enough of what is really going on. What is really noticeable, however, is the large cage of lightning trapping Yamamoto's home.

"I feel bad for Yamamoto with how easy this feels and clearly is." Hinoka joked somewhat while she goes into action, dodging a few arrows fired at her by enemy archers that were lucky enough not to be attacked by the Flying Tactician but they don't pull much of a threat and Setsuna who is riding with Subaki and the other knights with range weapons are efficient enough to deal with them and within the cage Ryoma and Rinkah make short work of the soldiers guarding the manor, none able to hold their own against them while Robin remains outside of his cage, confronting any who come in an attempt to try and go through, though he now confronts them using a single Hagakure Blade while also moving with superhuman speed and is doing fine thus far.

"Subaki, lead everyone to help Robin keep those scums away from the manor, Ryoma, Rinkah, Azura and I can handle Yamamoto." Hinoka instructed to Subaki.

"Understood, Milady!" Subaki complied.

"Try not to die." Setsuna said as the two Princesses split from the unit and they land down just as Ryoma finishes off the last guard in the front yard.

"You're a little late." Ryoma said to her.

"I can say the same for you guys taking your sweet time." Hinoka replied.

"Was that a Blackhound mercenary?" Azura asked noting how different the armor the men on the ground are from each other.

"Yeah, Yamamoto hired these goons to be a part of his private militia, turns out that while we were away they've been on and off helping the Nohrians with their attacks, only now their allegiance is officially clear." Ryoma explained.

"At least we'll get them to answer for THEIR greed." Hinoka said as she and Azura dismount from Rukia and Hinoka instructs her to stay out of trouble and remain on standby until she is needed and the four enter the manor and are immediately assaulted by a large amount of green blobs of slime that threatens to drown them in it.

"Hell no!" Rinkah shouted as she fires a mighty geyser-like attack of fire that counters the green liquid and destroys it, however, once both attacks cease, they must now move out of the way as a large man is now jumping above them, ready to attack with a large spear, of which they manage to evade in time.

"Yamamoto!" Ryoma roared recognizing the man that just attacked them to be the former noble of Hoshido. Yamamoto is one large and broad individual with a bald head, hazel eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a long black beard and is wearing a unique gray version of the Basara uniform. The top of his uniform is open enough to expose his hairy chest and his weapon of choice is a Waterwheel.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Ryoma, look at you all grown up into an actual man for a change." The former lord said mockingly. "I'm surprise it took you this long to come after me but even more so that you're still breathing. I was sure that you would not have been able to survive Princess Camilla's onslaught in Cheve."

"You'll find my comrades and I have become increasingly sturdier since last time, and you are more foolish than before." Ryoma said pointing Raijinto at him.

"Oh, I trust you'll find that I've changed myself in more ways than one." Yamamoto said smugly with a dark aura manifesting around him.

"That attack we got hit with first was the dark spell of Mire." Azura said familiar with that spell.

"If you recognize that then you must know this one." The Darkness around Yamamoto grows larger as a mass of lightning infuse with corrupt darkness is unleashed upon the four before they could do anything about it, minus for Ryoma and he quickly stops this attack with Raijinto as he absorbs the electricity from the dark spell and sends a shockwave that forces the darkness away from them, said darkness changes into a black liquid form that lands on the ground and begins to move by itself.

"A Goetia!" Hinoka shouted as they run away from the dark goo, especially once large tangible spikes start to come off it in an attempt to stab them, of which Rinkah disposes of with her intense flames.

"Since when can you use dark magic? That's not something that people learn to use out of the blue." Ryoma demanded.

"War changes people, High Prince, I was under the impression that you already knew that. Guess I'll have to teach you that myself." Yamamoto said as he rushes at the High Prince with dark energy infused into his naginata and begins clashing with Ryoma. The Prince knows better than to underestimate this foe for not only was he known for being a genius when it comes to politics but he was also credited as the strongest Basara before his imprisonment that he proved a challenge for Reina at one point so it be no surprise if he would prove a small challenge for Ryoma, still the fact that he is able to fight is strange because based on what Ryoma has heard, Yamamoto should've suffered a serious wound to his arms that should've made wielding a weapon with such proficiency highly unlikely so perhaps him suddenly being able to use dark magic, of which he has never displayed before isn't the only thing to question.

More of Yamamoto's men show up and assault the three ladies, and Rinkah responds with great ferocity, though a bit too much since her flames almost hit Azura, forcing her and Hinoka to rush back outside with multiple soldiers chasing after them as they take the fighting outside. Hinoka faces against a Blackhound Berserker who tries to overpower her with some very mighty swings from his axe that she certainly can barely take as the first two swings she managed to parry, she's not willing to test her fortune with the third swing and instead dodges the axe by backflipping, immediately following by getting on her knees before rushing from below as fast as she can and thrusts her weapon right in the Berserker's heart, killing him.

Hinoka is forced to drop her weapon and leave it in her defeated adversary's chest as she almost has her head cut off by the blade of another Blackhound that she fortunately managed to evade on time, only to again be attacked again by another foe who has a Brave Lance.

"That'll do wonderfully!" Hinoka shouted as she aims to take that lance just as she swiftly dodges a downward swing and get behind the Lancer and delivers a karate chop on the man's neck that leaves him practically out cold and his weapon for the taking as Hinoka faces the Mercenary that almost beheaded her with Azura offering assistance who faces the two with duo swordsmanship.

"Thoron!" Two mages fire thunder spells at the Flame Demigoddess that she catches with her bare hands while clad with flames, easily parrying them to the ground and counterattacks with two fireballs right at the faces of the two mages, knocking them to the ground and later confronts two Axe Fighters who manage to catch her off guard and move their large axes to cleave her left to right, thankfully, though, Rinkah is faster than she looks, especially with her pyrokinesis and she leaps upwards by igniting her feet with flames to propel herself, then gets herself upside down and with her Venge Club that she also picked up from the floor in time, succeeds in bashing both their heads fiercely before landing back on her feet.

"I almost hate how things are turning out exactly how Robin planned by just giving him a map of the city, this is just too easy." Rinkah smirked, not even breaking a sweat yet. "Maybe it's because Corrin is barely around this time."

"Shut up, Rinkah!" Hinoka shouted as she and Azura finish with seemingly the last of the Blackhounds. "Is that the last of the guards in the manor? It doesn't feel right."

"Yamamoto must've felt too safe with only his men keeping his order in the city that he didn't see the need to put so much of the security to himself." Azura surmised. "Our assault both seems and feels completely unorthodox that it doesn't seem like all of them are processing what's going on."

"Either way, we mustn't let our guard down for a second, you never know what other surprises we could be facing."

"You mean like a huge beam heading this way?" Rinkah asked as she looks to her right and notices a large red beam come firing at their comrades from outside the lightning cage coming in fast that none of them had time to counter but lucky enough to avoid, including Robin and as it hits his cage, all the lightning quickly dissipates into nothing, just narrowly missing a startled Azura.

"What in Sephiroth!" Hinoka gasped as the Hoshidans turn to see where such a powerful attack came from and several yards from them a new foe arrives and it is a monster that might be a new type of Grimm. A gargantuan pitch-black golem probably three stories high or slightly more, roughly humanoid in shape, but without a distinct head, and bulbous spiked hands resembling tree roots. Its body is comprised of a blackish fluid with some solid white metallic plating like the skeletal armor of other Grimm but somewhat different at the same time, also lacking any of the common red markings. The fluid that makes up the vast majority of its body expands and contracts into the body in a manner that seems similar to breathing. The creature's most notable feature is its glowing red core, located at the base of where its neck would be that must be its eye.

"What the Hell is that?!" Hinata cried in shock.

"I've read about this monstrosity in the ancient text, it is a Carnage, a berserk beast that thirsts for destruction and capable of creating magic attacks that can annihilate almost anything and is believed that even the Nohrian Royals have a hard time controlling this species." Subaki explained dreading this new foe and even Yuzu seems terrified by it.

"I call it an exaggeration but I rather not take any chances." Robin said prepared for the worst as the Carnage's eye begins to glow and from it fires another beam that the Tactician rushes in to block the attack through the use of Morgenstern by opening the book and sucks the beam within the pocket dimension, at least Corrin and the others assume there's a small dimension within Morgenstern, and with it Robin manages to absorb and stop the attack, however the Carnage isn't relenting just yet and pours more power into its attack before ceasing it's assault for now, though doing so created a shockwave of some kind that blew Robin away and sends him crashing near Yamamoto's manor and right beside the trio of princesses.

"Robin, are you alright?" Azura rushed to his side.

"Peachy…" Robin muttered getting back up and checks if there is any damage done to Morgenstern but the book seems to have successfully absorbed all the damage without a scratch to the pages but he does feel that whatever dark power the beam it fired is made of is not the stereotypical dark magic from Nohr, this is true destructive power. Returning his attention back to the Grimm, the Carnage raises his right arm upwards as it stretches phenomenally high up above all the buildings around it due to the liquid nature of its body and the hand morphs into a mace with many spikes and slams it down right at the Hoshidans before any of them can move out of the way, forcing Robin to get back to the action, flying towards the large mace and stops it midflight by clashing with it using his katana, struggling to push it back while buying his allies the time to escape. The Carnage doesn't stop and from the arm Robin just blocked come out three boa size cobras that move to bite at him, however the Tactician moves faster, summoning one of his Levin Swords and swiftly cuts the beasts down with lightning speed, as well as cuts off the Carnage's arm

"Robin, enemy reinforcements are rushing at us from all angles now that your cage is out!" Subaki informed Robin as Yamamoto's men close in.

"Fall back and take to the rooftops, we still have the aerial advantage and whatever you do, do not let the Grimm hit you, whatever its magic attack is made of it's not something that any of you can brush off." Robin ordered as there part of the plan is not going smoothly because of the out of place arrival of the new type of Grimm, forcing him to face it on his own.

"Still feeling like this is easy, Rinkah!" Hinoka asked as she whistles for Rukia to return for her and Azura to ride.

"I regret nothing!" Rinkah boasted as she flies herself up with flames while the rest of the company succeeds in avoiding the incoming fire from their foes. "Dang, we left Ryoma with Yamamoto."

"I be more worried about that piece of shit than my brother." Hinoka shrugged, having zero doubts that Ryoma can beat him but still feels compelled to be there just to be safe. "That Grimm raises a lot of red flags and makes you wonder where are the Nohrians if it's here."

"I only hope that it's the only one we have to deal with." Azura said, deeply wishing she had her pendant right about now, or at the very least Corrin's Dragonstone because she feels powerless without either.

* * *

Ryoma howls as he swings his blade at Yamamoto with swift strikes faster than when she sparred with Corrin as he aims to kill, however the enemy Basara is quite agile and swift as he manages to hold his own remarkably well, he almost surprises the High Prince and his use of the Waterwheel is quite a hassle to deal with but Ryoma maintains the advantage and channels power from his blades and fires a mighty crescent shape lightning strike at him.

"Waste!" Yamamoto roared as he releases another dark spell, one that creates a cloud of wretched darkness that intercepts the lightning strike, canceling both attacks, catching Ryoma almost off guard as another dark cloud is immediately fired after the first one vanished that he barely has time to dodge.

"Ruin!" Yamamoto cast another dark spell that fires a large purple horned skull that Ryoma again barely manages to do anything again but still prevails as all it took to stop it was impaling the forehead with Raijinto, though he could feel the intensity of the spell, if not for his high resistance that skull would've instantly killed him. This only irritates Ryoma more as he goes forward and assaults the former noble with a horizontal slash that while he is able to parry, the impact sends Yamamoto crashing through a wall and lands right into his own kitchen but before he crashed through the wall, he fired another magic attack, one of Hoshidan origin that is a Snake Spirit, coming in really fast that Ryoma has to use the lightning speed to evade this next attack and to decapitate it before rushing back towards Yamamoto but to his surprise, the Basara disappeared from where he landed.

"Where are you, you coward!" Ryoma demanded, searching around for his foe but he could not go much further as he is assaulted by five Snake Spirits who wrap themselves around his arms, legs and neck, severely restraining him and squeezing him so tight that he is losing his grip on Raijinto and is being choked as well, and just at the nick of time, Yamamoto reveals himself about to impale Ryoma from the front, however, the High Prince's hold on Raijinto is good enough as the holy sword unleashes a shockwave of lightning that vaporizes the snakes and halts Yamamoto, allowing Ryoma to take another hit at him but he hesitates due to the damage recently done to his body, coupled with being almost out of breath, falling to his knees, allowing Yamamoto the chance to slip away again, and this prompts the Prince to push himself further and chase after him again into the main hall of the manor but again loses sight of him.

"Even… even I didn't expect this of you." Ryoma muttered while catching his breath. "You've always been difficult to work with because of your high standards but there was no denying that you love your nation dearly. To think that you'd sunk so low as to abandon your own ideals and delusion of grandeur and sell your own countrymen to our worst enemies."

"I love my people, High Prince, not the nation itself." Yamamoto retorted while still out of Ryoma's sight as he keeps his guard up for another incoming attack. "I've always seemed unfair, strict and a hardass, as my oldest son Miyatsu would always say but everything I ever did, I did for the benefit of every Hoshidan. Even you commended me for my contribution."

"Which made your betrayal all the more unbearable. My father thought of you as an older brother before his first marriage, he constantly depended on your wisdom when his reign was young, you were his shield from the pressures of the crown. Mentored and molded him into the great leader we knew him as. You are my uncle as well as my godfather, I just can't fathom what you've become. I can understand the distrust for foreigners giving our history with Nohr, Mokushu and the rest of the world but my mother has earned her place as Hoshido's Queen and not just through her marriage with my father."

"YOUR MOTHER IS DEAD RYOMA!" Yamamoto roared with long suppress hatred out in the open. "Replaced by that whore, Mikoto. I gave my all to Sumeragi, from the moment I was born I was forced into servitude of the Crown by my family for being another branch of soldiers to the Dawn Faithful. Even when he got under all our skins because of his brash, impulsive, insubordinate and out of control nature I had to tolerate him and keep him in the 'right path' no matter how much I struggled and lost because of him and your family, while he got away with whatever misdeeds he made along the way. I even let him take my sister's hand in marriage. Sweet Ikona died birthing his final bastard and eight months later he announces his second marriage and tarnishes millenniums of tradition."

"Choose your next words carefully, Yamamoto!" Ryoma warned enraged.

"And do you want to know what it really was that sent me over the edge? Was that he had the nerve to blame me. ME! For Ikona's death, when I was the only one among the Council who advised him that we needed to protect Kohga from Mokushu's evil, he took his wrath on all of us. I'm still shocked that I wasn't beheaded or at least demoted that night. My only regret is that I hesitated for so long after his well-deserved death to make my move. It's not often that I let fear hold me back but I guess it took me years to stop seeing you as Ikona's son to really begin setting the people down a better path." Yamamoto said and every word that came out of him made Ryoma more on edge, trembling to struggle with his own shaken thoughts on the matter.

"I acknowledge Mikoto's efforts to help Hoshido but it doesn't change the fact her methods and leaving us in a stalemate accomplished nothing but put us in bigger turmoil and gave Nohr the time they needed to attack. Now the only option left is the logical one."

"Surrendering our lands to the enemy Is the only logical choice? In what sense?" Ryoma demanded.

"Because we can't beat them Ryoma. This is our third war against them and two out of three times we've lost and there's nothing charming about a third time. And now they have the power of their God backing them up and we have nothing and the only reason they're doing this is because they're hungry so why the resistance?"

"We give them an inch and they'll always demand a mile. Doing things their way will leave us starving and exhausted. Even we are not unlimited, Yamamoto. You of all people should know that. We can't let them have their way, no matter how regrettable it is." Ryoma argued. "We must fight, for our honor and the natural life of our people."

"HA! There you go again, jabbering the same foolish words as Sumeragi. Thinking with the sword. All you've done is delay the inevitable and sacrificed unnecessary lives just to satisfy your thirst for revenge because daddy is no longer here to see you mature into a proper Swordmaster." Yamamoto mocked. "Garon didn't kill your father, and he didn't lock your step sister in a fortress because she was his prisoner of war, and he is not completely heartless enough nor is he entirely stupid enough to consume our land dry of resources to inevitably leave us one day useless in the future. There will be peace under his dominion. Why do you think I was so insistent with the Council and your mother to allow those Nohrian deserters to live here, I was making many preparations for our inevitable defeat long before I was approached by King Garon's right-hand man and he requested my allegiance. I am thinking of the future."

"A future where our people are robbed of our livelihood and Hoshido is no more." Ryoma countered.

"Hoshido is not a place, boy, it is a people. Notre Sagesse can be Hoshido, any island can be made into Hoshido. As long as the people live on, our traditions will not die." Yamamoto replied.

"How can you be so sure that the people will accept yours and Garon's ideal so easily?" Ryoma questioned.

"I never said it would be easy. Changes may be good but nobody necessarily agrees with it. But what you really should be asking yourself is how can you be so sure that the people will oppose it so strongly as you? They're humans, Ryoma, commoners. They don't care who's in charge. To them, Kings and Queens are all just faceless beings who rule from on high. If we tried to raise taxes or something, you better believe they'd protest and bring forth as many riots as it takes to get what they want. Take Garon, the fearsome Demon King of Nohr for example. Behind all that rough and frightening exterior he's just another man. If they keep working, he, his family and the rest of the nobility can keep living the high life. So it's not like he's going to treat us truly poorly or anything. As long as we can live our lives and have a little happiness they aren't going to worry about it all too much. This is what you and your siblings always fail to understand, the people don't care about you, or that you are their crown prince and future king, they care about what you can do for them. They believe so strongly that a leader should be more a protector and provider than anything else, more than eager to criticize us of the upper echelon for the smallest offense. We humans are shameless creatures that carelessly ignore any misfortune which does not befall us directly. They can and often do turn a blind eye to all manner of wickedness so long as it does not touch them or their kin. They will bow their heads, condemning those victims for bringing calamity upon themselves, and then they will cast their eyes toward heaven in thanks while their neighbors lay dying around them. Nohr is that wickedness because they're commoners are going hungry for so long and are causing all sorts of trouble that is driving the nobility to become more and more heartless to keep them in line."

"I can't believe you feel this way." Ryoma uttered, more shaken by his words.

"And I can't believe how deplorable you are, so willing to spill so much blood just because they're your enemies and yet remain enclosed under a black & white mentality. You are more a monster than you realize, my nephew." Yamamoto laughed at the expression Ryoma now has. "So short-sighted and cursed never to rise above it. Another sin of Mikoto for letting you do as you please. If the situation were reversed and Hoshido was the one desperate for resources and Nohr teeming with perfection, you can bet that we'd be doing the invasion for them refusing to help us. It is the way of the world for the strong to crush the weak and live driven by a self-imposed entitlement to punish those who deny us of our wishes."

"Enough! I don't care about your beliefs. I'll stop you no matter what it takes, show you how wrong you are!" Ryoma declared.

"There you go with your father's bravado. It'll cost you dearly." Yamamoto smirked.

"But before we finish this, answer me this. How did you know that Corrin was kept locked in a fortress to be her prison? That information was only disclosed to my family's retainers and not even the most gullible among them would brag about it." Ryoma asked, confused.

"Oh… my spy network may have pulled a few strings in Nohr and caught a few rats worth my attention." Yamamoto said mockingly.

"How dare you! You knew where my sister was all these years and you kept that information to yourself!" Ryoma yelled, his rage growing immensely. They might've been able to get Corrin back all the sooner if they had known where she exactly was. "But wait a second, if you knew where she was then why didn't you use this information as leverage when you were put on trial, my mother would've undoubtedly struck a deal to lower your sentence to know where to find Corrin?"

"You would think that, and I did brag it to her at one point, and the look in her eye, like a petty little puppy eagerly wanting to please her master, she was willing to let me off in a shorter sentence if I told her where to find her little dragon until she wasn't." Yamamoto confessed, disappointment and frustration now felt in his voice. "She surprised me a lot when she refused my offer in a manner befitting a queen for once in her pathetic life, she outright refused to beg me for anything, not wanting to take any chance I would assault her step-children again so instead she sent me to the Shinigami Chasm and thought the terror of Muspelheim would break me and force me to tell her what she wants to know. She would pay a visit to me once every couple of months since then to see if I was willing to comply but she like everyone else overestimated the Flame Tribe's creativity. None could break me. Frustrated, she almost gave me the impression that she was going to threaten to put my family in the chasm despite the fact that they weren't involved in my previous plan. I knew she wouldn't go through with her threats of course but I wouldn't have been surprised at the same time."

"Oh, mother." Ryoma uttered left with few words upon discovering this side of Mikoto. He has noticed that ever since the incident against Yamamoto his mother would vanish on certain days with no particular pattern to go somewhere only those in the Royal Guard, Yukimura, especially her Retainers knew and wouldn't say anything about where. "That was something that we should've discussed together."

"Well, I believe we wasted enough time, and enough has been said! It's time to end this Ryoma!" Yamamoto declared as Ryoma notices another Goetia dark spell coming in fast from the front, giving Ryoma little time to parry and just block, the force was much stronger that it actually push him several feet but he could not be knocked down as he gives it his all to stop the spell, However, this is only a distraction for the real danger as Yamamoto appears behind him like a ninja, about to finish him.

"Goodbye, nephew." He said with a small hint of remorse, thrusting his blade at Ryoma's back. A blade that never reached him as out from the floor a large hand comes bursting out that grabs Yamamoto by the head, stopping him. The High Prince's savior is none other than Corrin in her dragon form as she comes out of the sewers, holding her now revealed to be step-uncle and pinning him to the ceiling hard enough to make him drop his Waterwheel.

"Corrin!" Ryoma shouted surprised just as he finishes with the Goetia.

"Enough has been said, uncle." Corrin said with rage and sadness as she then slams him to the floor so hard, leaving cracks and incapacitates him.

"Lord Ryoma!" Saizo and Kagero called out at once as they, Jakob and Kaze come out of the hole Corrin came from. "Apologies for the delay."

"What of everyone else?" He asked. In the nick of time, outside in the front yard, a massive stalagmite of ice burst out from below, no doubt created by Felicia as the rest of the company come out and catching Yamamoto's men by surprise and giving their aerial allies the chance they need to overpower them again. "Never mind."

"This battle is already won, High Prince." Kaze assured him.

"I'll believe that once Yamamoto's men submit or lie dead at our feet, my friend. Thanks for arriving at the nick of time, he was more of a challenge than I expected. I did not know he had a talent for ninjutsu." Ryoma sighed.

"Dammit." Saizo hissed in frustration about something.

"Lady Corrin, are you well?" Jakob asked as Corrin's course of action surprised him as it was all so very sudden and she gave him a previous impression that she didn't like turning into this thing. She reverts back to her human form and looks at the unconscious Yamamoto with sadness.

"Not in the slightest, Jakob. I volunteered for this assault to see and understand what would compel a Noble of Hoshido to betray such a prestigious kingdom and what I learned was more than I could chew." Corrin said as she heard the entire argument between Ryoma and Yamamoto from the sewers due to her superhuman hearing having increased to greater heights since she obtained her transformation.

"You… heard all that?" Ryoma muttered, disheartened by this news. "Forgive me, I never wanted to open your eyes to the world this way."

"Everyone is always telling me that." Corrin muttered.

Before they could have a proper heart to heart about this revelation, an energy beam is seen blasting through the manor above them, tearing through everything with east and causing the ceiling to fall on them, though they did manage to get out in time and Corrin also saves Yamamoto by dragging him along outside and they see what caused the front side of the manor to crumble apart so easily as Robin continues his fight with the Carnage Grimm as it fires his beam at him again while he's up above the sky and as the beam reaches him, he evades it and flies down in front of it as fast as he can while he channels his magic into his Hagakure blade to enhance it as he aims to cleave the beast in two but once he hits it, the Carnage's liquid body hardens significantly enough that the katana snaps upon impact, forcing Robin to get out of the way as the Carnage slams his left arm down on him, and once he evades, it morphs the right arm into a blade and extends it to reach Robin that he is forced to parry with both Levin Swords but the hit still knocks him to a wall.

"What kind of Grimm is that?" Ryoma uttered.

"A Carnage. Another top-tier Grimm that is supposedly much stronger than a Fafnir and Leviathan class." Kaze explained. "Thought they be bigger, though."

"Never mind that, what's it doing here?" Saizo demanded.

"Enough of this!" Robin shouted as his body once again surges with Ignis just as the Carnage swings its bladed arm down on him but one punch from the Tactician was all it took to not only repel but destroy the arm entirely, not that it'll do much since the thing can regenerate its limbs ridiculously fast but Robin still has dozens of cards left to play. "Time to freeze!" He shouted as he casts a powerful Fimbulvetr spell, creating a blizzard shape tornado around the Grimm in an effort to freeze it in ice, which he accomplishes very fast.

"My turn!" Rinkah shouted as she jumps from a rooftop while she ignites both her arms with huge amount of fire and rotates, creating a torrent of flames that moves in a spiraling formation, hitting the Carnage that triggers a powerful, burning explosion that destroys the new Grimm entirely that it can't regenerate. "Told ya all this was easy."

With the destruction of the Carnage, the rest of Yamamoto's forces lose morale with plenty of them already laying down their weapons in surrender but some seem more stubborn enough to want to continue.

"Now it seems like it's over." Ryoma said satisfied as he turns to the remaining enemy soldiers and speaks in a high voice full of authority and conviction. "Listen up! All of you. This battle is over and your lord lies defeated and at our mercy. All of you are guilty of the sin of betrayal while most are power-hungry fools consume by your greed and have brought terror and pain to my people. YOUR PEOPLE! However, as High Prince of Hoshido, I am still honor-bound to show you mercy and spare your lives. Lay down your weapons and cease this pointless resistance and surrender with your dignity still intact or else we'll be forced to strike you down. You're choice!"

His words do manage to reach them as the rest comply and surrender as well.

"Good." Ryoma sighed.

"You have a way with words." Corrin complimented.

"As well I should, I have a moral obligation as a Prince to always know what to say." Ryoma replied.

"It's over then. We've won?" Felicia said while breathing heavily, likely due to using her magic to make such a huge stalagmite.

"It seems that way." Corrin sighed.

"Indeed, though a very pyrrhic one at that." Corrin, Felicia and Jakob become startled by the familiar chilling voice behind them and they turn to see the new adversary, who is none other than Nohr's Top Tactician and King Garon's Top Advisor, Iago. "Quite a show this was."

"Iago." Corrin uttered.

"You scoundrel!" Jakob cursed as he hastily gets between him and Corrin, daggers line and ready with everyone else already on their guard for the worse.

"That dishonor falls solely on you, Jakob, as usual." Iago snickered before focusing his attention on Corrin. "Well, well, well, Princess Corrin, a 'pleasure' as always, even under these circumstances. My, how you've come a long way from your days in the Northern Fortress and quite the little army you've amassed as well. To think that Yamamoto and his forces could be defeated so pitifully easy. And after all the trouble I went through into busting him out and all those other criminals from the Shinigami Chasm and lending him the Shadowgift to mend his grievous wounds. What a waste of power. But at the very least they've done their part well enough."

"What are you talking about?" Corrin asked confused.

"You mean to say that you haven't figured it out then. What a pity, but it does make things a lot more satisfying." Iago said and upon those words, the entire city begins to tremble violently, causing even more of a panic than there already was to Kyoto and above them, the sky darkens, changing red and the clouds out of view from those below.

"A Magic Seal Dome." Robin gasped recognizing the dark force that is trapping them now.

"What have you done, foul sorcerer?!" Ryoma demanded.

"Think with your head and not your sword for once, High Prince, this entire incident was but a ruse, I knew you Hoshidan Royals would gladly seize any opportunity to further punish those who oppose your rule so I had this entire city set up to be your prison once you've shown up." Iago explained with a triumphant smug. "Really, the north section of Kyoto being completely unguarded should've been your first clue and the newest monster to my King's army the final red flag."

"Damn you!" Ryoma shouted as he rushes to smite the Sorcerer but the moment his Raijinto touched his pale skin, the blade and the Prince phase right through him like he was made of mist. "An Illusion?"

"Correct, you didn't think I risk locking myself up here with you Light-Dwellers, did you. Stupidity of any kind is punishable by death in Nohr. You three know this better than most, don't you?" Iago mocked all of them, especially the former Nohrians. "I can't tell you enough how tempting it is to leave you all here to die while you're all trapped with many more Carnages, however, destroying a city as valuable as Kyoto would put a dent in Nohr's new economy, plus, Yamamoto and his men have proven their loyalty, as such their home and those living here will be left off the hook for now."

"You know damn well that you can't keep us here for long, Iago. And Once we do escape, you can bet I'll be coming for you tenfold." Jakob warned him.

"Spare me your bravado, Joker. You'd want to kill me for the more trivial of reasons. Still being adamant about accusing me of the Second Lycan Attack on the fortress is exhaustingly annoying enough as it is." Iago shrugged.

"I know it was you, you spineless vermin. You've held Lady Corrin with vindictiveness for as long as I can remember when all she's done is show you more respect than any man of your stature deserves and now that we know of her origin, it's all clear now. Your obsession with destroying everything within the White Night is wildly known even amongst the commoners." Jakob shouted.

"What can I say, I'm an apex predator, and Hoshido has had it good for too long so these lands are the perfect hunting grounds." Iago chuckled.

"There's more to it than that, is there?" Corrin questioned.

"Maybe there is, or maybe I'm just a man who was naturally born pure evil. Take your pick, it matters not which, all I'm concern about is doing my job." Iago shrugged.

"Answer me this at least. Xander told me that it was you who gave the all clear to invade Hoshido. Was it because you thought your plan to assassinate my Hoshidan family was foolproof or was it because you knew that Demon was there in the Canyon and the Dragon he put on me?" Corrin asked, dreading this question for so long.

"Oh? That, I'm quite curious how you knew about the original assassination attempt me and his Majesty had planned out to kill that worthless queen finally and rid ourselves of that Barrier, not even your former siblings or the Crown Prince for that matter was made aware of the specifics, especially you. Heck, you were never even meant to leave Nohr until the war had ended. Being the new head of the border guard was the true role Queen Arete had orchestrated for you in the Twilight War. And as for your question, well… I was unsatisfied by the mercy my masters were spewing so… since you're no longer a Princess of Nohr, there's no use in hiding it. Yes, I knew Wrath was going to be in the Bottomless Canyon that day, in fact, I'm the one who asked him to be there for you to be my suicide bomber." Iago confessed. Upon said confession, Corrin instantly snaps, already forgetting that Iago is not physically here and without warning, furiously swings the Yato at him, releasing a powerful twister that completely demolishes Yamamoto's manor in a matter of seconds.

"Temper, temper, Corrin. You should know that the Seven are Omnipresent wherever people are acting under their respective vices and nowhere is this more apparent within times of War." Iago mocked.

"Why?! WHY?!" Corrin practically pulled her lungs out at Iago for his treachery.

"Why? Well, that's very simple really. You're Hoshidan. You may lack the blood but your place in this ever maddening world is as clear as the Dawn itself and I exist only to bring your extinction. But most importantly, I'm a survivor of Shion." Iago revealed before his illusion completely vanishes.

"Come back, you Devil!" Jakob demanded vengefully.

"That Nohrian Scum!" Hinoka cursed, also vengefully.

"Shion…?" Ryoma uttered troubled by this information. "It can't be."

"Corrin." Robin called out to her as he and most of the team regroup with the Princess.

"S-Sister? What's wrong?" Sakura asked worried upon seeing Corrin on her knees with a tormented look to her face.

"We're trapped, that's what's wrong." Hinoka protested looking at the sky while absolutely livid.

"We can see that and what's wrong with our magic?" Rinkah asked as she can't call out her fire magic.

"This entire Dome is a Magic Seal, rendering any magic users within it powerless." Robin explained as he tries to channel his magic but it seems that even he is powerless inside. "And I take it that the dome itself is also sturdy enough to keep our physical units inside as well."

"Gods, this entire incident was just a diversion to get our army's strongest members trapped in one place, which means that the Nohrians have found a way to breach Suzanoh's last means of defense." Kagero uttered horrified.

"That's right…" Yamamoto uttered as he regains consciousness and stares at his nephew and nieces with a smug despite his defeat. "I was merely the bait and you let your emotions get the better of you as expected, children, and now this war may end as swiftly as possible."

Enraged, Ryoma walks to him and pulls him close by his collar. "How do we get rid of that thing? Answer me, Yamamoto!"

"I'm no snitch, boy, and if the Chasm couldn't break me then you certainly can't." The Lord scoffed at Ryoma's demands.

"You better believe I can make you talk." Saizo cursed, still not satisfied with the man's current state and still harboring a deep resentment for what he had done.

"I like a crack at him too." Rinkah volunteered, cracking her knuckles.

"You might want to watch your back first!" Hana advised with desperate haste as she tackles her to the ground to save her from an incoming arrow, the morale of Yamamoto's men resurfacing and getting back in action.

"Wha-t are they d-doing?" Sakura uttered.

"No magic for us brings a delusion that they have a higher chance." Subaki said guarding her as the battle resumes yet again.

"Step away from our lord, Royal pigs!" A Samurai leading all of them demanded as they all manage to force Corrin's army to fall back and giving them a chance to rescue Yamamoto.

"I've warned you all to surrender and keep your lives. Don't make me keep my word!" Ryoma shouted with his Sacred Treasure's power still operational.

"We don't answer to any of you anymore, High Prince." The Samurai shouted defyingly.

"Yeah, our loyalty is to Lord Yamamoto only, who hasn't let us down, unlike you!" A Spear Fighter said next.

"You brought this war upon us and now it's time to pay!" Another Samurai shouted.

"You people are all crazy!" Hinoka yelled furiously.

"Lilith, is there a way to disable this Magic Seal?" Corrin asked in her fighting stance while keeping a defenseless Lilith safe from the incoming onslaught.

"I might be able to shut it down from the outside but the power of this thing is so great that neither of us can so much as transform into our dragon state." Lilith explained. "Though I'm confident that my ability to absorb Mana is still viable and with enough of it, I might be able to get a few of us out of here with my Dragonstone's energy with natural Warp Magic but there's no way I can do much more than that."

"Take as much mana from me as you need then." Robin volunteered.

"And take yourself, Corrin, Robin, Hinoka and Sakura out of here as well. Someone has to go and help secure the safety of the Capital if the Nohrian Army has found a way to breach our final defense." Ryoma instructed after cutting down an Oni Savage.

"But what about you guys?" Corrin uttered.

"We can't afford to leave Kyoto in this state and the two of you are more helpful outside than us." Ryoma countered.

"But…"

"No buts, Corrin. You must protect mother and Takumi!" Ryoma shouted.

"Time to go." Lilith said as she finished extracting enough necessary mana from Robin to get out of here.

"That was way too damn fast." Robin breathed loudly as she just sucked 10% of his magic power and because it wasn't done slowly the aftereffect is already kicking in and now feels heavily nauseating.

"Sorry, we're all under a lot of pressure." Lilith apologized. "Plus, your magic is way too irresistible."

"And now you're a vampire!"

"Jakob, Felicia, two can come too if you wish." Lilith said turning to the two.

"Why on Earth would we want to stay so far away from Milady?!" Jakob argued.

"Kaze, Azura, you two go as well." Ryoma instructed.

"Alright, please be safe, all of you." Azura replied.

"I'm more worried about you guys. We got this in the bag!" Rinkah roared, charging forward while Lilith takes the nine of them out of Kyoto and they find themselves outside of the Magic Seal Dome.

"Okay, it should only take me twenty minutes to dispel the dome." Lilith said as she began working her magic.

"Lady Corrin, you're looking rather worse than before?" Felicia asked noticing that Corrin still has her tormented look.

"Well, obviously because I'm not okay! I think I'm having another episode." Corrin snapped. "The former lord that we were sent to capture or execute is my step-uncle! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

"W-Well… y-y-you see…" Sakura muttered, completely uncomfortable with this situation, and not even Hinoka and Azura can find the words to explain this recent failure.

"Robin! Kaze! You two surely know about Yamamoto's ties with the Hoshidan Royals, why didn't you say anything?" Corrin turns to her two retainers.

"We thought you already knew." The two said at once genuine with their response.

"NOOOOO!" Corrin cried loudly, indignantly and largely stressed out.

"Not to speak on behalf of your stepfamily but I can only assume that since you have no real attachment to that rat and the fact that he attempted to do harm to said family might've been enough for you not to let that detail hold you back. At least I consider that an acceptable excuse." Jakob suggested.

"Well, I'm not okay with this at all. This entire catastrophe has been nothing but histories most violent family feud and going against one family is bad enough and even with my choice to stand with Hoshido I'm still fighting Hoshido!" Corrin protested.

"Dire tidings indeed." Kaze muttered.

"And now I have to go another round of this because who better to lead one final assault on the Capital than Xander." Corrin mumbled.

"You know there's no turning back now, Corrin. We can't let Suzanoh fall." Robin said reluctantly.

"I know, I know. Just… give me a moment to breathe." Corrin begged. "I'm sure the Capital will be intact for ten more minutes; we left the Light Army Scroll with Orochi as a final safety measure should the worse occur after all."

"I bet against that." Robin sighed.

* * *

Mozu screams her lungs out as she lifts the biggest wagon she could find and throws straight to a Warlock and Axe Fighter, with the former to destroy it with an Elfire spell, only to be caught off guard by an incoming Pegasus Knight who decapitates him with his Naginata. Hayato and Mozu succeeded in stopping the Nohrians from casting their spell and the Capital's guard arrive in time in assisting the dozens of Nohrians that manage to sneak their way into Suzanoh, which led to a vicious but short skirmish within the Heart of Hoshido and ultimately the Nohrians were the defeated with most of them killed while the rest have been apprehended and will join the rest of their brothers and sisters in arms as more prisoners of war.

"Well, that seems to be the last of these schmucks. Well done you two, and here I thought you would do nothing but cause us trouble. Which you did but in a good way." Reina praised the two delinquents.

"What can I say, I aim high and will ultimately reach for the stars." Hayato said smugly and satisfied with their triumph.

"Wait, that's the last of them but there's so much I want to do!" Mozu argued, the adrenaline still popping in her head and her dragonic nature blooming wildly, she looks really anxious for more violence.

"Easy there, little one, your time in the spotlight is not over yet but simmer down for now." Reina chuckled with amusement, delighted in seeing this new side of Mozu.

"Yeah because this is obviously not over yet. If this many got in then there has to be more, no way they wouldn't think to cast more than one of these powerful spells with the risk of being caught." Orochi surmised, which proved to be true as it is too late now. A large pillar of red light erupts within the far south side of Suzanoh that catches the attention of everyone, signaling the worse. "Oh no…"

"It's all over now. We've won, Hoshidans!" One of the captured Knights declared as he laughs triumphantly before being silenced by Reina who jabs her spear through his mouth in irritation.

The Pillar proves to be a portal with Grimm coming out of it, first being the fliers, like Nevermores, along with another type of Grimm that resembles bats called Ravagers, having bone-like masks with red markings on them, as well as spikes protruding from their backs, and a bone-like ribcage over their pitch-black fur. Additionally, they also have large fangs that interlock over their jaws. Ravagers have red wings leathery in texture and uglier than Nevermores. Some are around the same size as bats while others are bigger, roughly dog-size.

On the ground come out the earthbound based Grimm alongside Nohrians soldiers being led by none other than Crown Prince Xander, both he and his steed wearing a different set of armor more befitting of their stature. A stern cold face with pure conviction to see this through to the end.

"Gods, the Nohrian Army is here! Run!" A townsfolk cried out in terror as the people run for their lives, especially with the four Nuckelavees that have been brought along who run rampant with their fear screams.

The Hoshidan Forces rush in to defend their Capital, two Pegasus Knights rushing in first before anyone else, aiming straight for the Crown Prince but this proves to be a foolish mistake. Without batting an eye, Xander easily strikes the two down with Siegfried, the first the one on his left and then his right, neither standing a chance.

"Hmph."

Suzanoh won't last ten minutes.

* * *

**That's it for this one and I apologize for the wait. The fight with Yamamoto was short but I felt it already served its purpose in exposing Hoshido's imperfection a bit. If you think there's more I can do, I liked to hear your opinions on the matter. Iago's darker nature has been revealed and so has the conflict between the Nobility. I got the idea of Yamamoto from Hinoka and Saizo's support since an actual member of the War Council did attempt to overthrow the Royal Family by using Saizo, and Hinoka responded that "He should be in a cold, dark place by now." which sheds some light on what goes from under the peaceful lives of the citizens, and I get the feeling that this isn't the first time Ryoma and his family had to deal with corrupt nobles so I took it and spiced things up a notch. Plus, Azura's support with Subaki reveals that the Royals have distant relatives who detest our beloved Songstress and used Nohr's invasion as an excuse to get rid of her despite the royal family's claims that she's one of them so not even Corrin's lighter family is without their many faults, something that Azura has been aware of for some time, which really sheds some light on how she would want to return to Nohr despite how upset Ryoma, Hinoka and Sakura became in Conquest. Bear in mind that I still intend for Hoshido to be the lesser of two evils in this story with Nohr being as bad as they were in the game but more sympathetic and restraint. Mostly, as you'll see in my next chapter.**

**Round two with Xander and he'll be wearing the armor of the Crown Prince class from Warriors, bear that in mind from now on, same with Leo as the Dark Crusader, Camilla as the Malig Master and Elise dressing for the part of a Strategist/Rod Knight when they show up again.**

**About the whole sewer thing, I want to point out that I know very little about the culture and structure on how cities were built of the era Hoshido is based on since I didn't bother to learn such things when I started this story so I apologize if I made any massive inconsistencies and lack of understanding and ask that you role with this one.**

**Also, I would like to give my thanks to scottusa1 for giving me the most reviews. Sure yours are short with few words but every little counts, I'm glad I've kept your interest this long. The same goes for Akasha Bloodriver, I enjoyed our previous chats. Then there's also KeeltheSwift (Really hope I pronounced these names correctly), I appreciate any criticisms that might help me improve my writing since these fanfic serve a purpose other than my amusement. Finally, to the guest named Gray, I hope the changes I made are to your liking, I pretty much did it as soon as I saw your review, never was one for first impressions. Till next time and Happy Halloween.**


	21. Chapter 21: No Turning Back Now

***Chapter 21: No Turning Back Now**

"FORWARD NOW! This is our chance to end this war as swiftly as possible, strike down any soldier that gets in your way and only the soldiers and march for the Castle!" Xander roared as he commands his forces to strike. "FOR THE GLORY OF NOHR!"

"FOR THE GLORY OF NOHR!" The Nohrian Soldiers cried out at once as they and the Grimm march forward, ignoring the civilians but plenty among them don't even try to avoid collateral damage as they rampage through Suzanoh and engage the Hoshidan warriors. This could potentially be the final battle for them so it's all or nothing now.

"You two remain by my side as we march for Shirasagi. The streets will drown in chaos in mere seconds so it may be easy to get lost under all the confusion." Xander instructed Silas and Charlotte who agreed to accompany him in this invasion.

"This is it, isn't it?" Silas said taking a deep breath, feeling really nervous. "It's come much sooner than expected and I'm grateful for that but still…"

"You're having second thoughts about all this, my friend?" Xander asked sincerely.

"It's not that, your Highness, I'm fully committed to seeing this through to the end, no matter how much blood I have to spill. However, I must confess that rather we win or lose, this day and the coming days will leave me with many regrets that are already plaguing me." Silas admitted, feeling unease.

"I see. I sympathize with your plight. It would leave a stain on your humanity as well as mine if we were to go through with this and not feel anything for those we've wronged. But bear this in mind once we continued that we must move forward no matter what. We didn't attack these people just for glory after all. Our people need these lands. Look for no further example than your parents who've worked until they bled in making sure at least our military was kept from starving this long. Conquering Hoshido can end such difficult times."

"You're right. Forgive me for being such a bother to you at such a crucial moment, Milord." Silas replied hardening his heart.

"Don't apologize to me about matters of the heart, Sir Silas. Now let's get out there and end this!"

* * *

"Form up and create a blockade around Shirasagi! Let not one of these fiends poison our soil any longer!" Reina shouted to her soldiers as the Hoshidan forces gather and amass a strong defense while the citizens run behind them and rush to the Castle. In the midst of a crisis, the residents of the Capital have been instructed to move to Shirasagi as it's the most fortified place in Hoshido to hold off deadly assaults like this so with a miracle they just might be safe there while the rest of the city becomes a battlefield.

"Come and feel the sting of my blade, demons!" Another Kinshi Knight dared as he thrust his spear towards one of the bigger Ravagers, stabbing it right through its head, only to have the neck of his mount as well as his own be swiftly and savagely bitten off by two other Ravagers, causing them to fall to their deaths with Nohr swarming their adversaries with superior numbers, forcing the Diviners to hit harder than ever before.

"Let there be Light!" Orochi cried as she and every Diviner in the immediate vicinity band together to activate the Light Scroll at once and with these many magic users, they manage to summon far more Soldiers of Light than before who quickly engage the Creatures of Darkness.

"Aerial Carnage!" Reina ordered as she leads several Sky Knights to fly above the battlefield before falling down towards the distracted Nohrians and Grimm and rain down their blades and arrows upon them before most of them could notice and those that did only few were able to counter. Made much easier with the stronger Grimm like the Nevermore and Nuckelavee elsewhere, otherwise this could've turned out uglier.

"Hey, fall back with the citizens. You're sitting ducks if you focus on maintaining the army." Hayato reminded Orochi.

"Don't state the obvious with me, you damn brat and make yourself useful, we can't let a single Nohrian get near our people!" Orochi protested.

"We have a little bit of luck since we've already confirmed that the one leading this attack is Crown Prince Xander. That boy is chivalry personified and has most likely ordered his troops to ignore our citizens and allow them to escape and at the very least we know the Grimm won't try to ignore that order." Reina said.

"That's a small breath of fresh air but dammit all, to think that they would attack us while the rest of our strongest were out. Did they plan this?" Orochi muttered.

"At least Yukimura has planned on something like this but is there time to use that weapon with this current state?" Reina wondered. "At any case, we must press onward and holdout as best we can. I sincerely doubt that the others won't make it in time for the real fun."

"You are the craziest partner ever, I swear." Orochi mumbled.

"And proud of it. At any rate, you two should head back to the Castle and assist with the main defense. We won't be able to hold on for long around here anyway." Reina suggested to Hayato and Mozu.

"Jeez, show a little more enthusiasm, old lady. At times like these you got to keep your chin up in more ways than one." Hayato suggested.

"Lad, when you'd been at this as long as I have, you ultimately start to get tired of heroic speeches and just go with the flow of battle." Reina said preferring to keep a realistic outlook on this war than one of a dreamer.

"Don't call me a la… never mind. Let's go Mozu, the real show is elsewhere and calling my name." Hayato declared as the younger members of Hoshido's army leave to secure the Castle.

"That kid, I swear. I pity how he is to be the next Chieftain of the Wind Tribe and Oldstrong as a whole." Orochi muttered.

"You see a hindrance, I see promise. Better for him to suffer the consequences of having Pride at an early age so that when he's finally a man he can have the wisdom to lead his people into a better prosperity. He tragically already knows how to shoulder the burden of ending a life." Reina said, finding the boy most amusing. "My main concern with him is that rather or not he will survive this war and grow up to become the man his people need him to be."

"I'm more worried on how long before literal Pride will show up and consume him." Orochi muttered.

* * *

"No, no, no!" Takumi cursed in horror upon seeing the state his home succumbed to in mere seconds, the focus of his attention being the three Nevermores heading this way and Sky Knights moving in to intercept them, and hopefully the Basaras will be able to keep them out of at least the Castle.

"Time to go, you're Highness. We can't afford to stay here with how dire things have become." One of the soldiers assigned to guard him suggested while also presenting him his Fujin Yumi.

"I'm… I won't go and hide anywhere while all this is happening, especially not without my mother." Takumi tried to argue with his usual headstrong demeanor that his people know him of having but it's easy to notice how it's all for show, though the spark in his eyes are real enough.

"Be that as it may, at least let us escort you somewhere we're less vulnerable with a more advantageous course." The Samurai suggested. Seconds later, the feather of a Nevermore blasts through the wall and destroys Takumi's bed but no one was thankfully near it. "Because in here we're an easier target than a feral Kitsune in plain sight."

"Things always have to be complicated and a total pain." Takumi mumbled as he departs with his escort to a safer location and hopefully find Mikoto to keep her safe as well but are forced to stop when their path is blocked by a monster that none of them have ever seen before that is comparable to a large many-legged insect, hard to tell if it's a giant worm or a giant centipede. The pitch-black skin and white skeletal armor plate and a single eye located above the largemouth that sports numerous rows of massive teeth are clear signs that it's a new type of Grimm.

"This is new…" Takumi uttered, just as surprised as his men by the sight of this new threat. The Grimm Worm focus its attention on him and opens its large mouth with a red smoke-like substance similar to what's within a Seer spewing from it, giving them the impression that it's going to attack but how it does so is something that catches them off guard as a small pack of Beowolves immediately come rushing out of the giant worm's mouth.

"WHAT THE FU-" Takumi cried, trying to shoot at the Beowolves but fired too late with one of them slashing the Sacred Treasure off his hands and knocking him to the ground, now forced to let his men deal with the new threat as a fight ensues while he tries to reach for his bow with a Samurai helping him and they both then take cover.

"If they had a freakish monster like those then why did they take so damn long to bring them into the fray?" Takumi asked no one as he tries to fire again at the Grimm but again halts upon realizing that the Grimm Worm has vanished from where it originally was, leaving only the hole in the ground. "Where did…?" He felt it only for a second, the ground below him and the Samurai began trembling but couldn't react to it in time, except for his subordinate.

"My Prince!" He shouted, pushing Takumi out of the way in time as the Grimm Worm bursts out of the ground they were standing on but only succeeds in swallowing the Samurai instead, to Takumi's horror.

"NO, Mishima!" Takumi cried upon seeing the faithful samurai be swallowed whole with bits of his blood raining down and provoking the Prince to fight back. "You monster!" He shoots an arrow at the beast but despite its size, the Grimm evades the arrow rather easily by narrowly moving right, though this can be attributed to Takumi being sloppy in his current state, leaving himself vulnerable to be eaten next but is saved in the nick of time by a Kinshi Knight who swoops him into his Kinshi. And while he was added he picks up a red glowing scroll and throws it at the Grimm's mouth.

"Eat this, you abomination!" The Knight shouted as the scroll turns out to be a magical bomb that explodes upon being eaten by the Grimm Worm, explosive flames coming out of the mouth as it falls to the ground but it doesn't seem to be dead yet, judging by the barely noticeable trembling. "You alright, you're Highness?"

"Renji? Thank you." Takumi muttered as the Kinshi Knight flies the Prince down with the other soldiers who just finished dispatching with the Beowolves, however twelve among them have fallen due to gruesome injuries.

"We must get to the Throne Room; the Queen should still be there and escort them both to the safe zone along with the rest of the incoming civilians."

"Will even that place be safe now that this new threat has shown it's ugly face?" A Priestess asked hugely scared, turning to the new Grimm as it gets back up and looks ready to attack.

"It'll hold up against attacks from underground so get a move on! I'll hold this thing off." Renji ordered as he chooses to stay and face the Grimm alone.

"Renji…" Takumi wanted to protest but was stripped of his choice as his escort force him to flee.

"Run, you're Highness!"

"Alright you filthy vermin! Let's go, I'll fucking have ya!" Renji dared as he rides his Kinshi to battle, readying to fire an arrow with the same explosive glow as the scroll and the Grimm response by opening its mouth and from it come out several Ravagers, followed by a Titanboa to take the shot instead.

* * *

"Hold the line! HOLD THE LINE! Nothing gets through!" An Oni Savage ordered as his forces defend one of the blockades leading to the Castle from the incoming Nohrians, among them is one of the Nuckelavee who marches forward at top speed to bring them down, and once it's screams, fear consumes all but one of the Hoshidans, that being the same Oni Savage, who musters all his courage and runs forward to confront the Demon of Terror with just his Silver Mace to aid him, which proves futile as the Nuckelavee tosses him aside as if he was a toy, crashing through a wagon while the evil beast proceeds with the rest of its targets, only to be stopped by a large Dragon Spirit that bashes itself into the human portion of the Nuckelavee, knocking it in its entirety to the ground and manages to bite off the demonic head, attempting to remove the upper portion of the Grimm but proves fruitless with the Nuckelavee fighting back. Charlotte comes then leaping down from above and cuts the same Diviner down with her Killer Axe as she and other Berserkers she is leading ambush the blockade and dispose of them quickly, allowing their forces to proceed, Xander not far behind.

Blocking their path next is a unit of Light Soldiers, of which the Crown Prince is the first to go up against.

"You're all already repetitive!" He roared as he swings Siegfried ferociously, unleashing a mighty wave of dark magic that overpowers the majority of Light Soldiers and destroys them. However there is one Light Soldier that's cut out above the rest that is a giant of a Swordmaster who stands his ground and takes Xander head-on as the two clash with their swords. The force of the Light Swordsman is very strong that the first three strikes each nearly succeed in knocking Xander off his mount, forcing him to jump off his horse, and face it foot lock and as they continue to clash their blades, Xander has a better time holding his own but it does not change the fact that this foe is still physically stronger than him and quick enough to prevent the warrior prince to get close to land a critical blow, which is easier said than done, even from long range, and it gets even harder when the Light Swordsman finally manages to get the Crown Prince and lands what should be a critical hit on his left shoulder with his large katana of light.

"You're Highness!" The Nohrians cried out to their prince after receiving such a blow that would kill any normal man with east, thankfully though, Xander is advantageous than most men, especially with his Sacred Treasure and with a rapid swing, he tosses the large blade of light off him and marches forward with a mighty roar while his blade surges with its own dark powers completely, except that the red outlines it usually displays are now gone, making the blade entirely black and as he stabs the Light Soldier by the left abdomen, it explodes in a violent burst of darkness.

"Let nothing stall you! Victory is nearly ours!" Xander declared to his men while raising his sword in the air, it's mere presence maintaining their morale high.

"Gods! There's no escape." A civilian cried in horror upon seeing the strength of the Crown Prince as many among them have not manage to escape and were caught off by the previous fight.

"It's over. There is no more hope left for Hoshido…" A mother uttered with despair while holding her crying son in her arms.

"It's not over until I have the last drop of blood." Reina declared as she and her Sky Unit march to the scene and block the path from the Nohrians. "Want to give a crack at me, boy."

"You're Reina, the Commander of Hoshido's entire Sky Knight unit. We didn't get the chance to meet during your ambush in the Opera House but I've seen the state you left my father in, he clearly did not exaggerate when he spoke on how formidable you are." Xander said.

"You're no slouch yourself, kiddo. And I can see the same vicious fire in your eyes that your old man has." Reina complimented, readying her blade for this fight.

"You honor me, though you'll find that I don't have the same patience as him when facing a true challenge. And you're in my way. Morbid Fixation." Xander said.

"You'll have to kill me if you want to move any further first, boy." Reina dared.

"Then drown in darkness!" Xander shouted as his forces move forward to attack, with the Hoshidans ready for the worse while the civilians cower behind them. A Nevermore moving in first, aiming straight for Reina, not that she'll be able to strike it down, as a powerful wind in the shape of a crescent moon hits the Nevermore by the face, cutting it in two easily, which then combust into a gust of wind that hits only the Nohrians and Grimm and knocks them to the ground, with few such as Xander, Silas and Charlotte able to resist the strong winds and stand their ground.

"What now?" Charlotte protested while more Grimm charge and head towards the top of the market, likely where whoever fired that attack is, where those same demons meet their end as they get wiped out by the same wind attacks, and soon enough the assailant jumps off the building revealing herself to be Corrin.

"Corrin!" Silas shouted, surprise while Xander narrows his eyes.

"The Lost Princess." One of the citizens gasped surprised to see her come in their defense. After all, she's been the subject of many topics, more so negative than positive ever since what happened the day this war started, for her to be here, will baffle most of them.

"Took you long enough, lassie." Reina smirked, happy to have her here.

"Sorry I'm late. Though the others will be here much later." Corrin informed her. Seconds later, Hinoka, Kaze, Jakob and Felicia arrive at the scene as well beside her.

"Felicia! Jakob! You're both alive!" Silas gasped.

"Wait, is that Silas?" Felicia uttered.

"Well, this day is just full of letdowns." Jakob scoffed.

"Wish to stand against us again, Corrin?" Xander questioned his former sister, not even bothering to notice the thought to have been dead friends, instead more focus on the changes done to her sword and the power it is emitting. "So that blade really is the Yato? And you've most likely went to meet the Rainbow Sage? In under such short notice at that."

"What can I say, I'm more resourceful these days. And like I said before. Every land Nohr takes from Hoshido, I will take back no matter the cost to my wellbeing." Corrin declared while pointing her blade at her brother with newfound conviction.

'Not even the smallest hint of hesitation in her body. Though there is still unease in her eyes there are clear signs that she is more compose than before.' Xander noted that Corrin seems stronger in a sense. 'In such short notice must mean that she received more than power from the Rainbow Sage. Curious.'

"And the liberation of Suzanoh starts now, in case you weren't paying attention. And I know the city hasn't been lost yet but you get the point." Corrin explained as elsewhere, Robin takes to the sky and lets loose his power as he creates several thunderclouds above the Capital, blackening the sky a bit.

"Rexbolt!" Robin commanded as a multitude of lightning bolts rain down on the ground and hit a multitude of Grimm across Suzanoh, giving the Hoshidans more of a fighting chance, but there is still more Nohrian reinforcements coming due to that red pillar-like portal still active with the next Grimm coming happens to be a Carnage, only much bigger than the one Robin faced in Kyoto, this one has to be almost twenty stories high. "Wonderful."

"By the Grace of Sephiroth! How are we supposed to stop that?!" One Pegasus Knight asked in distress to see such a creature. "We can barely hold our own against the smaller Leviathans!"

"Man up! All of you! We must not surrender no matter what!" The Knight leading the rest of them ordered to stay strong.

"There are mostly women here, jackass!" Another argued.

"All of you stand down and focus on the smaller adversaries! I got this one!" Robin ordered all of them as he flies to face the Carnage on his own.

"Was that Lord Robin?" One of them asked.

"Lord Robin? Who died and made him one of the big shots?"

"Didn't you hear the news? The foreigner has left such a huge impression with the Royal Family that he's earned a noble status."

"WHAT?! Is that allowed?"

"Not exactly but desperate times and dude's crazy powerful. Gotta stay on his good side somehow."

The Carnage notices Robin and immediately strikes at him by firing it's red laser beam and Robin counters by using both Levin Swords, while channeling Ignis and thrusting both blades into the dark attack, causing an explosion that while destructive and huge only it's shockwaves hit the ground and cause extensive damage but there was fortunately no one around to feel such intense force, minus for the Nohrian reinforcements.

* * *

"Is he…"

"He's fine, Felicia. He's practically a phoenix at this point with how much beating he can sustain." Corrin interrupted Felicia, overconfident in Robin's abilities more so than she was originally.

"You would know better than most, Milady." Jakob chuckled amusingly.

"So it has come to this, has it Little Princess. There is truly no going back?" Xander questioned. "I really don't know why I'm asking this when you made your answer pretty clear but I supposed I can't deny my own reluctance."

"I'm more reluctant than anyone here, brother. However, neither of us could never deny our birthrights, nor the foes that come with them. As much as it pains me to say this but you really should've prepared for this." Corrin said, hurting more inside with her own words.

"Indeed, and truth be told, even though I prayed it would never come I have in fact been preparing for this moment ever since you became a part of our lives, I knew deep down that you were my enemy and I should not have been as accepting of you as I did, but as days turns to weeks, then months and then years I could not deny that all I saw in you was another sister I wanted to love and care for, and so I did, even more so I helped mother raised you in father's place and I prayed more and more for you to never know the truth because the very thought of you hating me and Nohr as a whole for the Injustices done to Hoshido was more than I could bear. Even though father is innocent there was no way to prove it, not enough to convince Hoshido and the world as a whole and when the Day of Fate finally arrived I overestimated my willpower on how you remaining with Hoshido impacted me and I spoke with a broken heart rather than the logic I've convinced myself into embracing for so long. There was nothing I could do in that moment except behave in accordance to my duty as Crown Prince of Nohr but also the elder brother of five and try to make things right." Xander said somberly, ceasing this chance to express his true feelings. "When mother suggested to take Elise to the Opera House with the hopes of lifting her spirit no one would've been surprised that an ambush would occur there, an attack against us in the name of the Dawn's own notion of justice, and I was not surprise when I learned that you were involved in some way but still I was hurt, I was struck with sadness and anger overcame me but even still I had enough time to process your decision and your place with the world and yet I could not shake the desire to beg you for a second chance, to start anew as my younger sister. The great princess I know you can be and Nohr desperately needs."

"Xander…"

"But I underestimated my own anger and lashed out more so than I intended and made a fool of myself. My actions were not that of a future king nor an older brother but of a beast lusting for the blood of my enemies and thrill of victory, everything my people have been accused of being for centuries when it was my duty to prove the world wrong, and I've said some things to you that I did not entirely mean to ever say to your face as I never wanted to hurt you in spite of all this. Worse still, though it was an accident I also hurt father as well. It could be understood as to why I would behave as such with so many of my most trusted comrades and soldiers being slaughtered left and right just for fulfilling their duty in protecting my family but I cannot shake the feeling that in that moment I was more a tool than a man, like someone was pulling strings in my heart to think irrationally. Regardless, I lost my chance then and there and now more than ever there is no turning back."

"Wrath…" Corrin cursed under her breath, the mere thought of that monster sickening to her core.

"I'm done wanting to try and convince you to return, Little Princess, this is your home and your Birthright. I'll make peace with that eventually, as I know everyone back home will but right now this isn't about us but Nohr as a whole. I will put an end to this useless war and take these lands so that my people can thrive again, even if I have to cut a path from the flesh of the Gods themselves!" Xander said with a much stronger tone befitting of a True King and restored conviction that had been previously shaken. "I invite you to stop me for it is your right to defend your home but remember that in this battlefield there is no justice, honor, or righteousness, only the total conviction to win! So raise your blades and give it your all for we will do so as well and tenfold! And may your God offer your souls salvation in the Eternal Flame for your failure!"

All the Nohrians howl with raw strength and convictions with the words of their Crown Prince, more ready to see this through to the end.

"This guy…" Hinoka uttered, admittedly taken aback by Xander's words. The man has a way with them, and all the Hoshidans in the vicinity would be lying if they said that they didn't feel some kind of admiration for him despite his motives. 'No wonder Corrin is so distraught by fighting him. He and Ryoma really are alike.'

"Prepare to return home disappointed again! But before we start though, answer me this, did Silas tell you what I told him regarding what really happened in the Bottomless Canyon?" Corrin asked more serious than the Crown Prince has ever seen her display, with the Prince sparing a brief glance at the young Cavalier and vice versa before returning to Corrin.

"Yes, he told us as much, and you already know my answer, Little Princess. I don't believe such a thing. I will never believe such a thing. My father is not a perfect man and is the farthest thing from a saint. He's done things that make him seem atrocious, I won't sugarcoat the truth nor deny his many sins as King of Nohr, and I certainly will never defend him when the truth is plainly obvious but despite all that he has done, I know that he did love you as his daughter and would never have done such a thing to you, nor anyone." Xander said firmly, holding on to the faith he placed on his father as if his own life depended on it.

"I know that to be true as well because I know now that it wasn't him who did that to me, but Iago." Corrin revealed, catching her foster brother and few of the Nohrians off guard by this.

"What…" Xander uttered. Sure, Iago is a vicious man with dark impulses but his loyalty to his family and Nohr as a whole has never been brought into questioning, even with his open dislike of Corrin due to her true heritage.

"It's true, Lord Xander, the two of us and the Hoshidan Royals heard it straight from his venomous mouth when he had us trapped in Kyoto, and you really shouldn't be surprised, his irrational hatred for Hoshido is not something he ever tried to hide, in particular, his prejudice to this nation's Royal Family." Jakob affirmed.

Though silent, the increasing frown on his face shows that Xander believes them enough, even making him tighten his grip on Siegfried with the Holy Sword's power dangerously manifesting, although, Xander does calm down and regains his composure

"I see. A manner for another time, for that holds no place right here. Now is the time to end this War!" Xander dismissed, his resolve not fading.

"I knew you would say something like that. So then I will have to end this myself!" Corrin roared as she instinctively raises the Yato and releases a powerful twister against her former people and Xander counters firing his darkwave from Siegfried that clashes with the twister.

* * *

"Take a hint and get lost you dirty demons!" Hayato shouted as he blows away as many Nohrians and Grimm that get any closer to the gates that lead to the Castle, assisting him is Mozu who's latest weapon of choice is an oak tree of all things and bashes anyone who gets near with it, blowing them sky-high. Her latest target is a Manticore that she knocks away and has it crash into a Nevermore close to reaching the castle, the impact was so hard that they both fall on top a few Cavaliers coming in, with only one of them barely making it out safely.

"Those kids are monsters!" A Berserker cried as none of them seem able to pass the two.

"Someone get a Sorcerer here!" A Paladin ordered.

"Out of my way!" A Sorcerer shouted as he steps forward to take on the two devil children with a powerful dark magic attack. "Eclipse!" He surrounds the two children in a dark sphere bursting with dark energy set to explode, however Hayato manages to escape in time, leaving only Mozu to take the shot and the dark spell instead dissipates upon making contact with the Demigoddess.

"What the fuck…" The Sorcerer uttered shocked.

"Eat this!" Mozu shouted as she throws the oak tree with it rolling down the stairs and squashing most of them with the rest able to fall back.

"Ha! Now that's how you take out the trash!" Hayato smirked.

"What are you kids made of!" One of the soldiers standing guard asked baffled by what just happened.

"We of Oldstrong are made of tougher magic than here in Hoshido." Hayato smirked full of himself.

"I'm from Aikawa." Mozu reminded him.

"And I guess being Half-Nohrian is pretty neat." Hayato shrugged.

"Dumbass!"

"Oh, I like this new feistier you. Like a smaller Rinkah I can actually tolerate." Hayato laughed.

"Guys!" Sakura shouted out to them as they see the Princess and Azura run up the stairs, while ignoring all the knocked down or dead Nohrians left there.

"Princess Sakura!" "Lady Azura!" The Hoshidans shouted in surprise.

"Well, you two picked a fine time to arrive. Where are the others?" Hayato asked.

"Trapped in Kyoto. They wanted us to go there to keep us away from all this but Lilith managed to get at least Corrin, Hinoka, Kaze, Robin, Felicia and ourselves out." Azura explained while in distress upon seeing the state of Suzanoh but not nearly as much as Sakura who is in total despair.

"Well, ain't that a kick in the can." Hayato hissed.

"W-here's my mother and brother…?" Sakura asked with haste.

"Safer than the rest of us I'll bet but something tells me you two are better off with us. You know, because you're one of the few healers currently here at the moment." Hayato suggested.

"I-I think you're right. I promise to do my best." Sakura said agreeing to stay and defend the gate.

* * *

"You're Grace, the Nohrians have breached our last defenses and the Capital is under siege by a swarm of Grimm." A Monk cried out the alarming news to the Queen with the rest of the Royal Guard having gathered around her to keep her safe from the danger.

"No, no, no! I need more time!" Mikoto uttered in horror as there's no time left for her to stop this.

"It seems we have no choice now. We must deploy Izanami." Yukimura declared.

"Are you mad?! Letting that thing loose within our soil will be disastrous." Mikoto argued against.

"It's only harmful to anything close to Magical in its current state so once we have our Diviners fall back it should be safe to activate it in the Capital with the only casualties being Nohr's Mages, Grimm and inevitably the Light Soldiers." Yukimura assured her. "Our own experimentations with Anti-Magic are bearing fruit."

"Not from what I've-" Mikoto shuttered before the ground begins to tremble violently, causing all of them to lose their balance briefly as another Grimm Worm emerges from the ground, right between all of them and the doors to the Throne Room. "A Void Traveler! Of all the Grimm that should've stayed as just drawings in books."

The Grimm lies its head on down, opens the mouth and from it come out over thirty-seven knights, identical to the Geist possessed armor knights but much more human size and it's difficult to tell if there's really a person inside of the armors so for all they know those are really Grimm.

"Stand your ground! Let none go near our Queen!" Yukimura ordered as the Royal Guard are armed and ready for the worse.

'Can things get any worse.' Mikoto muttered in distress. Tempting Fate must run in the family because Mikoto's words are answered as something else comes out from the Void Traveler, only this time it's really a person who just so happens to be the Queen of Nohr herself, accompanying her is Nohr's Top Tactician, Iago, and secretly the true culprit of this war.

"Queen Arete!" Yukimura gasped in horror with all of their soldiers growing tense with such dangerous foes standing before them. But what is she doing here, based on what they've learned, Arete should still be in Nestra with Garon discussing things with King Alexander regarding what happened in Cyrkensia.

"Well, well, so you're Queen Mikoto. This meeting has long since been overdue, wouldn't you agree?" Arete said, sounding almost like Camilla, sugar-sweet with a hint of venom, though the venom part might be more based on natural hostility from the war than Camilla's level of malice. "A shame my King could not join us today but sadly our hands are full because of my wayward daughters and your meddling brats."

"You…" Mikoto uttered, somehow left with few words to give, focusing her gaze on Arete, her yumi in hands but shaking a bit but there's no fear in her eyes.

"That's all you have to say, how lackluster." Arete said with a shook of her head. "Then again, this whole thing feels as such."

"Aptly put, your Grace. Which is only fitting, seeing how today marks the end of Hoshido." Iago smirked with pure bliss and true malice in his face.

"You won't like the outcome of this battle!" Yukimura declared.

"Oh, I think we will." Arete countered with dark magic coursing through her body. "Come and face me at your own expense and prepare to die!"

The battle commences once a green arrow comes bursting through the hall from the left aiming straight to Arete, that is blocked with one of the knights taking the hit for the Shadow Queen and gets destroyed in the process, revealing the Geist wearing it. An arrow that came from Takumi as he and his men arrive at the scene.

"Mother!" Takumi cried out to her.

"Takumi, no!" Mikoto uttered in horror to have his still frail son here of all places.

"My, won't this be fun." Iago said more giddy to have both the Queen and Second Prince here to be eliminated. The Tactician makes the first move, releasing the dark power of his dark tome, firing an attack similar to the Mire Spell, but his is purplish and more explosive as upon touching the floor near the Hoshidans, portions of said floor begin to trigger explosions that cause considerable damage to most of them but the combined magic of the Diviners are able to counter this destructive force with their spirits. This leaves most of them caught off enough for Arete to make the next move, channeling power from her own tome.

"Ginnungagap!" Arete howled as she cast the same spell the Sin of Sloth used against Robin but clearly different in a way and not as powerful but no doubt just as deadly, with a sphere of multiple colors manifests above her targets that she lets fall on them, though Mikoto notices on time and unleashes her own magic that creates a barrier around herself and allies. At the very least, Corrin has enabled Mikoto the ability to use defensive magic with no hindrances and she is successful in blocking the Ginnungagap spell, though it's power still goes loose with the blast instead heading for the ceiling, triggering a large explosion that destroys the top of the castle, leaving a large hole that reveals the sky but also causes much of the castle to tremble and chunks of it falling apart.

"She was not this deadly back in Cyrkensia." Takumi uttered, flabbergasted by the Shadow Queen's magic prowess.

"Nice defense, little queen. Too bad it's all for nothing." Arete said as she cast Ginnungagap again but this time on herself, her body now surging with an aura of the Magic's power.

"What did she just do?" Mikoto uttered.

"By the Light! She's infused her body with Ginnungagap itself. Such a high-level technique is not possible for the human body to tolerate." Yukimura gasped.

Arete goes forward and places her left palm on Mikoto's barrier and by that single touch, she destroys it entirely, and without skipping a beat, her knights rush forward and engage the Hoshidans.

"I hear the tactics of that Yukimura fellow have always been a hassle for our soldiers. Deal with him once and for all." Arete ordered Iago.

"With pleasure, your Shadowiness." Iago smirked sinisterly as he moves ahead.

"You're Grace, take the Prince and run for it!" Yukimura pleaded as he mounts on his beast-like karakuri to partake in this battle.

"Takumi!" Mikoto cried out to her son who stubbornly partakes in the fight but doesn't last long. He shoots down another of Arete's Geist Knights, destroying the armor and forcing the Grimm within out, who doesn't need to possess anything to engage in combat as he reaches for the young Prince, grabbing him by his neck and pins him to the wall. Recklessly, he fights back, going as far as to use the Fujin Yumi as a blunt weapon but the Geist effortlessly knocks the bow off his hand with a swing of its right hand to his wrist and begins to strangle Takumi, only to be shot in the head by a Pursuer arrow from Mikoto who pulverizes it.

"Takumi, we must go." Mikoto said as she helps him up his feet.

"But what about the others?" Takumi argued.

"We'll only get in the way." She replied bitterly as she forces Takumi to run to another hall.

"Not so easy, little miss." Arete said as she begins to follow them but is first blocked by two Masters of Arms who aim to stop her, though they don't last long as a flick from both her wrists is all it took to dispose of them as they are both struck with a barrage of Elwind-like attacks that shred their bodies, creating multiple gashes that they quickly bleed to death. "My long-awaited retribution will not be delayed any longer."

Yukimura fires several shurikens and arrows from his mechanical beast that strike down any foes that dares get near with the only one who manages to hold his own is Iago who powers his way through his rival Tactician's wave of comrades and automatons and fires a torrent of darkness at him that Yukimura counters by firing multiple arrows that manage to dispel the darkness.

"Ha! Spellbane arrows? What primitive and outdated artillery. I was under the impression that you fools were in the makings of real war machines but it seems my intelligence reports misinformed me." Iago mocked.

"I'll wipe that horrid mask and smirk off your face in due time and I won't even have to waste a single drop of Hoshido's true power." Yukimura declared, fully committed to win this battle.

"Oh, really. Have you been outside lately? Because from where I'm standing I'm safe to call checkmate." Iago replied. "Are you good with boardgames, Yukimura? Like this shogi? In Nohr we play a similar game called chess, and as Tacticians, we are taught that we must not be afraid of treating our soldiers as pieces for casualties are inevitable and at the end of the day victory is everything and the ends justify the means. And last time I checked, you're strongest chest pieces have removed themselves from the board, your King is dead and your Queen lacks a wide range as well as brute strength."

"Such heartless tactics are a stain on my honor as a proud Hoshidan Commander. And on that honor and the privilege bestowed upon me by my Queen and late King, I will prevail and remove your corruption from my homeland forever." Yukimura argued in disgust by Iago.

"How unimaginative. Really, I'm not sure what was I expecting." Iago shook his head in disappointment. "How can one have as much power as you have and not grow a spine. What a waste."

"Enough talk, Demon. It's time to die!"

"Demon, am I? No, my friend. You don't even know the meaning of the word." Iago chuckled cruelly.

* * *

Corrin clashes swords with Xander, the two former siblings no longer able to hold back anymore, the Princess, with her very limited experience channels power from the Yato and releases a powerful horizontal tornado to make one great slash to Xander, who the Prince parries laughably easy, releasing a small darkness to push her aside, making her take a few steps back that she almost falls pitifully on her butt, fortunately she manage to evade that fate, only to meet a worse fate as Xander delivers his own magically enhanced horizontal slash that Corrin blocks with her sword that also releases a gust of wind to make a shield but the dark attack still blows her several feet away until she crashes straight into a flower shop.

"Is that all you have to offer, Corrin!" Xander roared, his expectations growing dimmer.

"You know… if you wanted me to surpass you one day you could've given me a better demonstration of your power to have a clearer picture on what I should strive towards and not babyproof the fortress." Corrin suggested painfully.

"Touché, however when in comparison to having Leo as a teacher and you the student, you were always going to be the poor one with me and Gunter, regardless of your profound strength." Xander lectured reasonably coldly as he moves forward and strikes at Corrin again with the Princess doing her best to gain the advantage and deliver as many powerful attacks as possible, none which prove to be of any effect against Xander as with two more strikes, Corrin is again on her knees despite parrying significantly better than she has shown before. "At least your reflexes are finally to my liking."

"You ain't seen nothing yet!" Corrin shouted as she stabs Yato into the floor and within seconds a tornado bursts out from the ground below Xander that blows the Crown Prince a hundred feet in the air, legitimately catching him off guard.

"At least something came out of letting you play with Leo's toys that he never bothered to use because of his simple-minded view of strength." Xander groaned as he easily dispels the twister with a slash of Siegfried and starts falling back down, already prepared to lay his sword down on Corrin who wisely runs out of the way as the resulting explosion from Xander's dark magic, while not that necessarily large was devastating, vaporizing the entire flower shop. Xander does not relent as he runs fast to deliver another horizontal slash that Corrin miraculously evade with godspeed by jumping and making a slip before landing behind Xander and finally landing what should've been a critical hit from the back but the amount of force she pour into her blade was all for naught that all she accomplish is forcing him to take a few steps forward, that accomplish only in annoying the already aggravated older brother and with a single counter-attack, Corrin again finds herself lying on the ground. "But even that amounts to nothing." He scoffed.

"Don't doubt me too much!" Corrin warned as she gets back up to fight and uses much more strength that Xander is slightly caught off by this heighten resolve, not that it may do much as the two continue to clash some more with Corrin apparently getting the upper hand, forcing Xander to take a few steps back and even getting on his knees for a brief moment, his guard completely down as Corrin thrust her blade at his chest, no point in avoiding killing blows with such a great defense. Sadly, the truth is that Xander purposely let himself be put in this position as he easily evades Yato and grabs her by her right wrist and with great effort lifts and tosses Corrin aside to a wall, followed by a straight blast by Siegfried that tears apart the entire structure with the Princess in it.

"Milady!" Kaze cried out, trying to aid her, only to be held back by Silas who holds nothing back this time, ramming himself at the Ninja with his shield and slamming him to a wall to pin him down and attempts to slit his throat, but fortunately for the Ninja, the wall they hit has become considerably weak from the chaos and that push was all it took to cause it to crumble apart a bit that the two fall inside the building and Kaze kicks the Cavalier off him, with the latter backflipping back on his feet as he proceeds to assault the Ninja and clash with their blades.

Jakob also attempts to rush in and aid Corrin, even though he and Felicia know better than the Hoshidans how abhorrently foolish the mere notion of opposing Xander is, that will not deter the Butler helping his mistress however way he can but he too isn't giving much of an opportunity with a Beringel blocking his path and showing no mercy.

"How dare you get in my way!" Jakob shouted as he utilizes the Flame Shurikens he acquired and throws them at the dark ape but only delivers enough damage to horribly burn the monster but not enough to stop him as the beast delivers its violent assault on the Butler, forcing him to remain in the defense, and though Beringels aren't known for being agile, this one appears to be the exception as it is able to keep up with Jakob's wildly praised speed and agility enough to continuously hinder his path to Corrin, to his ever-growing frustration, which may not bold too well against a monster that actually has a brain to use.

Felicia assists Hinoka with supporting the soldiers from being overpowered by Nohr's superior numbers since the Light Soldiers are anywhere but in their vicinity, leaving them outnumbered, thankfully though, while her stamina doesn't do her any favors, her magic is still vital as she creates several pillars of ice around the Nohrians that hinders their movement and give the Hoshidans more chances to fight them off one at a time, though it doesn't do them much against the more aggressive ones like the Grimm, though still they persist, their numbers look to be unlimited with no clear end because of that giant portal, doubtless to say that they may be facing the full might of the Nohrian Army, though obviously not in its entirety since the first portal was stopped from activating.

"Don't you dare give up, everyone! We can't lose our Capital to them!" Hinoka yelled, adamant about not being defeated and has noticed that a fair number of her troops have already started getting worn out by all the aggression in such a short amount of time.

Among the Hoshidans that will surely never surrender would be Reina who engages Charlotte in combat and given how the former matches King Garon in terms of brute strength, it's no wonder who the winner of this fight would be, however the Axe Fighter is no slouch in battle and is resilient, probably due to the Berserker style armor she's wearing, though the Hoshidans who've faced her before would be more surprised by how she's actually wearing something more refine. Reina hits Charlotte's wrist with the pommel of her Naginata, causing her to drop her Killer Axe but this does not halt her as the female Berserker manages to deliver a clean punch to the face that does knock the veteran knight to the ground and drop her lance, that Charlotte picks up and proceeds to stab the older combatant with her own weapon. Thankfully Reina is able to defend herself with the use of her halo piece that like all Kinshi Knights carried on her back that was ripped off her in a previous battle against a Ranger who attacked her from behind and injured Killua that is near her and picks it up to swing hard enough at her own naginata to force Charlotte away from her, giving her a chance to get back up and continues to use the halo gear as a blunt weapon against Charlotte that she uses to disarm her once she thrust the spear through the hole, kicks her to the floor and reclaims her weapon.

"If you're what passes for retainers for Queens, then Nohr's Royal Guard really does have low standards." Reina mocked the young Berserker.

"Oh, piss off you old hag. This fight ain't over." Charlotte cursed as she forces herself back up while picking up a different axe dropped in the battlefield to face the Kinshi Knight once again, and that's when something pops into her head. "Hold on a second. For the sake of clarifying, you're really THE Reina and a Queen's retainer too?"

"I hardly see if it's any of your business little miss." Reina shrugged but Charlotte took it as a rude yes. "Still, I'm glad my reputation proceeds me in your war-torn nation."

While this discussion is going on, Reina easily spots without turning around a Beowolf slowly attempting to sneak up on her to attack that she can easily parry even if Charlotte attacks simultaneously. Charlotte notices the Beowolf too and an idea pops into her head.

"Oh, I know about you alright, you're the bitch that threw her son away because he was only half of what you wanted him to be!" Charlotte snapped out of nowhere with anger, and this resulted in Reina losing her concentration, completely caught off by what Charlotte said, a mixture of shock, horror and anger eminent in her face, that led to her losing her focus and gets ambush by the Beowolf who bites her by the right shoulder but the armor there protects her skin but she is still in danger being pin down by the ferocious Grimm that tries to kill her and manage to squish her right arm so tightly that the bones of the forearm break, causing Reina to scream in pain. She is still able to save herself by grabbing a Silver Star Axe near her with her left hand and uses it to strike the Beowolf by the forehead, hard enough to make it momentarily cease its assault and later thrust the weapon into its mouth, and piercing it from the back of the head, killing it, afterwards she pushes the wolf off her, leaving herself lying on the ground, nearly defeated but still she tries to force herself back up to fight, only to be hit in the head harshly by Charlotte using her own halo gear, knocking her out cold.

"Goodnight, bitch." Charlotte hissed.

"REINA!" Hinoka cried in horror upon seeing the beaten state of her mentor and rushes in furiously at Charlotte with the Berserker ready for more combat.

"C'MON!" Charlotte dared.

* * *

The giant Carnage slams it's left arm that it morphs into a hammer down on Robin but instead it collides with a huge fireball he made to protect himself, the clashing explosion sets the Carnage's entire arm ablaze but it doesn't harm it as much as it just absorbs them with no ill effect. The beast then fires its laser at him. Robin goes high up in an effort to keep such a destructive blast from reaching the Capital as the giant demon seems hellbent on disposing of the Tactician, which works well with him.

"The cold shoulder worked the first time." Robin said as he attempts to perform another ice spell that he used to defeat the first Carnage, casting the more powerful Rexcalibur to freeze this beast but is stopped by a very large Ravager that catches him off guard from the back and nearly bites at him but he evaded it in time and cuts off both the wings, causing the bat to fall from the sky. He is intercepted by four more Ravagers of similar size who reach his current altitude to kill but all it took is a few slashes from his Levin Sword to silence them. This distraction cost him as the Carnage finally lands a hit with its beam. He shouts in pain as the blast really does a number on him but he is able to keep his body and everything else in tact with Ignis but the impact was painful enough and he falls into Suzanoh in defeat. The Carnage steps forward until it stands where it believes Robin will crash land and from its belly it opens up revealing a beastly mouth with razor-sharp teeth as it intends to eat him, except, that's Robin's next plan as he lets himself get eaten while still protected by Ignis so he can't be chewed or anything else instantly. And once inside, Robin cast his ice magic, freezing the beast in its entirety, and finishes it up with an explosion from within, leaving no trace of it.

"You've got to be kidding me!" One of the Wyvern Knights shouted in shock upon witnessing the defeat of the Carnage.

"Aw, hell yeah! That's how it's done!" A Falcon Knight howled over Robin's triumph as victory momentarily favors Hoshido. With the rest of them fighting against the invaders with more conviction.

"Okay… one down…" Robin breathes heavily as doing all that took some real effort, giving himself a few seconds to catch his breath before turning his attention to the tower-like portal. "Time to turn that off." He declared as he flies towards it in an attempt to stop the swarm of reinforcements.

"You're not going anywhere near that Gate!" Shouted a Malig Knight not far from him, just having his Wyvern stay balanced in the air getting the Tactician's attention and would not had taken seriously if it wasn't for the fact that he was holding a frightened little girl from Suzanoh hostage and has a dagger around her throat, really getting Robin's attention as he stops his pursuit, now solely focus on defusing this situation.

"Whoa there, don't go doing anything truly-"

"YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP! I don't negotiate with Hoshidan Trash. Let alone a traitor!" The Malig Knight yelled furiously, clearly not willing to listen, especially when he moves the dagger closer to the poor girl who looks like she's struggling to not utter a word as her tears continue to shed. Judging by his tone alone, word of Robin's former ties with Nohr's Royal Family must've spread to the army when it was previously never mentioned due to how unimportant it was at the time and just how the Paladins mainly answer directly to Xander and the Dark Knights with Leo, the Malig Knights are especially close to Camilla so her hatred for Robin must've been passed on to her subordinates. Kinda makes sense since the soldiers often speak very fondly of the Royal Siblings, well Xander, Camilla and Elise, Leo is a total mix baggage because of his ego. "You're going to do exactly as I say and back off, and maybe… JUST MAYBE! I won't paint the streets below us with this girl's blood. I'll kill her if you don't back down! I swear to Qliphoth!"

"Clearly." Robin raises his hands in defeat and even allows Morgenstern and his Levin Swords to fall down to the street. "So what, you expect me to fly out of the city and not be any more of a bother?"

"I would much prefer to tear your insides out for my Wyvern to feast on you." He replied cruelly.

"Right… well in that case…" Robin said, coming up with something until he notices a Snake Spirit come from behind the Knight, wrapping itself on the arm that holds the knife and pulls it away from the girl, giving Robin the opening he needs to save her as he sucker punches the cruel man off his Wyvern, pulls the girl into his arms and gets rid of the sub-dragon by blasting it with a wind blast, sending it tumbling to the ground, along with its rider who definitely did not survive the fall.

Now saved, the girls starts crying as loudly as she wants while Robin holds her in a warming hug that is quite brotherly.

"There, there. You're safe now. Everything is going to be okay." Robin assured the little girl before turning around and notices Orochi next to him, hitching a ride on a Bird Spirit, and it doesn't take him long to figure out where that snake came from.

"I had a feeling you could handle it yourself but I didn't want to take any chances." Orochi smirked.

"Help is always welcomed." Robin smiled as they descend to the street and they notice a man and a woman who aren't evacuating along with the rest of the people that remain in the south section of Suzanoh, leaving them to deduce that they may be the parents of the girl who were escaping together when the Malig Knight kidnapped her out of the blue.

"Karin!" The two cried out to their daughter as Robin gently releases her on the ground and she immediately runs to her parents' embrace.

"Sephiroth bless you, Sir Hero! Bless you." The mother cried with joy as the three make a run for it with everybody else.

"This is getting out of hand. We have to shut that portal down now." Robin declared.

"Easier said than done. Judging by the amount of power that must've been used to create that thing I say the best way to do that would be to close it from the inside, and by that I mean back in Nohr." Orochi deduced. "I'm afraid the Queen's spell is our best hope because of the light magic it generates."

"The Barrier of Concord is based on Light Magic?" Robin asked surprised.

"Yeah, I was caught off as well. The both of you and Corrin have such lame memories." Orochi joked.

"Right…" Robin muttered before coming up with an idea. "If the Light is our answer than we already have the necessary tool for the job."

"The Scroll? But you can't use it."

"But you can. Gather as many Diviners as you can, I have a plan." Robin requested.

"Will it be painful?" Orochi asked very worried.

"Is watching your home get destroyed painful-er?" Robin countered.

"Point taken. Let's do whatever your crazy mind has planned."

* * *

"The Carnage has been defeated, and rather easily no less." Xander muttered as he noticed the fall of the great Grimm, though it was difficult to tell who did it, he had a pretty good idea who it was and while the shock of the monster's defeat did not faze him, it certainly did to most of his troops who are awestruck by the actual ''Demigod'' Hoshido has off their sleeves that significantly raises the morale of the Hoshidans. "It truly is a shame that we had to be enemies, Robin. I had such high hopes for you and Corrin for the future of Nohr."

The Crown Prince returns his attention to Corrin as the already defeated Princess forces herself out of the debris that previously crushed her, however Yato is no longer in her possession, still trapped under the debris and she can no longer stand on her feet, being forced to crawl instead, leaving her in a very pitiful position that shows just how vulnerable and frail she truly is when in comparison to her former brother.

"It seems you were right in stating that I would return home disappointed yet again." Xander said with pure revulsion evident in his face. "You really can't hold your own with anything without someone holding your hand every step of the way."

Corrin ignores his cold words as she forces herself back on her feet but it's a real struggle as Xander did not hold back at all as its agonizing just to keep herself on her knees, she is in desperate need of a healer but it seems like there may be no one around who can help her as everyone from both sides is stretched really thin.

"Enough of this foolishness Corrin. If you are to live, fight and die for whatever cause you've chosen to follow, then you owe it to yourself and those who stand by you to give it your all." Xander scolded, knowing that Corrin is holding back. "Show me you're true power. The Power bestowed upon you by your ancient Forefather."

"No… No! That thing is not who I am!" Corrin snapped defiantly at Xander, refusing to turn into a dragon again, likely because of her previous rampage. Even though it was Wrath's fault, she still sees the harm she's caused as her own doing.

"You refuse to acknowledge the beast inside?" Xander questioned. "You didn't seem to mind all that much when you caused Leo to fall into that hole and dislocated both his shoulders."

"NO! That's not… I didn't…" Corrin uttered, her words fractured by all the stress. "I… I may worship the Precursors but I will not be revered as one of them. If I am going to win or lose this war against Nohr I want to do it as me… not a monster. As whom you know me as. I've caused enough pain as a Dragon."

"Corrin…" Xander mused, having sentiment for her new plight as she's clearly in conflict with herself.

"You knew, didn't you? Robin told me how you and Camilla reacted when you saw me transform in Kurosaki. Like you've seen me like that before and dreaded seeing it again." Corrin asked, trying to sound demanding but was ultimately pleading for the fractured truth.

"That day was not the first time Camilla and I witnessed your true form and true power, same with Leo and Elise but they do not remember that night well for how young they were. Same with mother and father. On the night you came into our lives actually." Xander confessed.

"What…" Corrin uttered, left with more questions upon this revelation.

"You say that you've caused enough pain as a dragon and feel ashamed of your actions. That shame hurts me as well, and really, I'm glad that you have forgotten everything about your youth and the misfortunes that come with it." Xander said.

"I don't…"

"Enough!" Xander snapped harshly to cease this discussion, raising his blade, prepared to strike her down for good. "None of that matters now. What does matter is this battle and the outcome. History will rightfully remember Nohr as the villains of this war, I will never deny that, however when people are in desperation and it reaches its peak, sometimes what is needed to bring peace is not a hero but a monster. I would become that monster in father's place if I could and I shall prove my resolve right here and now! Not a day will go by where you won't be in my thoughts, sister. Goodbye."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Felicia cried out in desperation, rushing to Corrin's aid as she uses her ice magic to create an ice pillar that carries Xander and raises him high up away from Corrin and by the time he leaps back down the Maid reaches for her Princess and propels the both of them upwards by creating an icy stalagmite on her feet and grabs Corrin as they both land on a roof.

"Felicia!" Xander cursed as he fires a powerful dark attack that will destroy the whole building like before, and thankfully Felicia sees this coming as she escapes the destruction with Corrin with another ice launch. "Run as far as you can but there is nowhere you can go where the Darkness won't find you! Laufey, to me!"

By his command, his faithful steed, Laufey rushes to her master's side as she was ordered to stay away while he faced Corrin, and the Crown Prince hops on with an impressive leap and goes in to chase after the two women.

"It's up to Felicia now to keep her safe." Kaze cursed his misfortune as he and Jakob remain incapable of helping being both surrounded by enemy infantry.

"They won't last long in a game of mouse against our Crown Prince." Silas declared.

"Don't underestimate Felicia. She may be a fool as a maid but when it comes to combat, there are few obstacles for her." Jakob said putting his faith in Felicia.

* * *

Mikoto and Takumi make a run for it, being forced to flee from their own castle and home and getting out isn't easy with the halls that lead to the exits blocked off by the Grimm, such as the corridor they are running in blocked off by Beowolves that the two are able to fight off with their respective bows and taking them down from a safe distance.

"Come on, the front door is still not much farther from here." Mikoto said with haste.

"There should be guards keeping the gates secured but the fact that we haven't seen more troops must mean that they have their hands full outside." Takumi concluded.

"Anywhere is better than here trap like mouse in our own home." Mikoto replied.

"No argument there." Takumi said as they continue their escape but don't go any further as a strong wind current triggers that blows the two to the floor and away from their destination and they crash land right next to the caster of this wind, which is Queen Arete.

"Going somewhere?" Arete asked smugly.

"Crapbaskets!" Mikoto cried at their misfortune.

"Oh, you say that too." Arete said intrigued.

"You too? Aw, dammit so Corrin didn't get that from me then." Mikoto muttered in self-pity.

Takumi gets up in an attempt to face the Shadow Queen, only to be immediately tossed aside as Arete covers the young man with a dark magic aura that allows her to levitate and slam the Prince to a wall, leaving him pin and upside down.

"Takumi!" Mikoto cried, though she cannot do much as Arete covers her in the same dark magic, cruelly sending her crashing upwards to the ceiling before quickly tossing her back down to the floor, followed by the wall on the right, the Dawn Queen gasping for air as the brutal assault leaves her with little.

"MOTHER!" Takumi cried in anguish, watching her receive less mercy than him.

"As I said, this meeting has long been overdue so you'll have to forgive me if my manners are a bit lacking." Arete said sadistically with a bit of obvious sarcasm to her fellow queen. "Although…" She began while Mikoto begins struggling to move, only for Arete to press harder. "Such curtesy is unbefitting of you." There is really a lot of suppress rage in her for reasons obvious to Mikoto and Takumi. Although the feeling is mutual.

Mikoto begins channeling more of her magic power, releasing a small shockwave strong enough to release her from Arete's grip and out of instinct the Queen of Dusk backs away from the Queen of Dawn.

"The feeling is mutual!" Mikoto shouted as she harnesses her magic for offense despite not having a conduit in hand and releases a fire attack that is akin to an Arcfire that successfully hits Arete though she is still infuse with Ginnungagap so her Resistance is superb.

"You'll have to do better than that." Arete laughed as she cast an Ember spell that would've done plenty of damage to Mikoto if she had not erected a barrier around herself while she gets blown further away from Arete and Takumi, with the former making sure she doesn't get away as she fires more flames that make it harder for Mikoto to keep her barrier up until she is forced to turn it off but by then she is able to counter the next Ember by firing a thunder spell that makes both attacks cancel each other out. Arete continues her assault with a Flux Dark Spell, an orb of darkness that creeps its way to Mikoto and threatening to crawl its way to her that she is able to defend herself by summoning two Ox Spirits that burn the darkness away from her and then sends them after Arete, that are later destroyed by two Thoron spells.

'Interesting, the mana flowing inside her is so balanced that she is able to perform many spells without the aid of a conduit for long periods like me, however, in her case she is more comfortable with defense and has no real experience with offensive magic so the spells are quite pathetic even though she is pushing herself, which is why she relies on archery more.' Arete mused as she's been keeping a close eye on Mikoto's movement.

Mikoto pours more magic as she picks up her bow, enchanting an arrow and firing it, powered with a chunk of Lethality. Sadly, Arete is easily able to stop the attack as she creates a mighty tornado of Excalibur that stops and shreds the arrow apart effortlessly and then thrust the twister towards Mikoto who again defends herself with a barrier, however the force was enough to blow her pretty far, and likely crash-landed right in the main hall of the castle where the doors that serve as the main entrance are.

"NOOO! MOTHER!" Takumi cried out enraged, forced to helplessly watch his mother being butchered by this titan of a sorceress while he remains trapped in such a pitiful state. "Dammit! DAMMIT! Why am I so useless! Am I always going to be so worthless… Sephiroth?"

Mikoto breathes heavily as that attack was not easy to repel and it tore through enough of the barrier to impact her, though not so much as her skin remains perfectly fine, though her dress is a complete disaster and ripped. At the very least it'll be easier to run now this way. The doors to freedom are right there on her left but there was no way she would leave without Takumi but first she has to keep fighting Arete, however she already acknowledges that she can't beat her. The best she can do now is hold her own long enough for help to come.

"I bet that right now you must be thinking that you're only solution to survive this is to hold on long enough for help to arrive. Is that right?" Arete questioned smugly as she enters the main hall to continue her onslaught. "That's usually how it goes when I'm the one sent to take out the trash."

"You won't win. Nohr has tried and failed to break Hoshido before with nothing ever bearing fruit and it will happen again." Mikoto declared maintaining a strong front and continues the fight, firing several fireballs at Arete but it doesn't cost the Shadow Queen much to reflect them by surrounding herself with Elwinds that reflect the flames and extinguish them, later counter-attacking by firing an extended Thoron that Mikoto only has time to make a small shield in her right hand that successfully blocks the thunder spell but the force still pushes Mikoto back that she is already near to the doors. She saves herself by summoning a rat spirit and sends it after her foe who doesn't recognize the threat on time and bashes itself on to Arete, releasing an icy attack that finally manages to hurt her to an extent and stops her Thoron but the ice is instantly melted away by her flames.

"Only because my new family has made the mistake to show mercy and allowed you to continue your futile existence. Now, however, there will be no more chances once we've annex everything you have." Arete countered while playfully pouring dark magic into her left hand, the damage Mikoto managed to inflict already proven pointless.

"Nothing will come of any of this! Consume everything and you'll just start another war like the one Mokushu brought upon themselves." Mikoto argued.

"You mean the war your late husband could've stopped if he'd ruled with strength and principle instead of necessity? Though, if not for that tragedy you would've never become queen so I suppose happy accidents do exist." Arete coldly retorted. "Although, like you, I too harbor abhorrence for war. So many lives wasted for something that will ultimately be short-lived. Peace and Chaos are such fickle little things, though none are more fickle than you, Mikoto."

"Me? I have done nothing but maintain peace and order in Horus while you and your King raised more and more homes to the ground for sports!" Mikoto snapped at Arete.

"Your giant barrier succeeded only in giving us the time we needed to assemble our army to the magnitude it is today. We are numberless while you are surrounded with no way out. This is more your fault than Garon. In fact, you're the only one who's guilty." Arete stated.

"YOU STOLE MY BABY!" Mikoto snapped enraged, casting another spell that is a large shockwave of fire and electricity charging towards Arete, with the Shadow Queen taking the hit and resists rather well while everything else and the main hall falls apart and burns to cinders. Arete releases a shockwave of her own that cancels out Mikoto's, followed by her creating four magic chains with shackles that manifest from her left palm that wrap on all four of her limbs and pin her to the doors.

"YOU'RE THE ONLY THIEF HERE!" Arete snapped back and then releases another shockwave from her palm that destroys the doors and blows Mikoto through them and she quite painfully gets thrown to the ground, caught between the ensuing battle going on in front of Castle Shirasagi for all to see.

"MOTHER!" Sakura cried with complete terror upon seeing the beaten state of her mother.

"THE QUEEN! NO!" The Soldiers yelled as many stop their current fighting and rush to her aid, though none can help as Arete creates a large magical dome with Mikoto at the center that strikes everyone inside, minus for Mikoto with lightning, electrocuting them until their skins have been scorched and their faces unrecognizable.

"No…" Azura uttered horrified to see her mother again, this time in a darker perspective as she genuinely never believe she be capable of such violence, granted she always had a bite to her, that's how she managed to hold her own in Nohr for so long before becoming queen. Though considering what happened in the Opera House, I guess they all had this coming.

"Mother! Mother!" Sakura hastily rushed to Mikoto's side to help her.

"No… Sakura… get away from here." Mikoto pleaded for her youngest daughter to flee.

"I'm not leaving you!" Sakura shouted attempting to heal her, only to be pulled away by Arete using wind magic and crashing into another healer rushing to do the same.

"Pick on someone your own size!" Hayato shouted, stepping forward and fires a powerful horizontal tornado at Arete, who unfortunately won't cost her much to repel this attack as she fires a Goetia that easily destroys the tornado and blast Hayato into a pillar of the castle and knocking him out cold.

"Hayato!" Mozu cried out to the Wind Mage and she cannot help fight Arete as the Nohrians are swarming the gates and she has to help the Oni Savages and Diviners hold them off otherwise they'll be overrun by this end as well.

"All this peace and tranquility has made all of you soft." Arete said coldly, walking towards her adversary. "Monarch 101 dictates that a wise leader must never seek out war but must always be ready for one and in spite of all our skirmishes, you weren't prepared at all for any of this. Trying to keep Hoshido self-contained with Corrin still outside of your reach and the Rising Darkness at your doorstep. You are truly pathetic, Queen of Light."

"Mother, no!" Azura rushed forward next getting between Arete and Mikoto. "Please, stop this! You've won already. Suzanoh is at its last knees. No one else has to die."

"Oh, Azura." Arete smiled with a more motherly tone before pulling her daughter closer and embracing her in a warming hug that catches the Songstress off guard by how nostalgic this feels. "My, how you've grown into such a beautiful woman. Yes, you're siblings back home are dying to see you again."

"I…" Azura muttered, lost for words and her will to fight gets zapped from her body again. She wants so badly to hug her back but the sting of everything drives her back into a mental turmoil.

"This will be over real soon. Yes, we'll be a family again, right after this usurper learns her lesson!" Arete returned to her cold persona, channeling lightning magic infuse with darkness to fry Mikoto, further harming the defeated queen, to everyone's horror and helpless to stop the revenge hungry Demon Queen.

* * *

Xander continues his pursuit of Felicia and Corrin but lost track of them after chasing them for almost a mile. The Ice Princess was always fast but she's never displayed the ability to overexert herself this much with her magic, ice is never something that should mix well with speed in any regard but she manage to keep out of the Dark Prince's grasps until he stops in a section of the Capital that seems unscathed for the most part when in comparison to everywhere else, likely because most of the Nohrian forces were focus on heading for the castle and this area is quite far from it, making it arguably the safest place to be in. Felicia always was good in hiding when she agreed to play hide and seek with Elise and Corrin.

"How I detest this game, I'm just not one for anything that's indirect!" Xander hissed as he begins channeling more power from Siegfried until it looks like the Sacred Treasure is going to explode with dark energy that he lifts upwards and releases the power into the sky in the form of a darkish red orb and once it is high enough, disperses into a rain of darkness that hits everything in the streets, except for Xander and his horse, causing everything, including all the buildings to be torn apart into pieces and sparing nothing with the only thing that remains intact is a dome of ice northwest of Xander where a restaurant used to be that is holding strong with only a few cracks showing.

"There you are." Xander declared as he charges towards the dome and with a mightier swing, destroys it completely, only to find neither of his two targets inside. Xander frowns left to believe that this might've been a decoy. "Not as clumsy as you seemed, Felicia." He sighed as he is forced to use something as he picks up a small orb with the Grimm-like brand and from it immediately comes out what has to be the smallest Grimm seen thus far, a small black beetle with white carapace, elytron and four red eyes. "Locate for me the one who created this ice."

As he instructed, the Beetle Grimm spreads its wings and flies to the eyes to examine it, while at it, its whole body is engulfed in black smoke for a few seconds before it flies off into a different direction and Xander follows, confident that it will lead him to Corrin.

* * *

Felicia and Corrin managed to escape into the sewers before Xander pulled that rainstorm of his and the Maid stops to catch her breath as she has been really pushing herself more than she's capable of.

"Felicia, you didn't have to go this far for me. Eluding Xander is a death sentence. You know that." Corrin uttered while lying on the floor, still shaken from her laughable performance when fighting the Crown Prince.

"Well, opposing Nohr already ensures my death sentence, so why bother trying to stay out of trouble." Felicia shrugged.

"I should've never had let you and Jakob get involved. I should've had Robin take you somewhere safe, like Niflheim where Flora must be." Corrin muttered with regret, having her also a target of her former foster brother.

"Please, don't say that Corrin, I made my choice and I don't completely regret it. I told you before that Jakob and I fighting for you would be worth anything." Felicia said in assurance to the Princess. "Besides, going home is easier said than done with all the safety measures my father has made over the years."

"Always have to lighten the mood in the last second, don't you." Corrin smiled a little amused.

"It's a gift." Felicia smiled back. The maid then turns as she notices a strange-looking beetle flying towards them. "Oh my, that has to be the strangest Beetle I have ever seen. It almost looks like a Grimm but Grimm can't be that small."

"Huh?!" Corrin gasped, taking this a lot more seriously, forcing herself back on her feet with the intent to splatter the beetle to the wall, only to stop as she notices a dark attack heading for them and instead tackles Felicia to the ground to evade the incoming attack, which came from Xander who found them rather quickly.

"As I said, there is nowhere you can run where the Darkness won't find you. And in case you forgotten, I am the Crown Prince of Darkness, so this cat and mouse game was never going to end in your favor." Xander reminded.

"Xander, leave her out of this. She's just acting under my orders!" Corrin pleaded with him.

"That's entirely up to her, Corrin. If she backs away now and leave you to your fate, I'll gladly see to it that she is escorted safely back to her Tribe and family but we both know she won't. Father handpicked each of your servants knowing that they would willingly lay down their lives for your benefit if need be, though I suspect Flora was the exemption. Isn't that right, Felicia?" Xander asked and is instantly proven right with the Princess of Niflheim already having two Flame Shurikens for combat. "Just as planned. I cannot allow you to die for your supposed loss in the Canyon has caused a disaster for both our homes so bringing you back will ease things, but that doesn't mean I'll be merciful since you and Jakob have also betrayed me."

Xander fires a much bigger wave of darkness towards the two that Felicia attempts to block by creating a large wall made entirely of blue ice, which sadly proves useless, being easily destroyed by Xander's attack and goes straight for her, forcing Corrin to step in, instinctively manifesting her dragon wings to use as shields for herself and Felicia, the resulting explosion blows the two through the sewer ceiling and find themselves back in the surface, even as they crash back in the street, the two are alright.

"So, you refuse your true self only when it's to save yourself? Can't say I'm surprised, it says a lot of your character." Xander said getting to the surface as well with Laufey curiously already by his side. "Maybe now you'll take this more seriously, Corrin. Prepare yourself!"

* * *

"Protect the Queen!" Hoshidan warriors howled in fury, rushing to aid Queen Mikoto who continues to be ravaged by Queen Arete, sadly the Grimm block their path with Manticores ambushing them from the air and burning them to crisps.

"MOTHER!" Sakura cried with total horror, forced to watch her mother being electrocuted to death with a Maiden forced to hold her down to keep her at least safe from the onslaught.

"Mother, please don't do this!" Azura begged for Arete to stop but it falls on deaf ears when the Shadow Queen tosses her aside and bumps into a Beowolf that holds her by her shoulders to restrain her.

"Do not interfere again, Azura. Don't even dare harbor compassion for them!" Arete warned cruelly with nothing left to stop her now. Nothing except her curiosity as a white glow begins to emit on the back of her left hand, forming some kind of emblem that she quickly notices and her curiosity over this sudden thing made her cease her attempts to murder Mikoto.

"What…" She uttered confuse, even more so when she notices the same one in Mikoto's right hand. "What trick have you have off your sleeves now?"

"This is… the national emblem of…" Mikoto uttered recognizing the brand.

"That emblem… it's the same one." Azura uttered as the emblem they both have in their hands is the same one that was carved into Archduke Izana's chest by that evil entity who interfered from contacting the Dawn Dragon. "Why do you both have that emblem?"

"So familiar, but why…" Arete mumbled, trying to discern what the familiar emblem signifies, and why it seems to tie her to Mikoto.

Suddenly, an explosion occurs above them in one of the higher floors of the Castle with several Hoshidan warriors are blown off and crash land in the battlefield, all of them dead, among them is tragically Hoshido's top tactician, Yukimura.

"NOOOO!" Sakura cried out to the burned corpse of her uncle-figure.

"Yuki…" Mikoto uttered weakly and in horror to see one of her dearest friends die so cruelly.

"My Queen!" Iago called out leaping down from the hole he caused as he is the one who killed Yukimura as instructed and lands on the battlefield. "My pitiful rival will trouble us no more as ordered. Now there is only a few trash left to deal with." He smirked sinisterly at the Queen of Hoshido and the youngest Princess.

"You've had your fun Iago; this one is all mine." Arete said, eager to resume her assault.

All attention then shifts back to the Nohrian Gate as a large beam of white light is fired directly coming from the east of Suzanoh, said blast hits the target, causing a distortion that lowers down its power, signaling to all the Nohrians that it may shut down. And the ones responsible for this are Robin, Orochi and twelve other Diviners who together use both Morgenstern and the Light Scroll, the former being used as a conduit to empower the latter, and Orochi takes this power and fires the beam of light.

* * *

"It's working!" Orochi cheered as she can feel the pillar about to close.

"Good, but first we deliver the main event!" Robin said as he unleashes Ignis to empower both Orochi and the spell they are casting that will soon take full effect and start their victory to save Suzanoh with the Gate's red color changing to white and it causes a small tremor as Robin and Orochi have finished their spell.

* * *

"What? What is happening?!" Iago uttered confused by this event, just as in the dark on what could be causing a rift in their plans, and it only gets worse as he is all the sudden lifted off the air. "What sorcery is this?!"

All around, the same is happening to all the Nohrians, including the Grimm as they are being attracted by the Gate as its power is being used in a reversal effect, now instead of bringing them from Nohr to Hoshido, it'll pull them all back in. The Nohrians shout out as they are each being pulled away and forced back into their home. Even underground, the Void Travelers are also being affected, forced into the surface and into Nohr, the battle is all but over.

"Robin sure has outdone himself." Hayato who gets back up muttered, feeling the familiar surge of power that belongs to the Tactician.

"Does this mean we won?" Mozu asked with relief until she too begins to float off the air and pulled away like with their adversaries. "SAVE ME!"

"Oh, what the hell!" Hayato groaned as he flies after her, grabs her by her hands and tries to keep her from being sucked in but the current is strong. "Of course there be side effects to such a powerful spell."

Arete too gets pulled away into the pillar, back to Nohr and away from Azura again.

"NO! Azura!" Arete shouted as she managed to reach out to her daughter and grabs her hand, not willing to be separated from her again. "Not this time!" She declared, and poor Azura could do nothing but stay silent and numb to the whole thing, unable to fight back or refuse. How could she, like Corrin, she has good reason to go back to Nohr and she sorely regrets what she had done in Cyrkensia.

Azura is spared the burden of making a choice when Takumi, now free from Arete's magic grabs both her legs to keep her earthbound.

"Azura! I got you!" Takumi shouted as he pours all his strength to keep her from being dragged into Nohr with Sakura and few others who are able to help.

"I will not have us remain apart again!" Arete yelled more in outrage as she is about to cast another spell. The force sucking her in is so great that she is certain that she cannot escape from this, but this could be beneficial if she can maintain her hold on Azura, all she has to do is electrocute the ones keeping Azura in Hoshido and at the very least she can take her daughter back. Unfortunately, Mikoto beats her to it, mustering whatever strength she can and shoots a fireball straight at Arete's forearm, forcing her to release her grip on Azura.

"AZURA!" Arete cried out to Azura as she loses her daughter again while she returns to her Kingdom of Darkness, and the Songstress herself watches helplessly as she lies back down with Takumi and Sakura tending to her.

* * *

"Oh, I just know Robin is responsible for this and when I get my hands on him I swear…"

"Would you shut up you damn fool and hold on tighter! You're not making this easy!" Hinoka shouted as she holds on to Jakob as best she can with Rukia's aid from also being pulled into the Gate since he's also Nohrian.

* * *

"You got off lucky this time Corrin but next time you will not be so fortunate." Xander cursed as he held on as long as he could before he and Laufey also get sucked in as well, leaving Corrin and Felicia saved from the Crown Prince's wrath.

"Oh, thank the gods for Robin." Corrin sighed, knowing damn well that only her Tactician would be able to pull off something so grand.

* * *

"Glory be to us! The spell worked!" Orochi cheered at their triumph as all around the Capital, the Hoshidans cheer over being able to push Nohr away with the great Capital now safe to thrive again. "You've outdone yourself this time, Robin."

"Yeah, though I doubt we'll be able to pull a stunt like this again." Robin said. "Then again, I doubt the Nohrians will be able to pull an assault like this again either so we're in luck."

"Amen." Orochi smirked. "And are you sure all Nohrians will be pulled in?"

"Those who are either loyal and born of Nohr alike." Robin affirmed.

"Ah, Sir Robin, I think you're spell worked a little too well." A Diviner said pointing at the sky where Hayato and Mozu are at, as they see them with the Wind Demigod fruitlessly still trying to pull the frighten Mozu away from the Gate.

"Oops… guess I forgot to exclude Half-Nohrians and Nohrians who are on our side off the list." Robin muttered. "Jakob is going to give me an earful."

"Eh, a minor setback. I think the Nohrians we kept in prison were set free and have also been sucked in." Orochi noted.

"Let them all go, Suzanoh is what's important, and if you excuse me, I have to pick up our kids." Robin said flying to help Hayato and Mozu.

"Those last seven words give off a lot of red flags, you know." Orochi snickered at the negative implications.

"Grow up, will you!" He scowled.

* * *

Eventually the portal fades away with the last of the Nohrian enemies removed from Suzanoh, with the Hoshidans wanting to cheer for this victory but this was a hollow one with a large portion of the once great capital now in ruins and so many casualties on their part, the people can only mourn for their losses of their many soldiers. All over, Corrin can hear the cries and anguish of the people as she makes her way back to her comrades, their rage and hatred for Nohr growing ever stronger as the full weight of this war has finally sunken in on all of them. She's thankful that none of the people she's come across are batting an eye as she and Felicia walk by, uncertain on what to do or say to such a situation just yet. Even while she was in the safety of her fortress she dreaded this war as she was given a clear enough description on just how awful war can be but seeing it up close was more than she could take and now she is bearing witness to the aftermath of one of many battlefields, she can only imagine the extent of such chaos occurring all over the Kingdom that is her home now. When word gets out that the Capital was attacked, regardless of the fact that said attack was repelled morale will surely dwindle all across Hoshido, worse still that a nobleman contributed to this attack by luring the Kingdom's champions like Ryoma away when all of this was happening, the chaos may never be healed.

"I can't stop any of this…" Corrin muttered to herself, losing to Xander and witnessing his true strength first-hand lowers her own morale. "I have no intention of giving up but I don't have the strength to lead these people to salvation, Hydra. I still don't know where to start, I'm so lost."

"Ah, Milady. Wonderful to see you safe!" Jakob cheered as he, Kaze, her sisters and brother go to see her. "I see you did good on your part, Felicia."

"Hey, give me more credit than that." Felicia sighed.

"Milady, you're sword." Kaze said as he gives her back Yato, that she graciously accepts.

"Thank you. Are all of you okay?" Corrin asked worried.

"Honestly, Milady, we've had better days." Kaze admitted, distraught by the chaos done to the Capital. "We have suffered many losses and while civilian casualties were minimal as we expect of an attack led by Prince Xander, it was still unavoidable under all the chaos and almost half of Suzanoh's defense force have all but been annihilated."

"Dammit all!" Hinoka cursed in outraged. "I can't believe all of this happened! If only we had never left we might've hit them back harder before this all even began."

"That's wishful thinking Milady. We have only ourselves to blame, we put too much faith in our magics and overlooked possible sightings of them, we were all barely lucky that Mozu and Hayato went looking for trouble and managed to stop one of those large portals from being open otherwise we would've had double the amount of enemies to contend with from both west and south." Kaze noted.

"At least we managed to stop their assault this time." Felicia said weakly, trying to stay positive.

"What about mother?" Corrin asked.

"She's… okay actually. She fought against Queen Arete who was the true ringleader of this assault, alongside Nohr's Tactician, Iago but even though she sustained a lot of injuries in the fight, she's shockingly more resilient than we imagined." Takumi explained weakly, still sore over not being able to help at all during the battle, not noticing the brief look of horror and rage coming from Corrin before said sister goes to look for Mikoto and finds her, sitting down in the only remaining pillar next to the doors to the castle being treated of her wounds by the healers with Azura beside her, both silent and quiet, not saying a word.

"Mother? Azura?" Corrin called out to them with Mikoto turning to see her daughter, her spirit lifting up as she stands up to greet her properly after such a terrifying fight.

"Corrin!" Mikoto said with relief as the two embrace. "I'm so glad you're all okay."

"You too." Corrin said a little weak, taken aback by the fact that Arete was here and she and Mikoto fought. "Has there been any word from Ryoma and the others?"

"Yeah, one of the Diviners that came with us warped here earlier to let us know the chaos in Kyoto has been detain and the city is now liberated." Hinoka informed. "The bad news is that Yamamoto got away with a large chunk of his warriors."

"Another time, then, and how come they haven't been back yet?"

"After Lilith took down that dome Iago placed over Kyoto she hasn't reported back, probably exhausted and Ryoma wanted to find her before going anywhere of course." Hinoka continued. "Now what do we do?"

"We make contact with Izumo and request the Archduke's aid." Takumi suggested. "Remember that he has a powerful magic scroll that allows him to manipulate the time of inanimate objects and he even offered to help us fix the damages done to this war as compensation for rescuing him and Izumo from Envy."

"I hope this kind of damage isn't more than he bargained for." Corrin said worried by how much strain this sort of damage will do to the kind Izana. "Where is Robin?"

"He and the Diviners, along with Mozu and Hayato are examining where that large portal came from and make doubly sure it is safely disposed. Can't afford to let something like this happen again after all." Kaze said.

"What about the Protection Stave we put around the Capital, is it still operational?" Takumi asked.

"Yes, it seems that the effects the Nohrians cause wore off once that huge portal was sealed so we're safe from enemies who attempt to warp their way inside with only special Warp Scrolls designed to work around it operational."

"That's one of our protections that still is stable but what about our forces, how stretched are we?" Corrin asked.

"Thin, very thin. The Nohrians sent their higher numbers all across our land and spreading as much chaos as possible in an effort to exhaust our resources, or so it would seem, we amassed this many soldiers to defend the Capital for that very reason." Takumi said, tightening his grip with frustration. "Our only true solace is the fact that Mother will be able to reactivate the Barrier of Concord tomorrow and cease the fighting altogether."

"For how long, though?" Sakura asking in distress even though she actually spoke in a straight tone for a change.

"Peace, my children. Hope has not abandoned us yet. We… we will find a way. We have to." Mikoto tried to be the voice of optimism in this dire time while placing her right hand on Sakura's shoulder but she herself didn't look so confident.

Felicia instinctively lower her head on the ground, no particular reason when she notice the emblem that magically appeared on the back of Mikoto's right hand and widen her eyes in shock upon seeing it and begins to tap on Jakob's shoulders rather hastily, earning the rude butler's attention who gives her an annoy scowl, though before he could protest why she would bother him she points her finger at the queen's hand and quickly turns to see what's making her behave this way and he too widens his eyes in surprise.

"It can't be…" He uttered in shock as they both recognize the emblem.

* * *

**And here's the semi-finale chapter of the year since 2020 is coming and personally, the only good thing that came out of 2019 for me was the idea to make this Fanfict as everything else was pretty boring with nothing grand really worth my attention but that's just me. Mikoto and Arete finally see each other again and it's as enemy queens. I contemplated for months on how this reunion would play out and ultimately decided that it be anticlimactic for their feud to be cut short by recognizing each other so soon so this is the role I chose to take for the two fallen Vallite Royals, which is fitting considering their loyalties to their respective new families who oppose one another. Again, I made Robin seem Overpowered, yes, but considering his condition it's alright, Corrin finally confronts Xander and gets demolished as a result which isn't surprising since he's Xander. Also, the reason why Corrin is pretty much fine from the wounds she received from Siegfried is simply that Xander didn't bother to use that ability to make unhealable injuries as he was holding back and was merciful enough to at least give her a semblance of a fighting chance. Anyway that's all for this month, thank you for watching and Happy Thanksgiving, the "Midseason" Finale of this story is next month and I will be taking a break until next year.**


	22. Chapter 22: Recovery

**Chapter 22: Recovery**

"Mother!" Xander called out to Arete as the Nohrian Army were forced back to Castle Krakenburg after their failure to take Suzanoh. If only they had succeeded in taking the Hoshidan Capital they might've won the Twilight War by default and ended all the sooner due to aiming at the heart of their nemesis and taking their Queen as well. Though they were all frustrated by their recent failure they forced themselves to focus on tending to their wounded as they sustain a lot of injuries due to Suzanoh's defenses having much higher numbers than they expected, they were sure that they managed to stretch Hoshido's army so thin that the Capital's defenses wouldn't be completely challenging to their surprise attack, though they couldn't get as many as they initially wanted through because one of their Gates was stopped from activating, plus even though they have dealt with Hoshido's new Army of Light prior there was little time they had to actually prepare to face them and they couldn't bring so many Anti-Magic artillery.

"Quickly, you imbeciles, the Queen needs medical attention!" Iago ordered as he is beside Queen Arete groaning in pain over her burned right arm caused by Mikoto as it is severely damaged and looks like it may no longer be usable unless treated immediately with their advance healing staves.

"I can take care of myself!" Arete scoffed annoyingly and takes one of the staves of a nearby healer and begins healing the wound herself.

"Please, mother, now is not the time to be stubborn, we are all at a loss and are in need of treatment." Xander pleaded with her stepmother to accept the aid of her subordinates.

"Exactly, while I tend to myself the others can focus on themselves." Arete countered.

"The sentiment is most appreciated, you're Shadowiness but what you ask simply cannot be done." Iago said with a surprising amount of sincerity and concern for the Queen that many of the soldiers share.

"That's right, you're Grace, let us help you." One Troubadour replied determined with the rest of the healers insisting on helping her.

"You people are so annoying." Arete sighed.

"Annoyance over stubbornness as you once said when we celebrated Leo's previous birthday." Xander said with a light chuckle and it does take a little bit more persuasion before Arete finally relents. Moments later, a Butler arrives to meet with Xander.

"You're Highness, I am pleased to see you are unharmed." He said, bowing before stating his reason for being here. "I bring news that his Majesty, the King has returned to the Castle."

"What? But I thought he was adamant about pressing forward with speaking with King Alexander." Xander said confused. He was surprised enough when he learned that Arete came back sooner than expected and her only response was that things in the Capital alone were too crowded for her liking, hinting that Nestra is more divided than they dared imagine when the Royals of Nohr and Hoshido did battle within their property. But that is all the more reason for Garon and Arete to have an easy time seeing Alexander and hear them out but that doesn't seem to be the case. Garon is more stubborn than Arete so he wouldn't have allowed any state of chaos to deter him from anything, but there the real problem lies on why him being back is so concerning. Just what is going on in Nestra?

"It seems the state of affairs is even worse than I imagine if even Garon gave up on trying to reach Alexander." Arete said most concern herself.

"What do you mean, mother?" Xander asked.

"When we entered the Capital of Muse, tensions were higher than they should've been this early as news of what the Hoshidans have done barely even reach Muse yet and already our supporters and Hoshido's have begun clashing with each other already. Vulgar words are unavoidable but physical violence is frown upon in any court, more so in Nestra with Alexander's strict laws affecting the nobles more so than the commoners but for whatever reasons, they've completely lost their minds." Arete explained. "To make matters worse, poor Crown Prince Donatello was caught in one such bickering."

"Donnie?" Xander gasped in horror by this news.

'I see Wrath is taking a more "subtle" approach. How odd, and more so intriguing.' Iago mused secretly.

"That cannot be, King Alexander's High Court is made of men and women with the highest standards, discord among them is nigh-impossible." Xander said dishearten by this news.

"Indeed, the people of Nestra may possess a military might that rivals our human forces but strength holds no sway in their lifestyle, they cling to their traditions too tightly it's concerning." Iago added. "And as deceiving as the Hoshidans can be they never resort to trickery that would lead to something like this happening, their pathetic pride will rarely ever allow them to win anything through dishonorable methods, their nobles aren't that easy to manipulate, otherwise I would've driven them to a civil war ages ago."

"Whatever the case, Nestra is in chaos, and it's partially our doing no matter what people say, though I imagine Hoshido will receive their wrath either way but we won't know anything until we hear from Garon." Arete concluded.

"Yes. I will go and get to the bottom of this, please stay in recovery until you are well, mother." Xander said as he departs to see his father.

"Allow me to accompany you, you're Highness. I best be the one to inform his Majesty about what has transpired in Suzanoh." Iago volunteered and follows the Crown Prince.

"Very well, Iago. Besides, there is something I want to discuss with you anyway." Xander did not object as they walk through a large hall on their way to the Throne Room where King Garon will undoubtably be at as he prefers to be there more so than his own room chamber.

"My ears are yours wherever whenever, same as the King and Queen." Iago replied curious by what the Prince wants. Xander, nor his siblings never particularly liked the Top Tactician, mainly because of his violent methods but they've never engaged in any sort of argument, though that is because the Royals and Tactician never talk unless it is necessary, which is only when King Garon is in their presence. Of course, his dislike of Corrin is another reason, Xander more or less understood his behavior but that did not mean he would stand for it, especially the other three, so really, engaging in a conversation, even if it's just work talk is quite the rarity for Iago but that doesn't mean he is looking forward to it as he prefers not being around the Prince and Princesses, except Leo, Iago genuinely likes the younger Prince.

"During the battle to take Suzanoh as I made my way to Castle Shirasagi I learned a very interesting tale about you." Xander said with a deep frown.

"Oh? Is it another tale about being like the Boogeyman again, I've been hearing a lot of those lately, but mainly here in Nohr. Wonder what the Hoshidans think of me, no doubt I have become more infamous than his Majesty with my machinations." The Tactician smug in delight at how people seem to be scared by the mere mention of his name.

"Clearly, however this one is more absurd than the rest. Do you recall the monster that Hans said attacked him and Corrin in the Bottomless Canyon, the fiery demon who left him with those burns?" Xander asked.

"Of course, I'm the one who led the expedition to find our former princess and nursed that useless soldier to health after finding him near death escaping the Canyon. A real life demon that just attacked the Hoshidans who have taken the border for themselves despite the unstable Dragon Veins and could use the veins himself and forced Corrin to fight it, afterwards tragically dropped the Great Gunter to his death. What a tale most grim, no pun intended." Iago said sounding bothered. "Our spies have searched the canyon high and low but there seems to be no trace or proof that this demon exists, however, the King has discovered something just as concerning in Izumo but refuses to disclose anything with me, or even the Queen."

"The existence of demons is not something we should dismiss, especially with where our lives have led us now. But what really got my attention is that I was told that the attacked on Corrin was not by chance but planned and that you were the one who orchestrated to use her as a suicide bomber." Xander accused.

'He'll obviously deny it. He's a snake through and through, and if I push this, he'll become more wary of me than he already is and possibly plot against me but perhaps I can use that to my advantage. His hold on our Spy Network and Assassins is not as tight as he believes.' Xander thought, desperate for the truth and has chosen to take a very dangerous gamble.

"Oh? That's a new one and unexpected. But really, Crown Prince, can you really buy anything that comes out from the mouth of a Hoshidan in times like these. I made it no secret how I feel about that walking disaster you once had the indignity to call sister but you know my loyalty to the Crown and his Majesty has made it clear many times in the past that she is not to be harmed, at least not until the time for her sentence to be carried out finally comes. Besides, it is only natural for our enemies to want to spread the seeds of doubts upon us." Iago countered, playing ignorant as expected.

'What is he up to, he knows I will never admit to anything, he's much wiser than any of those noble imbeciles in the Royal Court. Does he actually think he can bait me into making a mistake and reveal something? Ridiculous.' Iago mused in irritation at what Xander may be implying. 'Still, I best play along and take whatever I can gain from this, easy enough, the loyalty he commands from our Spies and Assassins isn't as absolute as he deludes himself into believing.'

"Of course, such a thing has happened before from our more dishonorable foes and tricksters, however, the one who spread these words are from Corrin herself. And while lying is not above her, I find it curious on why she would accuse you of all people instead of father who is from Hoshido's point of view, the cause of all her suffering." Xander replied, leaving out the part that Corrin mentioned that he confessed the crime to her and the Hoshidan Royals. The two stop talking, Xander noticing that Iago had become startled by this news.

"What?! Corrin was in Suzanoh during the invasion?" He asked very surprised. "That cannot be, she was in Kyoto assisting her true siblings in apprehending their treacherous uncle, Yamamoto, where they became trapped by our prison spell to keep their strongest members in that city while we swarm the Capital. I oversaw the battle and cast the spell personally. The Magic Seal Dome was foolproof against even Mages as strong as that boytoy of hers!"

"Do not doubt my words, Iago, I saw Corrin with my own eyes and even fought her in a true battle for once, what's more, Robin was also there as well, we have no idea how great his magical prowess is but it's clear that he is beyond all of our magic users, even though he didn't seem that fierce when I faced him in the Opera House in terms of magecraft. I have no doubt that he was the one who reversed the effect of our Gate to pull us all back here somehow." Xander countered his words, while unknowingly tightening both his fist when Iago called the Hoshidan Royals Corrin's true siblings.

'Damn, it must've been Lilith. I was warned of her true nature before but even then I did not account by how strong that little dragon really was.' Iago concluded. 'I should've killed her long ago but even if I had managed to perfectly make it look like suicide, Jakob or Gunter might've still found an excuse to hold me responsible and considering how all the Royals, minus the King are fond of her I never would've been able to recover from that so I couldn't even spare her a glance, and I had no idea where she was when Corrin was sent to her personal hell.'

"Curses, so we didn't even manage to take Kyoto. How could we have underestimated that traitor so severely." Iago struggled to keep his composure and hide his newfound frustrations; this whole day has been a colossal failure. Unacceptable! "Still… I am surprised by this accusation. If Corrin held a grudge against me all these years, I would've imagined she send me a fair warning that she was coming for me but accusing me of using her like that. Why, I find myself flattered by this newly acquired malice."

"Is that a confession?" Xander accused.

"I'm just saying, as bad as everything is getting, they are also growing interesting and as it stands we just might turn it all in our favor still, I just need more time to clear things up." Iago assured him.

"Clear things up for who exactly?" Xander persisted.

"Xander?" The two stop their discussion, or rather interrogation and turn to see Xander's siblings walk to meet them along with their Retainers, including Xander's and Benny.

"What are you two doing back here so soon? Don't tell me the invasion on Suzanoh was also a failure?" Leo asked, greatly troubled.

"I'm afraid so, victory was within grasps but the Hoshidans managed to turn the tables on us with an impressive spell that forced us back here against our will." Xander said regrettably, to the frustration of his siblings, minus Elise and the Retainers don't seem phased by this news.

"Qliphoth's Bane! What went wrong this time? Was it Corrin again?" Leo muttered, unsurprised by this continued defiance.

"Robin." Xander responded, and in a flash, the one to react to this is Camilla as she succumbs to rage and blindly swings her axe at her left, cracking a wall, along with a portrait of an old previous king of Nohr, startling mostly the Retainers and Elise by her sudden outburst.

"That was a precious portrait of your grandfather; King Tyr." Iago pointed out nonchalantly.

"She knows what she's done." Xander muttered.

"You said he was DEAD, Xander!" Camilla snapped furiously at her brother, her behavior strangely mirroring the heartless Malig Knight Robin faced.

"That was what I thought as well, I left a deep and large gash on his chest with Siegfried, he shouldn't have recovered from that but he was more than capable of defeating the largest Carnage we summoned so swiftly and took control of one of our Gates and used it to pull us back here like a vacuum." Xander explained, nervous himself by Camilla now.

"Impossible." Leo uttered, not able to believe what he just heard. "His magic was below my own last we saw him."

Without anyone noticing, Odin, Laslow and Selena exchanged knowing looks of nervousness and relief to hear about Robin.

"Damn him! Damn him to the Sea of Despair! He just won't stop tormenting us!" Camilla cursed venomously, looking like she's ready to shed tears of anguish. "Oh, why Corrin… why does it always have to be him?"

"Wait, what about mother, she was in the invasion as well?" Elise asked, desperately wanting to drop this uncomfortable subject.

"She's fine, out of everyone, she received the more minor wounds, her right hand was burned but nothing that our healers can't heal immediately, I'm sure she's alright now." Xander said with a confident smile to remove all worries but that did not work with her as Elise quickly runs away from everyone to see Arete and aid her herself.

"Milady, wait for us!" Effie called out as she and Arthur run after her.

"Please, Princess, these halls are dangerous, take it from me!" Arthur pleaded. Benny also followed them due to being Arete's retainer, though he was strangely dismissed from partaking in the previous attack.

"Stubbornly believing that no one can be properly taken cared of unless she's the one doing the healing, like her Shadowiness." Iago rolled his eye in annoyance.

"Her best trait, without a doubt." Odin replied.

"So, now what do we do, we just lost our golden opportunity for an easy win and can't just go rushing in on another offensive?" Zero asked annoyed.

"We shouldn't remain on the offensive, we committed too much to this assault and losing like we did cost us a lot of magic." Leo countered.

"I agree, we've pushed too hard on Hoshido and now we must focus on our defenses." Iago added.

"Have you both lost your minds?!" Camilla argued against them but her words held little venom because one of them is Leo. "We can't just hold back now; Corrin is still within our reach!"

"You're ferocity and fighting spirit is admirable you're Highness but we must not push our men any further. Our recent major battles have resulted in failures and the Royal Guard has been reduced to a meager few dozen from what occurred in the Opera House, we have been deprived of our full might, and while it bothers me to say it, we mustn't rely too much on our Grimm, otherwise our more weak-willed men will start to lose faith in their abilities and abandon their service. It's already happened six times within the previous month." Iago advised again.

"He's right, and I rather not let him do the convincing to not abandon their pose like the last time." Xander added as he turns to his raging sister and places a gentle hand on her left shoulder. "Sister, you know I feel your pain and your anger but you must not let your emotions make the decisions for you. Remember that you are a Princess of Nohr before an older sister to our siblings and right now you have to think of the welfare of those you can look after and depend on you rather than those who aren't here with us." He pleaded for her to embrace her duty as a Princess more since she does have a tendency to not necessarily slack off but definitely ignore her duties. Xander blames Arete for spoiling her a bit more so than the rest of them. While his words do not fall on deaf ears, Camilla still delivers a cold shoulder, tossing his hand off her.

"Don't tell me what's right and what isn't! I know what I must do, and I'll never stop until Corrin returns to where she belongs and I have Robin's head planted on my wall!" Camilla growled, refusing to relent and walks away from everyone to avoid this discussion further, leaving Xander to sigh in disappointment, Leo to shook his head in annoyance and most of the Retainers, in particular, the secret Trio nervous at her declaration.

"Well, she's a lost cause as usual." Leo muttered.

"Please, do not say such things, Leo, you know what Camilla is like when she gets emotional and things don't go her way. We merely have to watch out for her some more. On that I know I can count on the two of you." Xander said addressing Selena and Beruka.

"Sure thing, Lady Camilla's in good hands." Selena replied, looking confident.

"Affirmative." Beruka replied bluntly.

"Good, now I must be off to meet with my Father. Will you come with me Leo?" Xander asked.

"Of course, I too am curious over what's going on in Nestra." Leo said as everyone pretty much went their separate ways with the only ones remaining are Odin, Laslow and Selena who are alone now.

"So… we can all agree that Nohr is pretty much screwed at this point." Laslow asked, seeing their chances for victory dropping like flies.

"Well, if you want a precise percent on our odds I say we're about…" Odin tried to count their odds against Hoshido.

"We're gonna get our asses kicked." Selena blurted bluntly.

"Yes, there is a high probability that a great many of us will have our butts kicked really hard. We basically lost this war the moment Robin join Hoshido." Odin sighed. "Still though, something seems terribly off about what Lord Xander just said regarding how he was defeated."

"I know, defeating Xander in swordplay and reversing a spell so strong like that to do his bidding I can buy easily but defeating a Grimm as powerful as the recent Carnage that was sent to attack Suzanoh in such a short amount of time. That seems a bit far-fetched, and I say that despite aware of Robin's previous accomplishments, not including slaying Grima once and for all." Laslow added.

"He's never had that kind of power before. It's one thing to be the Strongest Mage among the Shepherds and all of Ylisse and New Valentia but the kind of power he's been displaying seems godlike." Selena muttered.

"Well, the man we've encountered and been fighting against is definitely not Grima, I'm sure of it. Maybe… maybe before he fell and was somehow revived he managed to absorb a fraction of the Fell Dragon's power. It's not outside the realm of possibilities given his use of Dark Aether and how he obtained it in the first place." Odin suggested.

"That could explain it but still." Selena said as she summons her Morgenstern into her hand and stares at it intently. "What does that mean then, that we turn the tables. It's not like we ever stood a chance against him, nor do I ever want to see any of our blades raise at him again."

"Severa…" Laslow replied with a sadness that all three of them share.

"Come now my friends, have heart and lift your spirits as the Prideful children of the Shepherds." Odin said as the voice of reason and optimism for his comrades and wraps both his arms around them to pull them closer. "Surely you have not forgotten our solemn vows? Win or Lose, we live together and die together. Nohr's crimes have turn the world against them and refuse to see their light because of it, as such we must do right by them and stick with them to the end. Right?"

"Always have to be the voice of optimism, don't you." Selena hissed but gratefully.

"If there's one thing I learn from my mother is that one must never give in to hopelessness, and that belief is a part of the Shepherds's Creed, after all." Odin smirked.

"Truer words, Odin, my friend." Laslow chuckled with the three more upbeat as they depart to see their allies and masters.

"By the way, Odin, how come you're not carrying the "Radiant Sword" with you? You usually can't stop yourself from showing the blade off to others." Selena asked as the golden sword that Odin wields was strangely absent during the fight in Cheve and since coming back. Odin and Laslow cease their walking, nervously looking at each other, not wanting to respond to that.

"Well… you see…" Odin uttered.

"Robin took it back, didn't he?" Selena surmised.

"Yeah…" Laslow uttered. Selena just raises her hands in defeat.

"I quit… I QUIT!" She just snapped, leaving her two ashamed comrades behind.

Sadly, they weren't as alone as they initially thought as a weak-looking warlock manage to eavesdrop on them without their knowledge.

"Oh my, this is certainly the kind of juicy stuff I've been waiting for. But who should I tell? The King and Queen will never make time for me and their Highnesses pretty much don't know I even exist. Guess that leaves Iago but he'll undoubtedly take things too far with this information. What to do, what to do?" He contemplated.

* * *

"Mother!" Elise called out as she rushes to her stepmother who is almost done being healed as she lies down comfortably on a chair with Charlotte and Silas beside her.

"Elise, dear, no running, the floor is quite bloodied and you could slip." Arete scolded but the little Princess ignores her words and runs in until she reaches the Queen and holds her in a hug.

"You're Grace, Charlotte, are you both alright?" Benny asked with concern as he, Effie and Arthur catch up.

"Yep, we may have lost this battle but I came back satisfied." Charlotte shrugged, referring to her besting Reina.

"No need to worry about me too much, Benny, dear. Our losses in the attack weren't that awful." Arete replied.

"I wouldn't speak so callously about our fallen, you're Majesty." Silas muttered.

"You know I meant nothing by it, Sir Silas." Arete said more empathetic.

"We know what you mean to say, you're Grace. Your words are truly the flames that spark morale to all our comrades and inspire us to walk tall in the face of injustice." Arthur praised.

"And it helps that you do a better job in keeping all of us from starving more so than the other Nobles." Effie added, admittedly for a much more selfish reason.

"As usual, you two never hesitate to speak your minds." Arete chuckled, amused. She then turns back to Elise who is shaking and may be sobbing. "Elise, honey, what is wrong? "

"You're alright. You, Xander and everyone came back safely." Elise sobbed bitterly, while excluding Corrin. She's been scared ever since she was forced to remain in Krakenburg while her family was out fighting against their enemies, not sure if they were going to come back alive with how the tables have turned against them with Corrin and Robin's betrayal.

"Oh, Elise." Arete smiled at her warmly as she holds her in her own hug. "I'm never going to leave you. No matter how bad things get, I won't do anything that will cost me to be separated from you and our family."

"You promise?" Elise pleaded.

"Mothers never break their promises, my daughter." Arete assured her. "Never."

With that solemn vow, Arete returns her attention to the strange emblem on her left hand and can't help but feel a sting of familiarity by the sight of it alone but she just can't put her finger right at it. The fact that the Queen of Hoshido also bared the same brand on her right hand also raises the mystery over what might be going on now all the sudden.

'How curious.'

* * *

"Goodbye, Yukimura. Your years of service and friendship shall never be forgotten." Mikoto said solemnly as she, her children and comrades mourn for their fallen who gave their lives defending the Heart of Hoshido. Ryoma and the rest returned roughly an hour after the battle had all but ended and were devastated by the mere sight of the state of their beloved Capital.

"Oh, poor Yuki." Orochi sobbed bitterly for the loss of their friend.

"Dammit all." Oboro cursed in sadness.

"This is the last straw. All of Nohr will suffer for this." Saizo swore with tightened fists.

Corrin keeps her distance from practically all the Hoshidans, not being of any use for comfort in such a grievous moment with only Robin, Lilith, Jakob and Felicia remaining by her side, feeling pretty much the same, mainly for having no such attachment to any of them in the case for the two newcomers. Corrin can almost feel the rage and anguish in the air, so thick and palpable like she could actually cut it with her sword. The once beautiful castle lies devastated, while still easily repairable it is still quite the stroke to the heart to see it in such a beaten state, though Corrin herself feels little for it, she understands clearly enough how it affects her Hoshidan Family to see their home like this, though the damages to Shirasagi pales in comparison to what's become of the Capital. The mere sight of Suzanoh distraught everyone, including those who just came back from Kyoto and freeing it from Yamamoto's clutches. Even though this isn't Rinkah's home, she too is bothered by this and not even Ryoma and Saizo could hide their own sadness, nor masquerade it with the rage they obviously feel inside, Azura herself is sadden by what became of the heart of their Kingdom of Light. Now more than ever, a peace treaty through words for the two nations is impossible, devastating Corrin.

"Oh, brother, why did it have to be you…" A Samurai on his knees sobs while mourning the loss of his younger brother.

"Why… you said we be together forever." A bitter maiden clings to the body of her deceased lover. It's pretty much like this everywhere around, the people in mourning for those they lost. It is truly a scene that tears one's asunder.

"Gods, this was all so pointless." Corrin uttered, completely taken by all of this. "None of this should've happened."

"We can all agree on that but sadly this is the reality of war, and the cost that those with little qualms are willing to pay for victory." Robin said, bothered by all this death and chaos but remains composed enough that some might mistake him for being apathetic like Azura is described sometimes. "What matters is that we managed to stop it before it got considerably worse and many more lives were lost."

"I didn't manage anything! I stood my ground against Xander for once in my life and he tossed me aside like I was a ragdoll and not worth anyone's time." Corrin cursed herself for being so weak.

"Corrin…" Lilith muttered.

"I couldn't protect anyone in this fight, I was as helpless as I was in the Northern Fortress. I had to be one of the protected yet again and even Reina almost died." Corrin continue to wallow in self-pity.

"Chastising oneself is never the answer Corrin. There's no helping it now but that doesn't mean you should bent it out like this." Robin persisted.

"Honestly, what baffles me the most is how calm you are taking all this. I get that you have no real attachment to Hoshido but the way you are handling all this is really upsetting me, Robin." Corrin complained, somehow finding her Tactician's gentle demeanor disturbing. "Hundreds of people died today, not just in the Capital. Husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters grandsons and granddaughters alike! Even if somehow only one person lost their life to this it still would've been too much for me because it was a death done by the hands of Nohr! That was our home and yet they've caused all this right under my nose. Worse and more. Doesn't any of that bother you."

"You and everyone else can say whatever they want about me, Corrin but at the very least don't mistake my lack of a reaction as being completely detached from everyone. I'm not apathetic to any of this madness. I've just closed my heart to it for the time being." Robin replied to her harsh words, looking pretty much the same but his voice gives a different tune.

"Closed your heart? You'd mentioned that to me before during our first fight with Envy." Corrin remembered.

"Yes, during my quest to find where I belong I discovered something. No, that's not the right word, more like… rediscovered something deep in the depths of my mind as I traveled across Nohr and saw the state it's in when compared to the rest of the world, and that is that on any journey, no matter how simple it might seem those who walk such paths will encounter any manner of hardship. There's so many people with their own individuality that sets them apart but the thing that binds them together still are ideals, rather it's for the wrong reasons or the right, everyone wants something to live by rather it's peace itself or combat, people walk towards a common way of living and when said way of life collides with others who are at odds in any way, no matter how similar, the seeds of strife are sowed. They may be resolved in peaceful matters in due time but it can be more natural for people to want to keep things in their favor and spread more strife, especially when they don't really mean to until eventually both sides start to fight, inflicting pain and worse for the sake of keeping their beliefs alive. And when a battle breaks those who fight must not feel for their enemies."

"I don't…"

"Cor, there is something you need to realize now and it is long overdue, and that is that while justice and everything else that makes the world and humanity pure and righteous may be real they won't always play a role in War. Both sides fight for what they believe to be noble and just, Hoshido wanting to preserve their way of life and Nohr invading to improve their lives by stealing from others, each one deems their cause and reason for fighting noble but what very few purposely ignore or refuse to accept is that there is no such thing as a noble fight. When people fight for a cause, all that happens is that different ideals are pitted against each other. All sides believe they're in the right and a battlefield where everyone is prepared to end someone else's life for their own purposes, who's to say that Justice really exist? So my advise to you and our comrades is this: When the time comes to face the Nohrians and your Nohrian family again be decisive and make your choices consciously. Most of all, steel yourself for what comes after, because, Corrin, those choices will always bear consequences and you will want to be ready for when those consequences do come and you're gonna have to live with your choices for the rest of your life." Robin gave out his deep words of advice to his Princess, leaving her again speechless on what to say on the matter.

"Sometimes there's not a clear right or wrong answer. Sometimes you can't have it your own way. Sometimes your choices may backfire on you. Sometimes your actions will have severe consequences, and sometimes learning the truth can be painful and outright change everything you've come to know as you've experienced firsthand, but ultimately when you do make that choice, you should stand by your decision and fight for what you believe in because while you may not be right in the eyes of others it is what you feel is best for yourself and the ones that matter to you the most no matter how much it hurts you to do so and it will hurt because your notion of peace; a world where all nations live together in perfect harmony is not the same peace that others want." Robin continued. "You're a Princess of Hoshido now and that not only means that you get to experience all the privileges of this kingdom, you have a moral responsibility to make tough calls when the time comes for it and to be effective in combat a warrior must not feel for those who will and must fall, closing one's heart to the wants and begs of those who can't be saved. Close your heart to their desperations, close your heart to their suffering, enough that you let nothing hold you back from your duties but never to the point where you stop caring for people in general."

"Well… as irksome as it is to admit, he is correct you're Highness. You can't switch kingdoms and expect things to go smoothly and make everyone live happily ever after regardless of all the pain and hate that was born from this war, if it were so simple I'd had done it all for you myself a long time ago, but sadly the world seems to favor selfishness over selflessness. Either one side has their way or no one can and this sort of thing happens." Jakob begrudgingly acknowledges the value of Robin's words and supports him to better help Corrin.

'The world favors selfishness over selflessness. Just as Hydra said before.' Corrin mused in sadness.

"But… I'm not a real leader, when do I know what the right choice is?" Corrin asked.

"You won't, not immediately, sometimes it just is, Corrin, a Leap of Faith." Robin gives her a soft smile while placing a hand on her right shoulder. Both Mikoto and Azura then walk to them to see how she's doing.

"Everything alright with you all?" Mikoto asked.

"I'll pull through, my wounds are physical after all but yours on the other hand I can already tell are the scars that can't be seen." Corrin said with worry for her mother regarding the death of Yukimura.

"Yuki was a longtime friend of Sumeragi's family, his loyalty held no equal amongst the soldiers and was your siblings' caretakers and mentor long before I came. An uncle to them and one of the first people to quickly accept me in the court." Mikoto said with great sorrow in her face. "A lot of brave souls have been lost ever since we first lost your stepfather, Yuki's death will impact the army just as badly as Sumeragi's."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Corrin apologized, sad for her sorrow but shamefully not completely for Yukimura since she barely knew him and only had the things she was told about by her new allies.

"We've both been hearing that a lot lately." Mikoto sighed, feeling largely stressed out. "Still, tomorrow things will start to improve, first thing in the morning, I'm reactivating my barrier, which will force all of Nohr's forces and all others who threaten Hoshido to fall back with their will to fight and bloodlust completely gone once again, and the Grimm stripped of more of their strength and we've decided to make contact with Archduke Izumo with the hopes that we can use his unique magic to reconstruct all that was destroyed at least in Suzanoh."

"I just hope it isn't too much trouble for him." Corrin said.

"I hope so too, it is regrettable to have such a sweet man get dragged into all this mess." Mikoto said.

"At any rate, mom, don't you think you should be doing something about your broken dress. Not that I'm one to talk or anything but it is unbecoming of a queen to leave herself in this state." Corrin said as she notes how Mikoto is still as much of a mess as Arete left her as.

"No, I think I'll hold off on that for a little while longer. I'm going to give a speech to our citizens and I want them to see me like this." Mikoto said, earning her confuse glances from everyone, though Robin and Jakob quickly caught on.

"Ah, I see, you want to show a strong front to the people by having them bare witness that even you endured the front of this invasion and survived." Robin noted.

"Yep, Queen Arete truly made things personal now and I'm not going to let her or anyone else treat me like a punching bag. I get enough of that from the Nobles." Mikoto said keeping a strong front.

"Hope that doesn't backfire. Stunts like this have a higher probability of not going well." Jakob noted.

"I'm painfully aware but I'm going through with it regardless. I just came here to let you know that." Mikoto said as she walks off to Ryoma and tell her what she intends to do, who will obviously support her and as she walks, Kaze moves pass her to check up on Corrin and overheard what she said.

"The Queen is tougher than people give her credit." Kaze praised.

"I can see the family resemblance." Jakob smiled.

"What are you going to do about that? I'm not sure if now is a good time to face the people but compared to what we're going to do moving forward, this should be merciful." Robin suggested to Corrin about what to do next.

"Words can be more powerful than a blade, as you have just proven with your bombshell words of wisdom. And I've always been all bite and no bark and my fangs aren't even that intimidating. Heck, as a Dragon I don't even have a mouth and yet I'm still able to use a breath attack." Corrin muttered, nervous about doing this. "And it's not like I can stay quiet during the whole thing."

"True but knowing Lord Ryoma, he'll most likely focus all attention to him because he and the royals have been to many large crowds before and seldom have I seen them besides the Queen and High Prince talk to the public. Lady Hinoka is a fighter first before a princess, same with Lord Takumi who prefers to let his bow do the talking most of the time and Lady Sakura is… well, Lady Sakura." Kaze explained. "While the people have a right to hear it from your own words that you'll fight for them, I believe that the Yato can ease their demands, after all, you are the bearer of its power so the odds should be in your favor. But if you don't want to that's alright. Not like you can focus on satisfying the masses when your heart is set on something else."

"Quite true, Milady, even though you have a royal duty to appease the masses, a Princess's life need not be just for the sake of the people. There can be no shame in wanting to focus on yourself, and more importantly." Jakob added.

"Wish I learned that years ago, otherwise I be even less nervous already." Corrin sighed.

"How awful." Mozu uttered, largely disturbed and saddened by all this sorrow, her thoughts returning to the day she lost her friends and family and the bitter grief when they were all buried and laid to rest.

"Yeah, this whole mess is as bad as my old man said it would but seeing it up close is actually a whole lot worse." Hayato said as even with his huge ego, is starting to lose heart with all this chaos and fears the worst for all of them if this continues.

"Even after all we managed to pull there were still so many we couldn't save." Mozu said with regret and the true weight of this war finally daunting on her.

"Hey now, don't put yourself down like that, little girl, you did all you could and more so than anyone expected you would. You're a true Hoshidan through and through." Orochi said comforting to the young Villager, while placing her hands on her shoulders.

"Darn right, you came close to defending the castle gates all on your own from what we heard. With enough training you can bet that both us and the people of Cheve will be in good hands in the foreseeable future." Hana praised.

"Aww, thanks guys I really…" Mozu is caught off from her words as a rock is suddenly thrown right at her forehead. While it did not hurt her much because of her awaken dragon heritage, it still cause her to bleed on the spot and shocks her, causing her to turn around and sees that the one who threw it is one of the grieving Hoshidans, glaring hate-filled eyes on her.

"Hey, what's the big idea!" Hayato demanded angrily, witnessing to the sudden occurrence, earning the attention of everyone in the vicinity, and getting alarming reactions from those close to Mozu once they noticed the blood on her head.

"What is SHE still doing here?!" The grieving Hoshidan demanded furiously at Mozu. "She's a Nohrian too!"

"What…?" Mozu uttered, speechless by the animosity thrown at her. Quickly Hayato and Hana pull her behind them to keep her from having more rocks thrown and Orochi holds her closely for extra measure.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Ryoma shouted, angry that one of his soldiers would dare disrupt the mourning of their fallen and attack one of their comrades.

"She's a Nohrian! I saw her get pulled into the portal same as the rest of the scums! She shouldn't be here!" She continued with her violent outburst.

"Kūkaku, shut up! Don't you dare mix her up with THEM!" Oboro warned, not standing for Mozu to be put down because one of her parents hailed from Nohr. As if to add more tension and make things worse, another one enters the argument.

"She's right! She shouldn't be here. All Nohrians are monsters! We can't let a single trace of them continue to live any longer!" Another angry Hoshidan boasted with more venom in his tone and hatred in his eyes. And while his outburst can be sympathized by all of them, the fact that he seems willing to kill even children for being of Nohr is where the line will be drawn.

"HEY, hey, hey, you shut your god damn mouth! If we want to hear you talk, I will shove my arm up your ass and move your head like a puppet! You Hear me! YOU HEAR ME!" Hinata raised his tone next in outraged and raising his right fist for emphasis.

"Anyone who defends a Nohrian is a traitor to Hoshido!" He persisted.

"Traitors, are we?" Takumi growled, hitching for a fight, though it is all stopped before it even began by a weak twister created by Robin made between them as a warning to cease this as he, and the rest of them arrive to quell the fighting.

"Everyone… as Queen, I beg of you to peacefully send off the souls of those who lost their lives today into the Eternal Flame so that they may find their way into Sephiroth's Garden of Eden." Mikoto pleaded for everyone to come together and not fight.

"You're Majesty." Orochi uttered.

"And if possible, I ask that you strive to restore our home. The Nohrians have finally personally ravaged us at our heart. To that end we must stand as one. It doesn't matter where we're from, everyone here is fighting for the same cause. If that's not enough to convince you and if my words won't reach you to mend your wounded hearts, I can do no more than hope that what you choose to do next is truly for the good of our people and not just yourself?" Mikoto continued. "But one thing I know with certainty is that one can never truly mend a wounded heart by lashing out their hatred at someone else, it will only make you feel worse and ultimately lead you to become what you hate the most."

Thankfully Mikoto's words did in fact reached everyone as the hostility ceased altogether with the two who started the fight now bearing shameful expressions and the mood returning to being somber once again. Corrin ignores all that and walks to Mozu.

"Come on, let's get that patched up." She insisted as she takes Mozu's hand and takes her back to the castle with her retainers and Azura following.

"Such a reaction was to be expected but I'm more relief and shock that they aren't pointing their rage at you as well, along with Jakob." Robin sighed.

"None more than me, especially after my pitiful attempts to protect the Queen from my mother's wrath." Azura muttered, clouded by shame and regret.

"Things are getting worse and worse every day, Ryoma." Hinoka muttered.

"I know." Ryoma sighed.

"And it's not just them but with what we experienced in Kyoto. How many more are out there who don't trust us anymore and are forming rebellions? How many were you forced to cut down to try and get to Yamamoto again?" She asked.

"Too many." Ryoma confessed shamefully. "But as bad as things are getting, Sephiroth's Light is still waiting for us at the end of this ugly tunnel, we just can't see it yet, but I'll find it. This I swear."

* * *

Corrin, Mozu, Lilith, Felicia, Kaze and Jakob return to their room with the former Maid beginning to heal up the younger one's injury effortlessly.

"There you go, good as new." Felicia smiled, all done already.

"Thanks." Mozu said feeling better.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you Mozu, it wasn't right how you were just treated, and I hope you'll one day find it in you to forgive my comrades for their behavior." Kaze said with great shame.

"Don't worry about that. I barely felt the hit, I was just surprised is all." Mozu tried to brush off and keep a strong front, but the small shake in her body tells them a different story.

"Even still, it shouldn't had happened, but people can behave so uncharacteristic when overtaken by grief and anger." Kaze said.

"Something that happens quite often in Nohr, I might add. How tragic that their influence would spread so quickly." Jakob sighed, most agitated.

"You've seen behavior like that before?" Corrin asked.

"Of a similar sort, whenever I depart from the fortress to gather the ingredients of the meals and sweets you've requested and we are out. The poverty has always been a common occurrence, although food hasn't been completely scarce in recent years but such depressions have led to plenty of rebellions from the commoners demanding for more food, accusing the nobility of having it all to themselves, which they are typically not always wrong I might add, so fights were constant and outbursts similar to the one we just witnessed are sadly not a rarity. My homeland truly is a sad place to call home." Jakob explained with great disappointment. "And yet, I cannot shake this sense of regret over standing against my people but still I must for this war is only exposing their worse traits even further and depriving them of their morals even more and it vexes me to be around such barbarians, even more so to let any of them be near you again."

"I always hated how everyone seldom told me about the real state the people are in, I kept fearing what would occur when I saw it all for the first time." Corrin said distress.

"We're sorry, Milady. Lord Xander was concerned for your health due to your lack of experience with the outside world and hoped to prepare you from a safe distance. But I guess all of that proved to be more or less another lie of King Garon." Felicia mumbled.

"You guys followed what you believed in is all, it would be selfish to hold you responsible." Corrin shrugged, not letting this get to her much. She then only now notices that Robin and Azura aren't here with them. "Hey, where did Robin and Azura go?"

"Lady Azura has grown weary and wanted to go to her room to rest early and Robin chose to escort her. Considering how on edge everyone is right now, I think it be safer if no one traveled alone at least until tomorrow when the Queen will finally be able to reuse the Barrier of Concord." Kaze explained.

"Good point, we should all rest up early. The Citizens of Hoshido may finally rest easier tomorrow." Corrin said calmly before shifting her thoughts to something else. "Kaze, did you know what Iago meant when he said he was a survivor of Shion? Is that a place?"

"I'm afraid I do know what he meant. Shion was the name of a border town that existed nearby the Bottomless Canyon alongside another town; Kuchinashi. They were both Hoshidan but like the Anti-Nohr zones, Nohrians lived there alongside purebred Hoshidans." Kaze explained visibly sad.

"Lived? You mean Shion is gone?"

"Yes, Not long after King Sumeragi was murdered and you taken, all of Hoshido despaired until their rage overtook them and since Shion housed Nohrians, the more violent members of the nation went berserk and burned the town to the ground, sparing no one, including the fellow Hoshidans, either for getting in the way or defending their fellow townsfolk, it was reported that there were no survivors until we were recently proven wrong." Kaze revealed, earning him horrified gasps from the others, minus Jakob who just narrowed his eyes. "And as for Kuchinashi, they were lucky as the Nohrians there returned to Nohr before they were caught and the riots would've reached the other zones but the Queen ceased all violence with her barrier as it was first used to quell everyone's animosity before she turned it on Nohr."

"How awful." Felicia muttered. "Is that why Iago is like this?"

"Most likely, though based on what I know there was never a mention of where he was born, only that his nationality is Nohr and he joined the army as a Warlock when he was fifteen, something about being in desperate need for money to provide treatment for a relative who was mentally ill." Jakob said bothered.

"Is that why he hates me so much?" Corrin uttered baffled by this revelation. "But he despises the Royal Family mainly, how can that be true when my mother was the one who stop the riot?"

"That's the spark that baffles me the most to this day. The real reason that started the riot was that supposedly, prior to his death, King Sumeragi issued one final order that all Nohrians were to be removed from Hoshido in retaliation for his unjust death." Kaze continued.

"That… can't be." Corrin muttered in disbelief.

"I completely agree with you, Lady Corrin. As brash as his Majesty was sometimes, it was difficult for even my father, who was the most loyal of his reign to believe that he would make such a harsh final command. There wasn't even anyone there to see him die but yourself. There's no way anyone among us would know what his final words really were but at the time no one questioned it because of the state of chaos. One could argue that his murderers were the ones to spread the rumor to put Hoshido in disarray but that makes even less sense because King Garon has been professing his innocence for years with many claiming that he was still in Windmire that night, even though there were eyewitnesses who saw him in Cyrkensia when it happened, leaving the city, carrying a severed head in his hand and his signature weapon covered in blood, and the King's cause of death was decapitation with his head nowhere to be found." Kaze added. "What's more, the street where his body was found was in complete disaster, like a beast of some sort went on a rampage and tore the buildings apart but whatever it was there's no proof that it is responsible for the death of the King."

"Gods dammit!" Corrin growled, frustrated by all this. "After all this time and still no one bothered to learn the truth? They just let themselves be convinced by only what was noticed?"

"I'm afraid that's how prosecution works on occasions." Kaze shook his head. "And of course, you must be thinking that maybe the Seven Deadly Sins must've been involved and while that's not outside the realm of possibilities you have to remember that humans and demons aren't all that different from each other so you shouldn't bother trying to absolve anyone over past crimes."

"I'm not going to absolve anyone of anything. But what I'm going to do is find Iago and ram him to the ground and get him to tell me everything he knows about the Seven. The Rainbow Sage's words are starting to make sense now. We get Iago, we get closer to my true objective and my true enemies." Corrin declared adamantly with new conviction to fight. Iago may have Nohr backing him up but he has no idea what he's started by making her his enemy.

"I'm glad you would say that milady because there is something Felicia and I need to discuss with you regarding this other world hiding in the Bottomless Canyon." Jakob said in a very serious tone.

"Right, forgot that was still a thing. What's up?" She replied.

"Well… it's about the brand your mother has on her right hand."

"What brand, she doesn't have any on her hands." Corrin stated.

"Not until recently." Kaze corrected, regaining the Princess's full attention. "According to the soldiers who were fighting off the invading Nohrians and later the Queen who was bested by the Shadow Queen, during the final moments of the fight Arete suddenly ceased her attempted murder after a strange brand suddenly manifested on her left hand that caught her off guard and at the same time one manifested on your mother." Kaze explained. "I didn't notice until I watched Felicia freak out by the sight of it and showed it to Jakob and I was tempted to see. You and the others never noticed, more concern with the wellbeing of the Queen and everyone else. And the sight of it honestly disturbed me."

"What kind of brand was it?" Corrin asked nervously.

"It was the same brand that you showed us before, the one that was savagely carved into Lord Izana's chest when he tried to communicate with the Dawn Dragon." Kaze informed, which immediately horrified Corrin as she did made a drawing of that same emblem to show the others to keep an eye out for it in the hopes to find out any clues of this mysterious assailant.

"That's not possible…" She uttered.

"There's more, I'm afraid, Felicia and I have seen that emblem as well in the other world in certain buildings that we easily deduced that it is the emblem of a nation, and while very faint it does show minor similarities to the emblems of Nohr and Hoshido." Jakob continued.

"Not to mention that we also found the emblem closely related to statues of a dragon unlike any we've seen before." Felicia added.

"But what does that mean, that my mothers, Azura and I originated from the same Deeprealm as the Seven? Is that why Wrath sounded like he knew me?" Corrin said growing increasingly scared.

"I don't think that this other world is a Deeprealm because people who live and originated from those worlds have this unique scent of sorts that can only be tracked by magical lifeforms like myself, and while my dragon nose isn't that good, or my hearing for that matter I would've still been able to notice it on Mikoto and no matter how many years one spends in the Central Realms like this one, the scent never goes away, leaving me to conclude that this other world is actually one of the Outrealms. As in, another universe, of which there's really no way to tell one of us apart from those in what lies beyond our own universe." Lilith explained.

"That still doesn't change the fact that Mikoto and Arete might be from this other place where we lost Gunter." Corrin protested weakly. "Wait, the legend of the Silent Dragon? In the Canyon there used to be a grand kingdom at the center of Horus."

"You're Highness, that's just a legend, out of all the Precursors who ruled all of Horus and every man, animal, beast and dragon not a single one of them goes by that title." Kaze informed.

"Y-yeah, it's just some folktale my dad used to tell me and Flora when we were young. A lot of gods spoken of over the centuries turned out to be make-believe." Felicia added.

"Plus, it's preposterous to think that such a terrible canyon used to be a lushes field once upon a time, magic aside there would've been hard proof and many scholars and adventurers have explored that deep darkness through a safe passage of sorts, spending over thirteen days going further and further down in search if somehow this forgotten kingdom really exists and aside from some very valuable treasure and unique items worth millions, nothing ever turned up that proves this kingdom existed." Jakob said.

"But you've been there, you've said as much, Jakob and you're no liar." Corrin countered.

"Yes, I know what we saw down there and the danger we were in was very real but still, during our struggle for survival we never saw that abomination of fire ever again and if he did originate from that place he must've known about us still alive and tried to find us and yet we uncovered no evidence that he or his siblings really live there and before hiding in that cave for days we discovered this old library that looks like it was abandoned for at least a decade or so and aside from some fascinating tales that resemble the archives found in Krakenburg, according to Gunter, nothing led us to believe in this Silent Dragon, nor the Seven Deadly Sins, the entire place felt like a Dead Zone and those flaming people certainly didn't feel like they were alive."

"But they're all real and this all proves that my mother knows something or used to know something but she has amnesia. DAMMIT!" Corrin snapped, punching a hole in a wall. "How can we be three steps behind those who want to destroy us?"

"We may need to speak with the Rainbow Sage again, he must know more than he is leading on." Kaze suggested.

"Obviously but he insisted that Nohr should be our top priority." Corrin said.

"That doesn't sound like a good idea, unless he knew about this evil tactician before we did." Mozu said.

"I know but what else can we do, it doesn't matter that the barrier will keep the Nohrians away, they'll just find a way to destroy it, Iago is in on the Seven's buddy list not to mention that there's still Garon's original assassination plan for mother that he hasn't pulled yet."

"Yeah but we told Prince Xander the truth of Iago's foul play and he looked like he believed us, so that could help." Felicia suggested.

"I know he believed me but I doubt he'll really help us, as much as he dislikes Iago, there's no denying his methods are effective and to father's liking. Leo is better but he lacks the fire that father prefers when achieving victory, or at least that's how Gunter put it once." Corrin muttered, certain that even if Xander decides to exposed Iago for being one of the main catalyst for her desertion he'll hold it off for another time, which could take too long for her patience.

"We should tell the others about this as well." Kaze suggested.

"No, not yet. Ryoma and the rest already have a lot on their minds, giving the faintest hint that mother's past might create doubt and that's the last thing anyone needs right now." Corrin declined.

"I agree but keeping everyone in the dark may prove to be just as bad." Kaze objected.

"I know, I know, but right now everyone's focus should be with the people, plus there's still the issue with Cheve and making sure they're ready to fight with us by doing something about the spies. Telling them can wait and we won't approach Mikoto about this, maybe she really knows something, maybe she doesn't but right now what everyone really needs is unity and if what just happened is any indication, everyone might as well be more divided than ever." Corrin declared.

"Very well, Milady. I trust your judgement." Kaze replied, somehow noting this as a small improvement from Corrin's usual troubled state.

"Good, as long as we're all in agreement. Though, I trust it's okay for Robin and Azura to also know about this already since they're way more open-minded about these sorts of things than me."

Corrin then shifts her attention to Lilith who begins to cough a bit and later breathes weakly while holding her chest.

"Lilith, are you okay?"

"Yeah… I just… used more power than I should have when dispelling that dome in Kyoto, I've never been this drained before. I don't even have the energy to enter the Astral Realm now." Lilith muttered.

"Then rest up and get better because Gods know you deserve it as much as the rest of us." Corrin demanded as she makes the younger dragon lie down on her bed. "No buts until you're all better."

"Yes, ma'am." Lilith smiled.

* * *

Azura falls down to her knees with her head buried on her bed as she begins to let out her emotions again once she and Robin return to her room, no one around for quite a fair distance. Seeing her mother yet again and seeing her like that really hurt her this time and her inability to stop her bloody rampage shook her to the core, eating her up inside. It was like she was really a demon posing as Arete, what hurts the most was that she couldn't tell them apart, her mother or the Shadow Queen of Nohr.

"I can't do this anymore!" Azura cried with a higher pitch in her voice than Robin or anyone is used to.

"You've lost the will to fight?" Robin asked in a gentle but somber tone, full of sympathy.

"I'm of no use to anyone as I am now. I don't have my pendant anymore. I have no real power to protect anyone. I lose sight of who I am just by looking at my family. What am I even fighting for?!" Azura sobbed, despair taking her over. "Why am I even fighting for Hoshido? I'm just a prisoner of war to them! Nohr is my home."

"Azura, you know that stopped being true a long time ago. Even though it isn't unconditional, Hoshido is just as much your home and the Royals view you as another sister and the Retainers your friend." Robin assured her getting on his knees to comfort her. "If you don't want to fight anymore, that's fine. No one has a right to think less of you for it, and if they do, I'll give them a piece of my mind. Very few can even begin to fathom what you're going through, fighting your own parents, what it can do to someone. Even when you don't know them at all or only recently met them, you can feel it, some sort of sting in the heart, threatening to fall apart if this fight continues."

"Do you know what Corrin and I are going through?" Azura asked, turning to face him. He didn't tell her everything.

"I do…" Robin said now looking so bitter he almost resembles Azura and she swears she might have to give him comfort instead. He gets into a sitting position with his back facing the bed before he continues. "As I said before, I've been to many battlefields ever since I was young. So many fights… forced to kill so many I've lost count, more so indirectly since I was more a Tactician than a warrior at first but I was still at fault. All of them were in the service of an unjust cause, either by choice or through deception but still guilty all the same but that meant little on my conscious. And in my bloodstain life I even killed my own father for becoming my enemy." His words leave Azura speechless but her expression did not change from this and just gets in the same position as him.

"Robin…" She muttered.

"He was mad, a broken shadow of the righteous man my mother once loved, all because someone he once thought of as a friend gave into his fears of a great threat and left him to drown in darkness. He saw me only as a means to an end even though he did love me in his own fallen way but the fact remained the same, he was in opposition to everything I believed to be just in favor of his own beliefs and no matter how hard I tried to get through to him he could not… would not let go of his hatred, nor let go of the past, and went as far to make everything be reduced into a graveyard and I was forced to strike him down like he was just another monster, a sheep for the slaughter." Robin confessed his sins to her. "My mother was hardly a saint also, she let her fear and hatred of the past cloud her, our lives were great but in the end she made me see myself as less than nothing, probably a monster as I used to fear my own talents with magic because I felt something like a beast crawling to get out whenever I really gave it my all. The other side of me that only my parents could see. A monster. That's all they could see. I was never their son. And if being a war veteran doesn't count as embracing the beast inside I don't know what is."

"And the guilt never goes away?" Azura asked.

"Never. I'll never recover from what I've done because I still love them so dearly and wish with all my heart that things could be better." Robin began to shed tears of his own. "When I parted ways with my previous comrades I told them with what little hope there was left in my heart that I wish to meet them again in a better life, and that prayer extended to my parents, and somehow I was given yet another chance. But nothing is how I wanted it to be. It's only fitting I guess; I can't change where I came from. What I am."

"Then why fight at all for us? For Corrin? Why risk your life, again for those who you don't even know and condemn yourself to more heartbreak?" Azura questioned.

"Because I see a kindred spirit in Corrin. Even though we could not be any more different, our paths are not inaccurate to say the least. Garon and Arete are both your parents no matter what blood flows through your veins and even though I can't stop them from fighting I can at the very least prevent her from staining her hands in so much blood like mine have been for so long. Deep down, I know that helping her is my true redemption." Robin said with more conviction. "Many years ago I met a Bishop with a dark and shameful past who found redemption of sorts with the cloth and I eventually sought his counsel even though I was never a follower of any church or belief, I needed closure of some sorts, though I knew without a doubt that I've always fought on the side of justice, of peace, my heart was completely lost to the pain of ending so many lives. I wanted… I needed someone to forgive me, for I can never forgive myself. I am not strong at all."

"What did he have to say?" She asked curious.

"What I will tell Corrin in due time and will now pass on to you first because you need to hear it as well. Rather you truly believe that Hoshido is the right path or not is something you have to decide for yourself and no one else. It's what I believe, at least, to be the best way to move forward and not allow the beliefs of others to sway your actions. His words to me…" Robin began.

* * *

"Brave, proud Hoshidans, please do not give in to despair, for the Light of Hope has not abandoned us yet, nor will it ever!" Mikoto spoke up loudly as she stands at the center of the Capital alongside her stepchildren to speak with the people who survive the attacked who eagerly came to hear what their Queen has to say about Nohr's latest audacity and whatever nerve they have for raising their justified roars of anger were quickly silenced upon seeing the current state of their typically serene sovereign both in appearance and attitude is now a near wreck, as she went through with her plan to expose herself in a beaten state and reveal that not even the great defenses of Castle Shirasagi could stop Nohr's onslaught. The sight alone frightens them with mix of concerns for her wellbeing and outrage starting to show so for the most part she received the desired effect.

"Nohr's tyranny may feel like it is bearing fruit with their victory yet again, but I assure you that it is not. Today marked their last and best attempt to destroy our nation and take our lands as their own but they have failed. They thought us weak because of their army of monsters backing them up and their advance use of magic but neither will do them good ever again." Mikoto spoke up loudly in a strong tone befitting a queen. "Yes, they've breached all of our defenses, violated our prize capital a second time and even tarnished our castle but in spite of our losses and the injuries you and I sustained we still stood our ground and still we stand!"

While her words do reach the people with morale improving, it is slow. Understandable, pretty words can't win wars, especially when ending things peacefully have become undesirable. Mikoto knows that as does her family and soldiers, still, none have raised their tone to voice their desire for revenge yet so her influence is still in effect, that is a miracle in of itself.

"Though, you must know that while our proud warriors are responsible for overseeing our protection, it must not go on without say any longer that the true saviors of this day are also your long lost Princess who has returned home at last to fight for our nation. My daughter; Corrin! And her champion, Sir Robin!" Mikoto said next and that kept the citizens in more silence as this is a genuine surprise to them.

"The same princess that is said to have lived with the Nohrians as THEIR Princess ever since she was kidnapped and our King killed?" One of them whispered as murmurs began amongst them.

"Yeah, they say that she was raised to think she was another of the Demon King's spawns and was trained to fight against us."

"I thought for sure she would've done something to the Royal Family after being so tainted."

"Me too, I mean she killed my brother in law in Kurosaki when she turned into a feral dragon."

"Is she serious?! Does the lost princess really intent to fight for us?"

"It wasn't long ago that she called Garon father."

"No, she's on our side! I saw her defend me and others while we were heading for the castle for safety and she got in the way of Crown Prince Xander from advancing. Her own adoptive brother."

"Yeah and nearly got killed by said former brother who tossed her around like a ragdoll."

"If Crown Prince Xander really tried to kill her then she truly has returned to us?"

"Maybe?"

"What about this Robin character? He came here looking like he was some Nohrian higher up warrior?"

"He wore the white design that shows he too was close to the Nohrian Royalty but when Lady Corrin defected he followed."

"What, are they lovers?"

"Can we even trust him?"

"I mean… sure, he's the one who killed that giant Grimm."

"My cousin is a Diviner who works closely with the Queen's Retainer, Orochi and he says that this Robin was the one who turned the Nohrians's own portal against them and vacuum them away."

"He also rescued my daughter from having her throat cut by a savage Wyvern Knight."

"But that still may not change the fact that he might have something nefarious set in motion."

"There they go again with the murmuring and bickering." Hinoka sighed, seeing one too many problems with this scenario.

"I don't know how you do it, brother, I just can't see myself lifting anyone's morale when they're like this." Takumi said largely nervous by all this.

"You only say that now because of your current condition but I trust you'll be singing a different tune when you're all better." Ryoma said fondly to him while patting his shoulder.

"I hate singing."

"Allow me next, mother." Ryoma insisted and she nods in approval. They always seem to prefer listening to him instead, likely because of his resemblance to Sumeragi, and as soon as the High Prince steps forward the people cease their bickering and pay close attention. "Listen up and listen well, my fellow Hoshidans! Do not doubt me when I tell you that I know exactly how you feel. Nohr has wronged all of us for centuries, our desire for retribution are one and the same! However, do not forget that what sets us apart from them is not our strength, not the Light itself but our higher capacity to show more compassion and restraint, to look beyond what is in front of us and find the way to move forward, no matter the obstacle. You all must have misgivings for Corrin, and I cannot, as much as I want to, fault you for doing so because of where she's been and what she was molded to believe in, but in spite of all that and whatever regrets she may harbor, she is still your Princess and you her people. AND SHE CAME BACK! Gave her best shot to protect us all and the Nohrians tried to kill her because of it. Our late King once taught me that the first true step to victory is not with certification but acceptance, so if you cannot owe it to yourself to at least give her a chance to try and be the Hoshidan she was always meant to be, then how is she supposed to fight for those who don't believe in her? How can you claim to put your faith in my family who have guarded you and your ancestors for centuries when you would scorn one of our own."

Ryoma's words do not go on deaf ears to the people who leaves them in contemplation and while they do not express it yet, already nods of agreement start to show among them but not all of them.

"Leave it up to Ryoma to get a good rise out of everyone, even if he did oversold a bit." Hinoka said, rather proud on how Ryoma has a way with words.

"Naturally, to be expected of our future king." Saizo said pridefully.

"You think he'll mention the fact that Corrin also has with her the Yato?" Hinata whispered.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure that part is already known by now." Subaki said.

"I just hope that at the very least order will be maintained in the Capital because starting tomorrow payback time can truly begin." Takumi said determined to return to action despite still mentally wounded by Envy.

* * *

"What you're suggesting is absurd!" Screamed a nobleman at the top of his lungs in a council room filled with several men and women of high importance in Nestra discussing issues with what happened not long ago in Cyrkensia and tensions are abnormally high in the typically stable and gentle council of the Nestrian King.

"In what reality am I considered absurd; you fool! The choice is clear, we must send our army and crush any Hoshidans that dares set foot on the West of Horus." Another Councilman declared, wanting to help Nohr fight off Hoshido.

"You want to drag us into the mad war? You truly have gone delusional, Lord Bool! Nestra has long held its neutrality to the affairs of the other nations. This war is not our problem and we owe Nohr nothing!" A Councilwoman spoke up next in defiance.

"So you would all prefer that we sit by and let such a crime go unpunished, Lady Jane?!" Bool snapped, slamming both his fists on the table. "They attacked our prized Opera House. Our very culture prides itself in the beauty that comes from that place, among many others and yet again it has been desecrated by a fight between those two nations, and it was Hoshido who started it a second time!"

"As if that helps support your decision to go to war? If anything we should be fighting against Nohr, they're the ones who restarted this horror all over again." Another one argued against Bool.

"Look who now speaks nonsense, Smahl! We have long since held a peace treaty with the Nohrians and whenever the trash from the East aren't around they continuously prove to be the trusted allies we know them to be for fifty years." Another Nohr supporter spoke up next.

"Only because we feed them, the Precursors know their farmers can't be trusted to do something as simple as raising crops, they have to depend on us to keep their putrid commoners from revolting every day."

"Pathetic. Beyond pitiful. We would benefit greatly if Hoshido would exterminate them once and for all and we take their mines for our own, so I vote we aid Hoshido instead." An overweight noble suggested.

"Aid Hoshido? Bah! You both speak treason. The White Night is no different than those disgusting cowards from Fódlan. In spite of losing the previous wars their recent generations could've stopped Nohr a long time ago and used their wealth and power to bring order and stability to Horus and yet they chose to keep their spoils to themselves for millennia and left us in the west to deal with Nohr's whining all this time. If you ask me, letting King Garon annexed their lands at last would be a nice start to spiced things up a notch for a change. He takes Hoshido, we don't have to waste our food ever again." Another Noble named Nathaniel suggested callously.

"HA! And what of you Nathaniel? You accuse us of treason and yet you would prefer we allow our soldiers to be subjugated to the Demon King's will just to satisfy more of his empty promises. If you ask me, you still have some of your whore grandmother's Almyran genes still in you and doing the talking again. Eh, bastard?" Lady Jane mocked, getting a real rise out of her fellow nobleman.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Nathaniel snapped with pure wrath, slamming his fists on the ground while clad in fire due to his magical prowess. A fight will ensue again.

"ORDER! There will be order in this council." The most tolerant member, the Chairman, finally snapped, having enough of all this senseless bickering, extending his hand to channel his magic and traps Jane and Nathaniel in chains to restrain them. "We are holding this council to discuss our course of action to maintain order in our Kingdom. How dare you all, raise your tones to speak nonsense and even think of fighting amongst ourselves again after the near-death of our own Prince."

"That was not our faults, you imbecile!" Nathaniel shouted.

"Doesn't matter. We're the higher powers of Nestra, second to his Majesty, we owe it to our people to be the voice of reason. And we owe no allegiance to Nohr nor Hoshido. Those two ''Superpowers'' have been nothing but a burden upon us all for centuries and neither I nor the King will stand by and let us fall apart because of them. NOT AGAIN!" The Chairman declared.

"And where is the King then? He's the one who has the final say and what to do in response to any affront like the one that just happened. Why has he been absent all day?" Bool demanded.

"That's a good question?" The Chairman said now feeling worry for their King.

* * *

"You're Majesty! Are you well, sire?" A Butler knocked on the doors to King Alexander's room chamber as he's been inside there all day. Sure, it's not odd for the King of Nestra to spend hours a day in his chambers as he treasures his privacy due to him having a hobby and passion for art and demands total silence when working on something new, however, what is odd is that he would take the time to paint while there is something serious occurring. Alexander is not known for being irresponsible on any scale, his servants and vassals can attest to that. What's more, he would at least respond after the first knock but he's been unresponsive all day.

"Still nothing." A Maid asked concern to the Butler as she walks beside him.

"No. It's not like his Majesty to be even remotely unresponsive. Has he even went to see the Prince after he was caught in the infighting between those supporters?" The Butler asked.

"According to Prince Donatello himself, yes but other than him, no one has seen him."

"Gods, it's one headache after another. When does it end?" The Butler groaned as he is about to knock on the doors again and much harsher and if there is no response again he might as well barge in no matter how offensive he has to be, but luckily the doors open from the inside, giving them hope that the King will finally show himself but sadly the only thing they meet is their deaths as two large hands grab the two servants by their necks and pulls them inside while the doors close by themselves. They didn't even had time to scream as their heads are crushed with the last thing they see are each other's horrified expressions. Their headless bodies are left on the ground, their blood tainting the beautiful floor and even coming out below the door. The monster responsible for this is none other than the Sin of Wrath.

"How bothersome, not even a shred of silence in this castle." Wrath said mildly surprised, sarcastic and smugly all at the same time as he walks to stand face to face with a man in the room, pinned to a wall. "How do you deal with such a noisy bunch? You have more patience than Pride?" He asked with twisted humor, addressing the now-former King of Nestra, who now lays dead with naginatas holding him on a crucifix, two shurikens jabbed on his eyes and four more on his mouth. A truly gruesome sight. On his left, the emblem of Hoshido around his size, painted on the wall with his own blood.

"Phase Two complete. Now Phase Three is a go." Wrath smirked, eager for his next step as murdering a peace-loving king and making it look like Hoshido did it is not enough for his bloodlust.

"You've had quite enough fun, brother." Said the stern and cold voice of another newcomer who waltz into the room chamber unannounced without Wrath noticing and the Demon turns to see that the source of this voice is just an orb, big enough that one would need both hands to hold it made entirely of white light.

"Ah, speak of the devil. Hey there, big brother. How's Valla?" Wrath greeted the Sin of Pride who is speaking with Wrath through this orb as a medium.

"Silent." Pride replied callously.

"I'm not sure what I was expecting." Wrath chuckled.

"Enough with this pointless rebelling, Wrath. There was never a reason to interfere with the mortals to this extent, things were always going to work in our favor." Pride insisted.

"No, things were always going to work in YOUR favor. I just spiced things up by making sure the Silent Demigoddess found out about her sugar mama much sooner." Wrath countered. "And it's thanks to me that Corrin's actions have made you think like this."

"Congratulations, you manipulated her into choosing the most boring path for her destiny to take." Pride said sarcastically. "This war already bores me and you, Envy and Greed have been ringing too much attention. You should've known better than to scream to the world, now the High Deliverer is on our tale."

"So, Fear's your bitch, unless her leash somehow got loose I don't see why you're so fixated on killing him. He may now have Grima's powers under control but so what, his human soul can't handle all that, he'll inevitably get himself killed again. Heck, even Lust has ignored your orders and is off doing whatever they feel like doing." Wrath protested.

"The only coward is him. He may refuse to use it again but he still wields Reficul. We can't take any chances with that sword now together with the full powers of Dark Aether." Pride scolded his brother for his recklessness.

"Let him use that sword, it'll make defeating him all the more exciting when we finally meet in combat." Wrath shrugged.

"So short-sided as usual. Can you still act so smugly since that Deadman also now has with him Ragnell." Pride informed Wrath, which earned him a surprised gasp.

"What? No, that blade remains in Robin's homeworld with Priam." Wrath objected.

"You idiot, the buffoon cousin of Lucina claimed ownership of a version of the Holy Sword after the Grimleal War." Pride reminded him. "He brought it with him on his journey to explore other worlds and used it in his new service to Nohr until Robin stole it. Were you not paying attention to the situation you caused?"

"Oops. My bad." Wrath shrugged nervously.

"Oops. That's all you have to say. As Robin is now, there's a massive risk that the sword could be just as powerful when Ike wielded it when we faced him all those centuries ago." Pride lectured.

"Well then why didn't he use it against Envy and Greed in the Sevenfold Sanctuary?" Wrath questioned. "Moreover, shouldn't Alondite be his trademark weapon?"

Suddenly a loud scream from another maid is heard outside the corridors, earning too much attention.

"Blood! There's blood coming out of the King's room chamber!" The Maid cried in horror.

"WHAT?!" A Knight passing by gasped in horror.

"NO! You're MAJESTY!"

"Doesn't matter. Come home at once, you're no match for him while he possesses those two terrible weapons and you have a more important task to deal with." Pride ordered, ignoring the panic outside.

"Well, if the big strong Deadman is too tough for me why don't you come here and finish him off yourself. You're the one who wants him dead so badly like a scary cat." Wrath dared while sounding like a whiny brat. At the same time, the doors to the room chamber are kicked open by the guards outside coming in with the hopes that their king is still alive but they barely have a second to see anything as a powerful shockwave is fired that causes every single human caught in it to implode from the inside and Wrath gets blown away with holes created on the floor that knocks him six stories down, leaving a trail of death and destruction, destroying half of Alexander's room in the process but his corpse and the wall he's pinned to remains perfectly intact. As for Wrath he crash lands right where the council meeting is being held and the resulting impact was so great that it seemingly killed everyone in the room, their bodies now splattered all over, leaving everything bloodied and tarnished. At the epicenter, an annoyed Wrath who has a large hole in his chest and his blood, or rather the water on inside his body is leaking out.

"How… DARE YOU give me a command!" Pride growled as he moves closer to Wrath and was the one who launched this attack, a mere fraction of his power that is beyond Wrath's. "How dare you even insinuate that you have a right to decide anything for me. You lowly mongrel! A being lower than an attack dog! No, you're even less than that and you dare test my patience to this extent. DO NOT FORGET YOUR PLACE IN OUR PYRAMID, BROTHER! If you weren't the closest thing I would ever consider to be even remotely my kin, I'd sent you to Hell long ago."

"Jeez, and you wonder why we love to disobey you all the time." Wrath mumbled as his wounds start to regenerate, only to have a spear of light come and penetrate his chest, and this time he really feels it as Wrath screams now truly in a lot of pain. "For Satan's sake… take a joke for once!"

"Greed and Envy I can forgive to an extent but don't expect the same courtesy for your disobedience, the same goes for Lust when I find them. Now get moving!" Pride commanded.

* * *

The day has finally come, Mikoto, looking more like a Queen again, stands at the center of Suzanoh, at her side her children, including Corrin now wearing a spared Hoshido Noble uniform since the previous one was ruined by Xander, as the Monarch of Hoshido unleashes her magic to recreate the Barrier of Concord, now more powerful than ever, thanks to the Noble Yato and the superior Dragon Vein the great spell spreads all over Hoshido, signaling the turning point for the Hoshidans in this War.

"That was easier than I ever dared believe but I guess I can't complain. Our counterattack against Nohr can finally begin." Mikoto said with assurance for her family.

"Well done, mother." Ryoma smiled as the siblings become ecstatic by this success.

"No, well done to all of you, none of this could've been done without your hard effort for our home." Mikoto praised. "All our sacrifices have not been for nothing."

"I'm pretty sure it's too soon to make that claim." Corrin said.

"Due true, however with such a big step like this, I'm confident that everything will turned out for the better." Hinoka said assure of herself.

"Now e-everyone can… feel m-more at ease." Sakura said.

"We can only hope so, dear." Mikoto replied.

* * *

"Dammit!" A samurai cursed as he is pinned to a tree by a Berserker of Nohr. Said Samurai's squad intercepted a Nohrian platoon nearing the city they were guarding. Granted, it didn't look like they were marching for said city, just passing by but regardless they decided not to take any chances and attacked, which proved to be a mistake as the Nohrians quickly overpowered them and already they lost one of their own.

"Stupid Hoshidans. You just don't know when to give up, do you?" The Berserker said smugly as he prepares to finish the Samurai off. "Don't worry, I'll put you out of your misery very… soon…" All the enthusiasm and bloodlust suddenly leaves the man as he drops his mighty axe and looks confused, like he's not sure what he was doing.

"What was I going to do?" He asked himself, feeling calm, real calm.

"I feel strange, captain." A Warlock said stopping himself from choking a man with dark magic.

"Are they okay?" A Spear Fighter asked confused.

"I've seen this before. By the Divine Wings of Sephiroth! It's the Queen's barrier, she's reactivated it." One of them declared with immense shock and relief.

"Really?! Does that mean we won?" A Diviner said with total desperation and pleading.

"It means we're definitely going to win now!" The Samurai declared as he decapitates the now harmless Berserker in retaliation.

"Whoa! Dick move, man! He was already beaten!" The Diviner gasped.

All over Hoshido, the Nohrians in their soil lose the will to fight, the effects of the Barrier working its magic on them and none are able to lift a finger against the Hoshidans and let themselves be taken captive or try to escape before they are killed. Even the Grimm are being affected, more deprived of their strength than ever, the beasts are more vulnerable under such powerful Light Magic. All who seek to do harm to the Hoshidans are being affected now, not just their counterparts. With this Nohr's invasion has been once again ceased for the time being.

* * *

"Peace has returned to Hoshido to a greater extent." Robin noted as he watches the large magical force that spreads across the land outside Suzanoh while standing right on top Castle Shirasagi. "Nohr will not take this well but at least we bought ourselves sometime before we can march on. I can already feel the amount of headaches I'm going to get from here on out. Now there truly is no turning back." He sighed exasperatedly and then opens Morgenstern with a magnificent golden sword coming out of it which is the one that Odin previously had that he stole from the young Warlock for his own purposes and unbeknownst to all in this world, the blade is of great significance and power, possibly greater than Yato.

"Priam, I will be borrowing your piece of Ike's power for a while. A pity though, she deserves to be more in Owain's hands than with me." Robin mused as he is the new owner of the Radiant Hero's Sword; Ragnell. He then looks down to see what looks like a very thin but long tornado coming from where the Royal Family should be right now, and it is easy for him to figure out that Corrin is using the Noble Yato to call for him. He puts Ragnell back inside his tome and flies straight down to answer his master's call into the city square, earning him a lot of attention from the public who again stand in a crowd before the Royal Family, though this is the second time Corrin is standing among them. And now he's starting to regret wearing this noble uniform because he is standing out way too much, especially with Corrin here to match, though getting the attention of a crowd is something he should be used to by now.

"You called." Robin greeted his Princess.

"Yeah, just wanted to give you a heads up that we'll begin assembling the army to lead a frontal assault on Nohr." Corrin explained.

"And in case your new uniform didn't give it away, we would like for you to assist us from a stronger position as a fellow general beside us." Ryoma added. "With great travesty we lost many good officers during the course of this war, not just our vanguards. In total, our army has one High General, two Lieutenant Generals, three Major Generals and four Brigadier Generals and as you should know by now, High General Genryūsai fell in the battle in Kurosaki by Prince Leo with some aerial assistance from Princess Elise."

Corrin gulp at the mention of Elise helping Leo kill someone, though she questions herself on why since she shouldn't be surprised. In spite of her delicate appearance, Elise has always shown strong resilience to violence, maybe because of her Dusk Dragon blood or some type of intense training, the youngest princess kept a strong front and optimism in the toughest circumstances as explained by Xander. Though, how many battles she has partaken is the real question.

"Lieutenant General Zaraki fell victim to a terrible curse by a Sorcerer and will be out of action for at least two weeks. Major General Tsubokura and Brigadier General Eikichirō have been relieved of duties for being just as ignoble as Yamamoto. And lastly, Lieutenant General Yukimura, who also served as our army's top tactician tragically lost his life in battle yesterday defending the Capital." Ryoma continued with evident sadness. "It is vital for our ranks to never remain empty for too long when in dire situations, and my siblings and retainers speak highly of your prowess as a warrior and tactician."

"You want me to replace Yukimura as top tactician?" Robin questioned, not looking surprised at all. In fact, he looks like he was expecting this.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Yukimura would understand as he always said we have to prepare for the worst and make tough calls." Takumi said.

"And sadly this is one of these desperate times. There are too many voids in our army that must be filled as soon as possible." Mikoto added.

"It's not like we never brought up this kind of topic before, Rob and speaking from a military perspective, which admittedly I don't have but can still guess, it's only obvious to pick the best man for the job and you've already proven that you're pretty much unrivaled when it comes to what you do best." Corrin pointed out.

"I accept this honor and will fulfill your request for as long as I possibly can. Just don't expect things to always go smoothly. We don't exactly have the easiest enemies to deal with." Robin complied.

"Thank you. I know we ask a lot." Ryoma said with more gratitude.

"Don't mention it. So when do we march for Nohr?" Robin asked.

"If possible, in eight days, if we are truly fortunate, so I suggest we make the most of it and get properly ready for when the time comes, now is the time to rest, though for our soldiers we must regroup." Ryoma declared. "We still need to watch out for Grimm attacks; however things will undoubtedly be more stable to at least try to make things better."

"Ultimately there's no rest for the wicked, nor the righteous." Corrin sighed as she picks up a bag that contains chips inside and takes a bite off one.

"Are those the same chips from the o-other day?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah. That poor sweet old lady was among the smallest casualties in the Blight Dragon's attack but her grandson was still grateful that so many survived the ordeal, and apparently because Robin works for me I've been given some of the credit for the lives that were saved and I was given these as a small gratitude." She explained.

"Yeah, that's basically the dynamic of a retainer and their master." Hinoka said before turning sour. "Hence why my… popularity isn't so great apart from being seen as a Sky Goddess."

"You started talking to the people already?" Robin asked surprised.

"No, everyone started talking to the family and I just sat by and stayed pretty and some step by to say something to me, nothing negative and fewer gave me some gifts." Corrin said, somehow bothered about it.

"Baby steps and smile and nod, Corrin, progress is supposed to be slow. Rushing things is always a terrible idea. Take it from me." Mikoto advised recalling how rocky her first year as Queen was.

After everyone started celebrating the relief of the Barrier's restoration Corrin retreated to the castle and is back in her old room from her younger years, keeping herself alone while locked in her thoughts, a recurring thing for her as of late. Laying down on the floor next to her childhood bed both her weapons, Yato and Dragonstone left on the floor next to her while she stares at them, left with the same questions. How did her life turn out this way?

"So this is where you were, everyone's been looking for you." Lilith said stepping into the room, albeit unannounced, which is a rarity for the former stable girl.

"To me, that's more like an old tune that got boring the first time I heard it." Corrin replied.

"You should've said so sooner, Jakob might've developed a brand new way to phase that." Lilith joked that got a laugh from both of them. "But really, what has you all somber this time. Lost in thoughts all alone."

"Someone is feeling like a comedian." Corrin said sarcastically at that sort of, kind of pun. "Never mentioned this to Azura or Arete but I've grown tired of that song, especially now regarding the first part of it that turned out to be very foreshadowing."

"Sorry, I don't like that song either, nor does Robin apparently." Lilith mused.

"To tell you the truth, my thoughts are more focus on the parts that don't ring a bell." Corrin confessed.

"You mean your lost memories?" Lilith asked.

"I want so badly to remember and really know the truth already. Not being able to have the answers is maddening but I keep coming off blank." Corrin said.

"That's what traumatic stress does to someone, the brain blocks out memories too painful to have if given the chance and it's not something that people can do at will." Lilith explained. "You were old enough to remember the events and what you witness, like… your stepfather's murder and your kidnapping by Nohr so it's understandable why your younger self would want to forget."

"Yeah, but that's the thing that really vexes me. Xander, Arete, and even Yamamoto claim that Nohr had nothing to do with what happened to me, that Garon didn't kill Sumeragi, nor did he kidnapped me." Corrin pointed out. "It makes no sense if that were true, Ryoma and the others claim it was people dressed in Nohrian uniforms that attacked them. Sure, one could argue that it was some criminals or bandits posing as them to frame Nohr but based on all the more details Kaze gave, the attack was well organized in the same way a Nohrian ambush would've played out."

"It is one of the biggest mysteries we have to solve but we have nothing but dead ends and I have no uses for magic based on the mind, more specifically memories. Those types of magic are extremely rare and not something you'll ever find amongst military personnel." Lilith explained.

"I figured as much, otherwise mother would've had my memories fixed already." Corrin sighed in disappointment.

"Didn't Xander say anything else that might help us fill in the blanks?"

"He had more of the opposite for me. Xander and Camilla knew I could turn into a dragon long before I first changed in Kurosaki." Corrin revealed.

"What? But how? You've changed before, when you were much younger." Lilith said very surprised.

"How else could they have known, but the way he described it, the look in his eyes, like a part of him is afraid of me, or more accurately was at one point. Leo and Elise have also seen me like that before but they don't remember it. Garon and Arete knew as well." Corrin continued. "The mental trauma I experienced in those plains made me transformed while losing all cohesion, so maybe the shock of watching Sumeragi die made me transformed as well. Maybe I went on a rampage trying to escape and somehow eventually I ended up in Nohr."

"It's possible but dragons born in human bodies are too weak and fragile to ever assume their true forms so young, you weren't at an age were transformation should've been possible." Lilith said. "I really don't know what to make of this Corrin, I really wish I could be of more help."

"Don't make it sound like you've always been useless, Lilith. This just needs more time. I'm ghastly impatient to know the truth but I won't rush something I have no control over. Gunter always warned me not to pick fights I can't win and this is definitely a losing battle for me to take on now." Corrin smiled at her to be at ease. "Right now I just want to be in silence. You want to stay with me for a while."

"I'd like that." Lilith smiled more brightly as she sits down next to Corrin and the two just remain sitting down relaxing and not saying anything yet. They'll continue to exchange words in due time like always but for now, this is alright. Little does Corrin know that this means more to Lilith than she could comprehend as its moments like these that the Astral Dragon wishes could last forever.

'Sister.' She mused to herself in total bliss.

* * *

"Hurry up already you slowpokes! We got to go!" Shouted the Black Bulls Anna who is rushing at her associates to speed things up. Within the current hideout of the Black Bulls thieves everyone is packing up what they can leave with great haste in their eyes as if something or someone has unnerved them enough to want to leave their own hideout, some of them even look scared. It's rare for even someone like an Anna to look this troubled so that must mean that whatever's happening must be quite serious and downright dangerous to waste time.

"Anna, what's going on?" The Anna who was once the vessel to Greed asked in confusion, exiting her assigned room upon hearing all the commotion outside. "It's rare to see the Black Bulls be this quick to act on anything. You're all usually so well coordinated."

"There are always exceptions, little sis and this is one of them, we need to leave as quickly as possible because we've been found." Black Bulls Anna said in a very serious tone.

"What?! The Nestrian Authorities actually caught us?!" The Damaged Anna gasped in disbelief.

"No, someone else or something else, we have no idea what's going on but our scouts haven't reported back as they were supposed to every hour or so and the guys we sent to check up on them didn't come back either so that can only mean that shit is about to go down and I'm not risking a fight happening with you here." Black Bulls Anna replied.

"What does Shura think of this?"

"This ain't exactly the kind of place you want to start a fight on, or else we risk the whole structure falling down on us." The Black Bulls leader said as he walks in on the conversation. "And whoever these guys are they're getting closer so we better go right this minute."

"But we still need more time to pack all the gold we hid in here." Black Bulls Anna argued.

"Forget the gold. Something tells me that whoever these guys are, they're not here for our riches." Shura brushed off their currency, causing Anna, the not mentally damaged one to gasps exasperatedly at his words.

"How dare you! Good sir, even make so much as a joke that we should leave behind all our wonderous gold behind to some maggots." Black Bulls Anna argued.

"Oh, there you go again with the gold whining. You know I'm a gold digger too but even I have standards which is more than I can say for you, so quit you're nonsense, ready your bow and let's take our comrades and your sister out of here before we get into a possible trouble we may not get out of in time!" Shura lectured.

"I so too have standards! More so than you, I'm just saying that…"

The bickering is put on halt as a loud crushing sound is made with a huge chunk of the manner they are in starts falling apart with the screams of some of Shura's men being heard as they become crush by the debris. They also hear the sounds of weapons clashing as the battle has already begun and it doesn't look so good for the Black Bulls.

"Son of a bitch!" Shura shouted in outraged as everyone prepares themselves for what comes next with the enemy getting closer by the minute. "Everybody fallback! We got to make a warp jump cause I do not like our odds fighting here."

"Easier said than done given how fast these guys are." Anna pointed out before another loud blast is heard with more of the structure falling apart. "This all feels way too forceful to be anyone but the Nestrian Authorities."

"Well we can tell that it's not them because the Nobles we've been dealing with have been genuine thus far in backing us up for their own benefits so I can safely say it's not them." Shura countered.

"Who is it then?" Anna asked before the enemy reveals themselves and to the shock of Shura and the horror of the Recovered Anna that these foes are in fact the same Veiled Soldiers that Envy controls.

"Oh… what the hell. Just what the hell is this rotten luck." Shura hissed frustrated over how dire the current situation really is. Despite how well he held his own against them back in Izumo, he felt a great unease the first time due to how intimidating and "dead" they feel and seeing these things in his turf only make him feel worse, though his current discomfort does not compare to that of his friend.

"Wow, these things sure are creepy. If they want to stay invisible they could at least try to use a more proficient invisibility spell." Black Bulls Anna said as she is getting a headache just by looking at them.

"No…" The Recovered Anna mumbled.

"They're appearance or lack there off are the least of our worries." Shura muttered.

"No… no… no… no…" The Recovered Anna begins to fall into a panic that her sister and Shura take notice. "Not again! Please, not again!"

"Anna, what's wrong?" Her sister asked, turning her back on the enemy to check on her and once she places her hands on her shoulder, said sister becomes even more frantic, absolute fear consuming and starts crying.

"NOT AGAIN! I WON'T GO BACK INTO THAT HELL! SHE'S COMING FOR ME!" She screamed in complete despair and convinced that Greed has come back to take her away.

"Anna, please!" Anna pleaded with her to stay calm, just as the Veiled Soldiers resume their assault to take them away.

* * *

**Well that was certainly a dark way to end the year but the whole continent is metaphorically going to hell, such as the nature of war and I did bring up many times that all of Horus would be involved in one way or another and yes, I decided to put Fates and Three Houses in the same world together just to make said world feel bigger and there's plenty of land in said continent that was never shown so let's pretend that the rest of Corrin's world has Almyra and Fódlan from now on, and sure, there's the continent from Warriors to boot. I admit that I did not put enough attention to the bickering between the grieving Hoshidans and left it purposely short because there was so much I wanted to add and I decided to make it the minority. How did Owain claimed ownership of Ragnell and why is it described as beautiful and not rusted with cracks, I'll bring up another time, and just to point out, I really like Priam and wish he was a main character in Awakening. A Descendent of Ike fighting alongside Marth's Descendants? Soren fanboys aside, that is just fantastic and please don't get the wrong idea but I like to think Ike is straight and had children for Priam's sake at least. Anyway, that is it for now and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's. Stay tuned until 2020. No goodbyes please, I just won't be here for a while. Hopefully.**


	23. Chapter 23: Inner Demon

**Chapter 23: Inner Demon**

"Alright, bottoms up everyone." Mozu said as she passes up a plate of food for Saizo as all of the Retainers, minus Jakob are in a dining hall that remains in good shape in Shirasagi despite the previous battle, having lunch together and enjoying more of their free time. Among them is Reina who has made a full recovery from her grievous injuries upon her admittedly shameful defeat against Charlotte, thanks to the massive boost in magic provided by the Light Scroll that it offers to the healers, otherwise she might've been out of action for a longer period. Many of the servants, such as the chef are either out for the day or were also tragic casualties of the Second Attack on Suzanoh so they had to cook for themselves with Mozu volunteering to be the chef with Kaze and Felicia helping, and thankfully the latter didn't make any clumsy mistakes this time.

"Finally, I'm so hungry I could eat a Grimm." Hinata cheered. "Don't know why I keep letting Hana talk me into skipping breakfast for more time training."

"No pain no game." Hana shrugged.

"You do realize if you eat a Grimm you end up receiving terminal cancer, right?" Subaki reminded Hinata.

"I know that, that's how hungry I am." Hinata said as he starts munching.

"Sorry for the wait but I'm not really used to making so much food for so many people." Mozu apologized.

"Ignore him, Mozu, you do what you gotta do with no pressure getting in the way." Orochi smiled.

"Ah, haven't had good farm-like meals in a while. Not bad at all." Reina said satisfied with her meal.

"Not bad at all? I think you mean perfection! This is my first time eating carrot stew and can now understand why Lady Sakura is so awestruck." Subaki declared.

"This tastes more like the kind of thing you want to have for breakfast every morning." Oboro smiled.

"It is one of the best ways to enjoy carrots." Robin added.

"Aw, you guys just can't stop flattering me, can you." Mozu blushed again by all the compliments. "Anyone in my village could've made something as simple as this."

"You're way too modest. This has a warm flavor to it that kinda reminds me of home." Saizo said kindly.

"Oh, right, the Igasato Clan live in the mountains close to the Canyon, so you two must be self-sufficient and know how to work on crops." Setsuna remembered.

"Yes, our mother was the one who taught us about how to work with the simpler things, in fact, this really does remind me of mother's cooking." Kaze said with a look of nostalgia. It has been some time since he and Saizo have been home and visit their mother and the rest of the family. "The food here in the Capital always has a heavier flavor so it's nice to enjoy the simplest things once and a while."

"Oh, most definitely, I'll never understand how the Nobility can go on every day and night feasting on such festive meals all the time." Azama added.

"You can say that again! I thought the same thing about all the heavy food around here." Mozu said.

"Aw, I'm so jealous, my cooking skills are so below average." Felicia said helping herself to the food but still feeling down about herself.

"At least you have skills to cook at all, I can barely make anything for myself unless I enchant myself to have said skills." Robin noted.

"There's a spell that can make one a great chef?" Hinata asked sounding in awe.

"Sure, there's magic for all sorts of things but they only last for a short period of time and no matter how hard I try I tend to make things that are poisonous rather than healthy." Robin said looking down at his food, his lack of cooking skills have always upset him. "I swear I'm cursed to always give myself a stomachache."

"Either that or it's a side effect of the enchantment, I hear the majority of the mundane class of spells originate from dark magic, hence why you only find Warlocks, or more accurately Witches using such spells more often." Orochi surmised.

"That could be it." Robin gives it some thought.

"Don't Niffs usually eat colder kinds of meals and sweets. I figured you excel at that." Setsuna asked.

"Well yeah, I know how to make the less warm meals, especially ice cream but… after last Halloween Lady Corrin was forbidden from eating sweets ever again and was forced to eat veggies pretty much forever, which is not my best trait." Felicia explained, getting most of the Retainers to burst out laughing at the mention of Halloween and making Robin slam his head on the table at the grim reminder. From what little they got about that event, they started seeing Corrin in a new light and by extension Nohr in general that really got a kick out of them.

"Oh, I would love to get more juicy intel on that night." Orochi grinned mischievously.

"You would, you bloody perv. Kids these days, honestly, you're all going to be dated long before you even come close to reaching my age." Reina half lectured and half teased while she stretches her arms up after finishing her meal.

"Careful there, don't go putting too much pressure into your arm, you just got out of recovery." Kagero advised.

"Relax, dear, I won't be dying anytime soon and these bones aren't old yet." Reina brushed off her former partner's concern.

"Just doing my part, someone's got to watch your back when Orochi is not looking." Kagero mused.

"Hey, I'm a good partner to have. I know I have yet to have the same level of dynamic you both had when you were the Queen's Retainer but I ain't no slacker." Orochi countered.

"You used to be Lady Mikoto's Retainer?" Robin asked Kagero.

"Aye, like Reina, I was born into a noble family that has bred warriors for the Royal Guard. I mean, most of us, minus for you and Azama were raised expected to join the Guard but my family were always meant to serve directly under the King or Queen of Hoshido, though her Majesty requested for me to serve under the High Prince after he recklessly marched to Notre Sagesse and Saizo here, wasn't enough to persuade him from going on such a dangerous journey." Kagero explained, getting Saizo to scuff at her.

"If I wanted to I could've stopped his Highness from doing so, however, I saw no issue with his pursuit for more power as it's his duty so instead I consented to his wishes." Saizo argued, especially since the first time in the Sevenfold Sanctuary wasn't nearly as bad as the second time. "Besides, who are you to scold when you accompanied us on our second endeavor."

"You guys tricked me!" Kagero argued rather menacingly that it got most of them to drop a sweat at the outburst. "You said we were taking Azura for a ride at seas for the first time on her birthday, and since it was the first time we ever celebrated it, even more so that it was the first time we even heard of it, I was feeling sentimental, which you all totally took advantage of!"

"Hey, when Lord Takumi wants a fancy new yumi you can sure as hell bet we're going to deliver." Hinata smirked with Oboro feeling the same way as they fist bump one another in triumph.

"Wait, you used Azura's birthday as an excuse to take a stroll at seas and reach the Rainbow Sage before anyone who would protest knew what you were really up to?" Robin questioned as he tries to get the pieces together and come to terms with the fact that the Hoshidan Siblings of Corrin would be so daring and humorous. "Why wasn't the Queen there at the time?"

"Oh, she went out to visit Yamamoto in the Shinigami Chasm at the time so we were long gone before anyone realized our true intentions and you can bet that she blew a tantrum when we came back, especially since we brought Sakura along." Azama snickered at the memory of all of them, minus Orochi and Reina receiving Mikoto's motherly wrath for visiting the Rainbow Sage, which was actually hilarious to witness but definitely not to experience.

"I almost got fired and brought dishonor to my family because of you guys!" Kagero protested.

"But you didn't, so get over it." Saizo shrugged.

"Brother, please, we were all going to be kicked out of the Guard if not for Lady Azura who calmed the Queen down a nod." Kaze sighed.

"How do you know about the Queen's visits to Yamamoto?" Orochi questioned as only she, Reina, Yukimura and six other members of the Royal Guard who are not present should know about that as Mikoto wanted to keep her visit as discreet as possible to not involved her stepchildren.

"Oh, I tend to figure out any deep dark secrets of anyone sooner or later and of course, I saw no issue in telling Setsuna, who told Hana, who told Hinata, who told Oboro, who told Subaki, who told Kaze, etc. etc. Really, I'm surprised the Royals don't know about it yet." Azama revealed, as in actuality practically everyone in the Guard knows by now so things did not go exactly like Mikoto wanted them to be, as usual.

"Douchebag." Orochi hissed.

"It's nice to know that you guys have this much chemistry with each other and your respective lords. The closest I got with Corrin is receiving death threats from her foster family and running away from professional assassins." Robin joked.

"Oh, we both know that's not true, Robin dear." Orochi chuckled mischievously again, making the newly appointed Top Tactician of Hoshido very nervous and awkward.

"Not closer than us my butt, in spite of our history, none of us imagine getting huge promotions as you have in such a short amount of time." Hana protested. "It's one thing for a foreigner to join our military, and maybe, probably become an officer but joining the Royal Guard, especially after only being around for a couple of days and now you're one of our Major Generals and also given a lord title, what the hell."

"Favoritism at its purest bull, I tell yah." Azama added. "You best watch yourself, my friend, I know a lot, and I mean a lot of petty men in the army who would easily kill anyone out of jealousy, which has never been such a truly complete travesty until recently."

"Oh, come on, you guys know me well enough to know that I don't care much for titles, nor did I ask for this. Heck, Mikoto even stated that my positions are only temporary until the war is over and if and when we triumph over this chaos I can go back to finding my way home." Robin said getting more uncomfortable even though his new friends don't mean to be prejudice in any way and are clearly only messing with him. "This whole thing is purely situational."

"I wonder about that." Azama mused.

"What are you on about now?" Robin muttered.

"It's just that I don't think you'll be given much of a chance to leave without Lady Corrin's consent, after all, she's way too overly attached with you to the point that her Majesty, Lady Hinoka and even Lord Ryoma have expressed jealous death glares your way."

"I've noticed." Robin sighed, not wanting to press this discussion further.

"And wherever you originated from has to be pretty far away so I can imagine the returned Princess won't sit well with your departure." Azama pointed out.

"I am aware that she is not one for goodbyes." Robin replied, now thinking on how will parting ways will work out, something he never really thought of until now. "I'm certain she'll be fine with just her family at her side in the off chance I don't come back."

"Hey, now, let's not go thinking of goodbyes already, our journey towards peace hasn't even begun yet." Subaki insisted, wanting to keep their spirits high.

"Yes, yes, you know I'm all for high morale and what not being a monk myself but we must not forget that though optimism must never be dismissed, we must make time for future plans and consider the impact our choices will have on others." Azama explained.

"Who the hell are you and where's the snake we've been working with for years?" Oboro demanded awestruck by Azama showing off any hint of wisdom and kindness, something which they are largely not used to.

"We all have our moments."

"I haven't put much thought on how Corrin would feel about me leaving but still, I'm sure she'll be fine and with luck, if Jakob has is way, better off. Friends are great but with a family like the one she has now she'll overcome any obstacle eventually." Robin said certain that Corrin won't be needing him for much longer and hopefully he'll leave without much regret.

"Ah, yes family always trumps friendship, unless those friends are said family, of course, such things have been occurring since the dawn of civilization. And then there are… the friends for benefit." Azama persisted with his true objective to get under Robin's skin over the time he and Corrin's relationship became intimate.

"C'MON!"

"And there's the narcissistic asshole we love to hate." Oboro groaned as some of them could not help themselves but throw food at the rude monk's face.

"Why did you have to go there?" Kaze groaned in irritation and discomfort.

"LALALALALALA!" Mozu cried covering her poor innocent ears as she is still too young for such thoughts to even come to mind.

"Oh, goody, more food for me." Azama brushed off they're complains, completely ignorant to the backlashes, as usual, his words cause.

"It's a good thing Jakob's not here otherwise this dining hall would be in more of a disaster." Felicia muttered.

"Forget the hall, the whole castle would break apart because of his rampage." Robin hissed. "Which is a good thing he's with Corrin at this very moment."

"Hey, what's all the commotion, I can hear you guys a yard away." Rinkah called as she enters the dining hall.

"Azama ruining the mood as usual." Hana growled.

"Ah, so you're typical Monday morning to noon." Rinkah replied.

"Today's Thursday." Subaki corrected.

"Every day is Monday in Muspelheim." Rinkah countered. "Oh, so you're all having lunch now? I guess I can help myself to something."

"In that case, here you go." Mozu said as she offers her a plate with veggie stew.

"Urgh… on second thought, I'll skip lunch. I'm not a vegetable person." Rinkah declined.

"But it's good for you." Mozu replied.

"Yeah, and so is meat, and I'm a full-blown carnivorous." Rinkah declared.

"Well, we're saving all our meat for dinner so you'll have to wait a little longer and it would be beneficial for everyone if we all can avoid going around on an empty stomach on the off chance we get ourselves locked in another death-defying battle." Kaze pointed out.

"I… cannot argue with that." Rinkah said as she reluctantly decides to eat Mozu's cooking after all. "Anyways, I'm sure you guys probably know this but Chieftain Fuga of the Wind Tribe is coming to Suzanoh shortly and discuss things with the Queen."

"What, did he found out that his delinquent son is with us and is coming to pick him up?" Orochi asked.

"I hope so because I'm sure as hell sick of keeping this punk around. Here that Hayato, you're going home." Rinkah said loudly as she kicks her feet below the table they are all sitting on where she hits someone by their stomach, causing said someone to groan in pain.

"You goddamn bitch!" Hayato cried as he was the one hiding.

"How long have you been hiding there?" Hinata asked surprised.

"Why are you down there?" Hana added.

"Hiding from my dad, obviously. This isn't the first time I snuck away from home and I ain't going through that punishment again." Hayato uttered in terror.

"Snuck out? You mean to tell us that he has no idea you left to 'watch out' for Grimm?" Subaki uttered.

"Duh, why else would I be hiding, he'd never allowed me to even so much as survey the village."

"Oh, you dumb little shit." Oboro hissed. "Do you have any idea the kind of trouble you just put us through. Hoshidans allowing the heir of Oldstrong to fight as another soldier in a war that doesn't involve his people. As if we don't have enough of a political disaster to deal with."

"What kind of ''man'' is too scared to face his own father?" Rinkah asked in a taunting manner.

"Hey, that only works if father and son talk man to man, my dad is the Sky Dragon reincarnated, as in a beast. I ain't fighting no dragon, let alone a god." Hayato muttered.

"You're a constant source of disappointment." Rinkah rolls her eyes as she starts to eat Mozu's food and upon the first taste, she catches everyone's attention by how widened her eyes become, along with a mortified expression.

"Rinkah?" Kagero called but got no response.

"Is she okay?" Setsuna asked concern. Things only get more confusing and shocking as the Fire Princess starts crying.

"Oh, c'mon! Vegetables are far from bad, and everyone but stupid kids know it." Hinata argued.

"I'm pretty sure those are tears of joy, guys." Felicia insisted.

"It's… just like how grandmama used to make them." Rinkah mumbled as she actually likes the food in contrast to what she originally thought she would.

"I'm so confused." Hayato said feeling like the world is about to be turned upside down.

"Fruits and vegetables are seldom eaten in Muspelheim and they only ever eat meat so this kind of reaction isn't as odd as you might think at first." Robin explained.

"The more you know." Saizo said himself intrigued a bit.

* * *

"Delicious!" Corrin squealed in delight, helping herself to some sweets Jakob offers her. Under Mikoto's requests, she travels with her family around Suzanoh, overseeing the people's wellbeing and just making sure that everything is alright. Word quickly spread to the Capital that the Queen has sent a request to be aided by Archduke Izana who has the power to rebuilt the entire city on his own to how it was before it fell to ruin, making the people very hopeful that things will further improve as the restoration of Mikoto's barrier was enough to ease their pain to an extent but this really got them to be more lively at the prospect that at the very least their Capital will be back to normal, which motivated some people with intentions to work and begin rebuilding to stop what they're doing and just relax some more but not necessarily laze about, and many among them would pass by and greet their Royal Family in appreciation for all they do. Corrin finally decided to try and communicate with the people and let them get to know her, and thankfully she has managed to build more confidence after a while and the people she's spoken too so far have been respectful and was obligated to do the same, she even got herself some sweets which she accepted graciously.

"Wow, you really enjoy those, d-don't you, Corrin." Sakura asked, walking alongside her.

"I love candy. It's just so scrumptious, and I have quite the sweet tooth so I can't help myself, or as stupid Leo would say, I have the ''metabolism of an insect'', whatever that means, and it's been over a year since I've tasted so much as a chocolate." Corrin smiled, staring longingly at a chocolate bar before eating it.

"Never heard of someone with a sweet tooth go so long without some chocolate." Hinoka said.

"It was part of my punishment in Hoshido after… that happened… and so Arete and the others forbade me from ever eating sweets again. By far the worst thing anyone's ever done to me, let me tell ya, from a mundane standpoint I mean. It's like telling someone never to eat bacon because it's not healthy, and even if that were true, who cares, you go your whole life without bacon, you might as well be in Hell. Just because something isn't healthy to eat all the time doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy it at all." Corrin raised her complains to her Hoshidan family who for one reason or another listen to her intently. "Now you all know me by now and can say that I'm sort of a crybaby, I won't deny that but those first few months going without so much as a piece of candy was frustrating, even more so that I kept trying to keep everyone from wanting to kill Robin, but even without that part, I would still cry myself to sleep. I love candy. It's no Surf and Turf, but when there's something good, I want it."

"Say no more, Milady, I am no longer bound by Queen Arete's bidding so you can have as many sweets as you wish, provided you remember to eat healthy as well." Jakob, who accompanied them assured his mistress.

"You know I always do." Corrin rolled her eyes.

"Well, you can eat whatever you wish with us, Corrin, just remember to stay out of trouble, the last thing we need is another crazy person going on a frenzy because of sweets like that incident two years back." Ryoma smiled, recalling a minor but still very awkward incident regarding a very unbalanced person who was obsessed with chocolate that caused all sorts of ruckus in Suzanoh, even though no one got hurt but the whole thing was way too hard to grasps that Ryoma of all people was forced to defuse the situation. Needless to say, he'd stay away from chocolate and was rather strict with his men to keep it away from him for a while, something Saizo was eager to do since he abhors sweets.

"Yeah, I was not okay with that order, you know Sakura and I also have a sweet tooth." Mikoto whined while Sakura pouted a bit.

"I was entitled to my decision at the time and I never told Saizo to crush all the candy. That was all his doing."

"Really not helping your case since you effectively made the whole incident worse." Hinoka noted with an annoyed sigh.

"In what sense?" Ryoma questioned.

"You know exactly what you actually did wrong." Hinoka countered.

"When did this turn into a moral debate about candy?" Takumi muttered, not really sure what to say or think about this discussion, before turning to see Azura, who also came along, chuckling in response to the silly argument.

"Odd, I know but it beats the somber mood that we'll find all over the Capital." She noted.

"True, but I can do without all the awkward looks we're getting right this moment." Takumi said as they are getting some funny looks from the citizens, that while it makes Takumi uncomfortable, they aren't necessarily a cause for concern because if anything, seeing how the Royals are actually quite as casual as them puts them on a lighter note and eases the said somber mood a little bit. However, there are a very few individuals who do show a more negative expression, though they are the ones that the six of them don't notice which are pointed directly at Corrin since there are people who still don't trust her and seeing her interact with true Hoshidans, let alone the royals is sickening to them. Thankfully Corrin is too focus on her family to notice, but Jakob certainly does notice and he gives these individuals the most menacing glare he can muster with a subtle sign of his sharp dagger that intimidates them enough to look away and leave the Princess be.

'How irksome, it looks like I got my work cut out for me as usual. Oh well, what Milady doesn't know won't hurt her.' He mused to himself.

"Now, don't get all worked up over such things, Takumi, this is our home so you really shouldn't let it bother you." Mikoto suggested.

"You look to be in more of a good mood." Corrin said, noticing how while Azura maintains her stoic nature, she yet looks noticeably more upbeat in a sense, for one her smile isn't so faint that she's surprised no one has made a comment about it. Orochi once told her that they rarely ever see Azura smile and whenever she does, it's almost as surprising as seeing Saizo smile, and Corrin cannot for the life of her ever picture Saizo smiling without Kaze coming to mind instead. And yes, they're twins but Corrin sees it differently.

"Why wouldn't I be, the war may finally be turning in our favor and it's now only a matter of time before we can truly begin our counterattack." Azura replied with surprising enthusiasm.

"Hey, I like this other side of you, we rarely get to see it." Hinoka smiled.

"A little concerning, though." Takumi pointed out which earned him a gentle bump to the shoulder by Hinoka to watch his tone.

"Yes, I have been feeling less weight on myself recently but nothing worth any of your attention." Azura assured them.

"Really? Because we all t-thought that you be more… you k-know, after what you… experienced along with the rest of us." Sakura uttered nervously, going back to the Second Attack and the vicious actions of Azura's birth mother, Arete and how she nearly killed Mikoto and tossed Azura aside when she pleaded for her to stop. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bring it up." Sakura said now remorseful.

"It's been… hard. All of it. But I'm getting by." Azura assured them.

"Are you certain? Because if you no longer wish to fight anymore, then we will not object, nor will we stand to let anyone raise their tones about it." Ryoma said concern for her wellbeing like everyone else for the Songstress's sake. "You've done more than enough for our Kingdom, and though I will never overlook it, the fact that the attack on the Opera House was your idea proves where your loyalty really lies, which is more than we could ask of you."

"He's right, dear, you don't have to throw your life, nor your heart for this fight any longer with how hurt you are already." Mikoto added in agreement.

"Thank you all for that but I'm fine now. Robin already helped me find a shred of closure from all this." Azura revealed partially.

"Oh, has he now?" Ryoma asked, looking a bit bothered by that somehow.

"And what grand wisdom did he give you? I got a mouthful from him the day before yesterday." Corrin asked and by her tone she asks in the best way.

"That's… something I rather keep between us." Azura insisted with a more serene smile.

"Fine, hoard said wisdom to yourself then." Corrin said sarcastically and fainting annoyance.

"Oh, don't be like that Cor, we all get our moments."

"What kind of moments are we talking about exactly?" Takumi questioned.

"And since when did you decided to call me that?" Corrin added. "That's between me and Rob."

"Can I be at a nickname bases too?" Mikoto asked jokingly and pleadingly.

"What should I call you besides mom?" Corrin asked, not sounding rude but still coming off as such.

"Oh… you know, like… maybe you could go back to calling me… mama bear. Just between us." Mikoto suggested, earning her silence from everyone for a few seconds before Takumi burst out laughing.

"Okay, I definitely remember someone calling you that. But I could've sworn it was actually Ryoma who used that nickname." Takumi claimed.

"I-I… would never call anyone such a thing!" Ryoma argued indignantly.

"Yes, Lady Corrin did use to give everyone a nickname, like me for instincts, she used to call me her teddy bear butler." Jakob said reminiscing his youth with Corrin and how often she clung to him.

"What was it with me and bears?" Corrin uttered, feeling awkward. "Anyway… I think I'll not call either of you that. Like ever." She replied absentmindedly, not noticing how negatively that struck her mother and butler.

"Owie…" Mikoto mumbled.

"Well, I certainly hope I'm not interrupting any familial bonds." Said a familiar cheery voice of Izana as a bright light but not enough to make anyone avert their eyes and instead draws them to see it appear before the Royals and from it comes out the Archduke himself.

"Lord Izana!" Corrin gasped, surprised as everyone to see Izana so soon.

"Greetings my friends. I knew our paths would cross once again." Izana greeted with his usual high enthusiasm and as expected, his arrival causes a lot of murmurs.

"That's the Archduke of Izumo?"

"He's so hot."

"I thought he be more stoic."

"Who told you that? All the rumors say that he's a party man."

"That is the most beautiful hair I have ever seen."

"I'm so jealous."

"Lord Izana. You're here much sooner than I could've anticipated." Mikoto said surprised. They couldn't send a messenger via warp scroll since all of them are being used to gather all the soldiers across Hoshido to prepare so they had to send a Kinshi Knight to Izumo to request aid instead. "My messenger couldn't have reached Izumo so quickly."

"Nah, I was aware of your request before she had even come close to my borders. You're not the only one with the Gift of Sight if you recall, so sorry I couldn't come sooner." Izana reminded her. "Worry not your pretty little heads everyone, for I, Izana will restore your Crown City to its former glory. I must pay my debt to your Returned Princess, after all."

By his declaration, everyone cheers in delight by the quick and perfect restoration of Suzanoh, offering their thanks to the benevolent lord.

"Please, everyone, please, save your applauds right after the deed is done, you're embarrassing me." Izana insisted gleefully.

"How did he get here by teleporting; our Protection Stave is back to full capacity?" Takumi wondered.

"Oh, my silly pineapple boy, Izana almost always knows his way through everything." Izana smirked.

"Take that back right now!" Takumi demanded, heavily offended.

"He means that as a compliment, sweetie, everyone knows your hair is adorable." Mikoto assured him while giving him a loving hug for reassurance.

"Not really, no." One of the townspeople whispered with plenty among them nodding in agreement, while others wisely kept their mouths shut.

"He really does look like a pineapple." Another one said and that did not go unheard by the queen and the offended prince with the latter feeling more down while the former is irritated enough that she snaps her finger, causing the man's pants to suddenly ignite on fire, much to his fright and the panic of those near him.

"What just happened?" Sakura muttered.

"Oh, but before I get to work, Lady Corrin, there is something I must discuss with you and your most loyal comrades. it's urgent." Izana said, maintaining his smile in spite of his words saying otherwise.

"Of course, Shirasagi is the perfect place to chat. If you can ignore all the ninjas." Corrin replied.

* * *

Back in said castle, the Retainers remain together, along with Mozu, Rinkah and Hayato and find themselves back in the training room, just chilling, except for one person as Orochi is working on her fortune cards, trying to use her ability to see into the future but for the past several days they have been unresponsive, to her chagrin.

"Still nothing?" Kagero asked as she has been watching her for a while.

"Nothing." Orochi groaned as she tosses the cards away in frustration. "I just don't understand, the Gift just off and abandoned me and the Queen so abruptly, and at the worst time imaginable to boot."

"You mean when the War started?" Reina asked. "Psychics are about the only powered beings I'll never understand, seeing into the future must be like trying to navigate through a river with a storm with no proper way to control it to your heart's content, how exactly did you think that you can make it work whenever you want it. Heck, what possible outcome are you even trying to find?"

"Literally anything that isn't nothing. Everyone has the ability to choose the way they want to lead their lives and I'm usually able to see the exact paths their decisions will lead them towards, along with the consequences they bring but my Third Eye, figuratively speaking, has been completely shut and it wasn't when the Blight Dragon showed up but before that. Like three days prior." Orochi explained.

"You mean they stopped working when Lady Corrin came back to us?" Kaze asked in confusion. "You think it's because of her dragonic nature. The Third Eye is said to be a gift from the Prime Astral Dragon, Moro."

"That would make sense if not for the abundance of more questions it brings." Rinkah said.

"You're forgetting that Corrin wasn't the only one who arrived three days prior to the start of the war." Saizo reminded as all eyes turn to Robin, sitting down a few spaces away from everyone, reading a hoshidan book, who quickly gets uncomfortable with the stares.

"Is the whole prejudice on the outsider still going on? Do I have to pull rank for once." Robin muttered in annoyance towards all of them.

"Don't act like you've haven't been curious about it. This topic has been brought up before, both her Majesty and Orochi lost their third eyes when you showed up." Setsuna said.

"And in Mikoto's case, I say that's a blessing for all of us and spared her family the heartache." Robin noted as they all learned of Mikoto's secret vision of her imminent death from Azura that Robin prevented. They didn't take it very well, especially her children and if it wasn't for Yukimura wisely defusing the tensions, the argument would still be going on to this day otherwise but right now they're focusing on the part they've been ignoring thus far and that is that Robin never appeared in any of the visions Mikoto has had regarding Corrin's return, how she called Robin a nobody in the sense that he shouldn't belong in Horus but has somehow defiled Fate and partially averted so many more deaths by just being there. "But in all seriousness, I wouldn't even know where to begin with anything regarding the future, or time in general." He lied, actually having a pretty good idea what might be causing the block to Orochi and Mikoto.

"Well you got to give us something, we've done well so far without such intervention but things are getting out of hand and if I could still look into the future I might've been able to warn you all about the risks of going to Kyoto, no doubt." Orochi insisted.

"Like what? You want me to lend you some mana to see if it'll boost your capability? Now, I know I have a bunch of stuff in my book but I really don't see what could be in here that may help you with your problem, I never really encountered any soothsayers out there but I supposed I might've stumbled on to something beneficial." Robin said as he starts to randomly pick up whatever relics he placed inside Morgenstern over the months that he's been traveling, which is a lot but mostly it's more souvenirs that he got for himself. "We might be here a while, hold on." He starts dropping items on the floor.

"How much junk do you have in there?" Oboro asked in awe.

"Not sure, could probably house four or five vaults worth of treasure in here." Robin shrugged.

"Wish I had something like that, could really use the space in my room but I don't want to risk losing anything because things tend to get lost in the castle for some reason." Kagero said.

The next thing that drops from Morgenstern are two rings that are almost identical to each other, both being red, though one of them looks like it was redesign to look more like a wedding ring with added smaller clear jewelry place around it and on top of each of them is a round transparent stone and also inside them there looks to be what can be best described as miniaturize clouds inside them, giving them a mysterious vibe with an added beauty. The sight of these rings widens Robin's eyes with a look of nostalgia, picking them up and staring at them intently.

"I… I forgot I had these." Robin said with evident sadness.

"Well, duh, you have amnesia, you probably have thousands more junk in that pocket dimension that you forgot about." Hayato reminded.

"No, that's not… never mind." Robin sighed while holding on to the rings in his hand tightly, apparently reluctant to let them go.

"Hey, guys, we've been looking for you." Corrin called as she arrives with her family and Izana, and the sight of said lord surprises them all.

"Lord Izana. You're here early." Robin mused.

"Hello to you all my friends, are you having a yard sale?" Izana asked noting all of Robin's stuff on the floor.

"Not exactly, just forget you saw all this." Robin muttered as he hastily puts everything back into Morgenstern, minus for the rings.

"So, what is it that you wanted to tell us, Lord Izana?" Ryoma asked the Archduke.

"Izana is just fine, we are all allies against a common enemy after all. But on to the main event, there is another reason why I came here besides Suzanoh and that is that I regret to inform that I bring you Tidings of Doom." Izana said now with a more grim tone and look to him which makes most of them wary.

"Geez, as if we don't have enough of that." Takumi retorted sarcastically.

"Not like our chances of getting more good news was ever promising." Hinoka sighed.

"What doom awaits us this time?" Corrin asked concern.

"I have received a vision from the Prime Astral, telling me of a crisis occurring in Nestra caused by the Sin of Wrath." Izana explained, getting Corrin to almost react on her dark impulses upon the mentioning of the Demon but she did well to keep herself under control and Mikoto holds her hand to give her comfort.

"As you should know, the other nations have chosen to remain neutral in the Twilight War, but as all signs pointed that it was going to begin the Nestrian Nobles have been debating for weeks if rather or not they should partake in this war. Nobody is happy with how often the conflict between Hoshido and Nohr also drags the others in one way or another, though King Alexander would always put his foot down in his claim that Nestra would retain its neutrality, not even the attack on the Opera House by your hands would've been enough to change his mind. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you the grim news that the Demon that personifies anger, hatred and strife has corrupted the hearts of the Nestrians, making them volatile and irrational with their decision making. They cry for war against Hoshido, and others against Nohr. The more they bicker the more it turns into infighting between them with very few casualties already." Izana informed.

"Dammit!" Ryoma cursed in an uproar over this news as the others don't know what to make of this, least of all Corrin.

"And have they reached a decision on who to fight against?" Mikoto asked with dread.

"Let me guess, they'll be pointing their blades at us?" Robin surmised.

"I'm afraid so, and I believe it may only get worse but the Lord of the Astrals would not share with me any more information regarding Wrath's actions but I do bring good news as well. I believe that I may have a solution. A spell that can purify all forms of corruption, especially demonic corruption but I require assistance. The Divine kind, if you catch my drift." Izana said.

"Our Dragon Blood." Mikoto concluded.

"Yes."

"Then you may have some of mine, whatever it takes to purge our lands of these evils." Mikoto volunteered.

"Yes, though I don't need your literal blood, just the talent for using Dragon Veins." Izana corrected. "But on the off chance that we may need a drop, ready yourself for that."

"I don't like the way he phased that." Sakura mumbled.

"Anything else that's going to give me more heartache?" Corrin asked feeling like she's going to be sick from all the stress the mere mention of Wrath is bringing her, she swears she's going to throw up, and even the others are thinking much the same.

"As Hinoka said, your chances of having more good luck are pretty shady." Izana said, hating being the bearer of bad news. "You're comrades from the Black Bulls are in grave danger, in particular, the Anna that was Greed's vessel."

"What?" Robin uttered, stepping forward beside Corrin, along with Azura, both equally concern.

"The mysterious Veiled Warriors that Envy summoned to confront you in my castle arrived in the Black Bulls hideout and assaulted the thieves, killing many but kidnapped many more, including Shura and the two Annas?"

"What… why?" Corrin uttered. "Where are they now?"

"Fort Dragonfall. That's all I know."

"The infamous abandoned fort in Nohr? Why there of all places?" Azura wondered.

"Doesn't matter, we know where they are." Corrin said with a determined look on her face.

"Wait… you want to go and face the Seven again?" Takumi uttered in horror.

"You're damn right I'm going after them!" Corrin shouted, alarming most of them by her outburst. "If we know where they are then we shouldn't sit by and let them get away, not like we just did with Wrath!"

"You… you really intend to go after those fiends head-on?" Takumi uttered, the fear in his voice too noticeable to ignore over the thought of facing the Sins again, especially Envy. "We came close to dying in every encounter thus far."

"Dying is no longer a major problem when our other option is the war against Nohr!" Corrin argued.

"Corrin, we have to think this through some more. And Takumi is right, our combined strength is pathetic compared to just one of them, we go in, we'll be waltzing into a trap." Ryoma warned.

"So you would prefer that we leave the Black Bulls behind? I understand that you guys have a beef with them since they are bandits who stole from you but no grudge can possibly be worth leaving anyone to meet such an end." Corrin argued again.

"I respectably disagree." Saizo whispered to himself while scoffing.

"Shut up!" Corrin snapped back at him, being the only one who heard him. "The Seven are clearly out to destroy Hoshido first before Nohr and because the Black Bulls have helped us from the sidelines they'll obviously go after our allies. It's our fault that they were attacked in the first place."

"I know how you feel, Corrin, and believe me when I tell you that making decisions based on feelings alone, especially rage or guilt are bound to make the situation worse. You don't want to go out there feeling this way." Ryoma pleaded with her to be more rational.

"He's right, Corrin. I don't want to abandon Shura and the Annas either but we don't have a clue on what we'll be walking into. For all we know all Seven Deadly Sins are in the Fort waiting for us to come rescue them." Robin warned her. "I don't even know where to begin on finding a way through this. Though, there's no convincing you not to go."

"No, there isn't." Corrin replied, purely adamant about rescuing the Black Bulls.

"Well, at least we'll make sure to bring the scroll this time around." Orochi said, holding the Light Scroll.

Reluctant as they may be to go, with the exception of Takumi, Sakura, Mozu and Hayato, the rest prepare to go to Nohr and face another of the Sins yet again.

"Oh, I am very nervous about all this." Felicia said, getting goosebumps just thinking about facing those demons, that one time she went up against Wrath was more than she could handle for one lifetime.

"Quit your whining, the slightest amount of hesitation could potentially lead to Lady Corrin's untimely demise." Jakob lectured her, picking up one last shuriken to bring along to the fight.

"On that, we can all agree on." Kaze said, ready himself. "Anyone seen Lilith anywhere?"

"Right here…" Lilith said, only now joining up with all of them and at first glance, she looks okay but at a deeper glance, the little dragon looks sick, or at the very least kind of tired. "Sorry if I held you guys up a bit."

"Are you alright Lilith? You look, well… unwell." Felicia asked.

"Yeah, no need to worry about me, this is just a minor side effect of siphoning magic from someone at a rapid pace. There's a reason absorbing magic from fellow mages is essentially outlawed in a sense due to the issues it does to one's body. But I'm a dragon so it's easy to shrug it off much quicker." Lilith explained.

"So Robin is a poison on your life as well? Oh, how we truly are kindred spirits." Jakob mused with sympathy, as he misunderstood her meaning and just puts the blame solely on Robin, making Kaze role his eyes and Felicia giggle.

"Please come b-back safe… every-y one." Sakura pleaded.

"We will Sakura, even though the enemy is hella strong, we're nothing if not lucky when it comes to making it out alive so far." Hinoka said retaining her confidence.

"I certainly hope that's true." Mikoto prayed.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Corrin asked everyone who gives no more objections. "Time to warp, Robin."

"Right." The Tactician nodded, ready to warp all of them to their new destination. "Oh, before we go in, Cor, I want you to have this. It'll be of good use and I'm glad I remembered this at least."

"What is it this time?" Corrin asked curious to see one of the rings he rediscovered in Morgenstern and gasps in disbelief upon seeing it, covering her mouth with both hands in complete bewilderment, her face blushing maddeningly, she looks like she's going to faint any moment now. "A… a-are… you… p-p-pro… proposing to me…? NOW?!"

"EEEHHH!" The majority shout at once by this sudden predicament that certainly confuses Robin.

"Oh my lord, this is so sudden. I don't know if I'm ready for this." Mikoto uttered, suddenly sweating, making it sound like she's the one who received the proposal but really it's about having grandchildren.

"Guys, keep it down, jeez. Also, sorry, my bad, wrong magic ring." Robin said as he switches the wedding ring with the other one. "Sorry for the misunderstanding."

"Oh, thank Sephiroth." Ryoma sighed with immense relief as he's certainly not ready to "walk" any of his sisters to the altar to be married. Jakob came close to killing Robin then and there but quickly restrained himself once he said wrong magic ring but he still is reluctant to lower his dagger down out of pure vindictiveness.

"See, this is actually a very useful magic tool with strong protection. I can't even begin to explain why I forgot these two when I used them months ago and trust me, you'll love them when… you… Corrin are you okay?" Robin uttered more confused upon seeing the lifeless and deadpan expression on her face. The kind of face you give to someone who's become dead to you but you can't even bring yourself to express your anger by just how done you are with said person, resulting in the Princess simply turning away from her Tactician and love interest. "Uh, Co…"

"Don't talk to me." Corrin quickly interrupted him with malice on her tone that gave even Saizo chills on his spine.

"O… kay." Robin mumbled not sure what to say about this, especially once he becomes more irritated by Jakob bursting with laughter like a madman at his expense.

"The suspense between you two is becoming lackluster." Mikoto pouted in disappointment.

"So… anyway… can someone please explain why am I being left out again?" Hayato demanded commonly indignantly.

"Oh, you have far more pressing concerns than facing some big fat demons, little boy." Izana said with a surprisingly sinister but still teasing grin.

"Like what, you goof?" Hayato hissed.

"HAYATO!" Screamed the startling voice of a big and angry man that made Hayato screech in terror and run away right in the opposite direction where the voice came from but he doesn't get very far as a giant hand made of wind goes straight after him, grabbing him and pulls him straight back and he lands down on the floor with his father, Fuga there and he is not happy.

"Where do you think you're going this time boy?" He demanded sternly.

"Well… it's a good thing we're leaving after all." Corrin muttered as Robin's spell only now just activated and it's too late to turn it off.

"Have fun, kiddo." Rinkah laughed at the kid's misfortune.

"No! You traitors! Come back and take me with you, I want to go to Hell too! NOOOOOO!" Hayato cried in horror with Mikoto, Takumi, Sakura and Mozu dropping a sweat over the boy's misfortune.

* * *

Corrin's group soon find themselves at the edge of a cliff located in one of the valleys of Nohr, even though it's already noon, daylight is barely noticeable because of the black clouds that are a frequent sight in the Kingdom, the mountain range itself from their angle feels largely intimidating but in spite of the darkness they can see their destination well enough. Right below them is Fort Dragonfall. It towered from the valley below them, might and imposing, seemingly carved out of solid rock. It was smooth, curved and strangely… alive.

"Jeez, this is my first time here in the Dark Night and it's every bit as nerve-wracking as I thought." Hana said, already bothered by being here.

"Eh, this is my second time and it definitely feels more like a blah than life-threatening." Hinata shrugged.

"Oh yeah, you two and Lord Takumi once snuck passed Nohr's borders when you volunteered to defend them last year." Subaki remembered.

"Yep, the three of us got too carried away exterminating Grimm and ended up in one of the three border towns from Nohr's side and with so many guards we had to hide there for at least two days until we at last found our chance to escape." Oboro explained. "I don't know what was worse, being in a Nohrian dominated town, being forced to wear their revolting clothing or going two days without food. There was barely enough to go around and we blended in so well that the folks there were nice enough to give us a place to stay when they mistook us for hobos."

"Definitely not being able to eat for two days. The scums we captured over the years were not kidding about their famine crisis, Sephiroth, there are only a handful of cities that actually have food to feast every day while the rest have to eat only twice a day just to get by." Hinata muttered as Takumi declined all the food the three were offered to pass along to whatever starving orphans needed to eat as well and the two Retainers never objected.

"Goes to show that forts like these and all the intimidating armor they were is all for show to hide how empty these people really are." Setsuna commented.

"That's a gross exaggeration but you're not far off. To make sure the soldiers are prep and ready for battle, 35% of the food that was able to be amass per year is distributed to them so they don't lose their fatigue." Corrin explained, based on everything she learned from her foster family.

"Only 35%? Nohr's human army is more than 100,000 men strong." Hinoka recalled in surprise by this.

"That hasn't stopped all the reports we've received over the years about the constant rebellions by the common folk demanding more food. This entire land is a massive combat zone." Kagero explained grimly.

"Almost being the keyword, nowadays with the amassing of so many Grimm a lot of soldiers have stepped down from their post in recent years so more can be given to the commoners, of course, a lot of said commoners used to be soldiers." Felicia added.

"I didn't know that." Hinoka muttered to herself, while Ryoma remains silent in contemplation.

"These blasted endless clouds aren't doing anyone any favors either." Corrin cursed at the sight of the endless clouds. "Robin, you mind."

"I'll do it when this is over, all the sunlight is gonna draw too much attention after all." He replied to her about getting rid of the clouds.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hana questioned.

"I'll show you later." Robin shrugged.

"The fort looks more impressive too. It even looks almost like a giant sleeping dragon." Felicia noted staring at the fort again. "Does that sound strange."

"Not really, this fort was forged by the remains of a dragon that died here, hence the name Fort Dragonfall." Robin explained.

"Yeah but a lot of the members of the Dusk Faithful despise this place with unyielding rage, though." Jakob said.

"Why is that?" Corrin asked.

"Well… it may have something to do with the fact that the dead dragon just so happens to be one of the more minor known Precursors." Jakob said.

"Huh…?"

"The Precursors were more a family than just a pantheon of gods, the co-leaders of the Divine Dragons, Sephiroth and Qliphoth each had two children respectively, the Dawn Dragon is known to have two sons, the Blaze Dragon Iblis and the Stone Dragon Archaean, while the Dusk Dragon had two daughters, the more well-known of the two is the Frost Dragon Shiva and his second daughter was the Mist Dragon Ahsoka, who was one of the many casualties of the Great War. Her human disciples buried her here below the surface to rest in peace and would continue to offer her prayers in a sub-faction of the Dusk Faithful until six hundred years ago, blasphemers of unclear motives dug up her remains and desecrated her bones to make Dragonfall." Ryoma explained.

"I had no idea." Corrin uttered now staring at the fort with newfound revulsion over what it truly represents.

"If it's so blasphemous, why is it still intact?" Rinkah wondered.

"It's a powerful fortress, or used to, and it served a strategic purpose at one point so it was kept around out of convenience." Robin said. "Enough of that, we have to get to work now, for all we know, the Black Bulls are already dead. Orochi, make us a scout to examine the place first to make sure there's at least some semblance of hope."

"On it." Orochi replied, using the light scroll and creates a light construct in the form of a hummingbird and flies into Dragonfall, the light it emits has been dimmed enough that no one should be able to notice it too much. "Alright, I'm in and so far nothing, passing by a large corridor and the place is empty so far but definitely in a bad way empty." She said examining the area through the eyes of the construct.

"I wouldn't be surprised by the enemy being prepared for an attack and have traps ready but what are the odds that the Sins are really expecting us to go after them?" Setsuna asked.

"We're the only ones thus far who know of their existence and Robin and I warned Shura about them to be overly cautious and try to get some more information so I have little doubt that this mess is our fault that they were caught just to lure us and no one else." Azura said wearily. "Though, I somehow get the distinct hunch that we'll only be facing one of them again."

"Fingers cross." Hinoka said.

"Okay, I'm hearing something farther down a narrowed passage, can't make it out yet but it sounds like there are a lot of people gathered in one place. That's concerning." Orochi said reluctant to go forward but does so regardless until she begins to see blood in the roof, walls, floor and… flesh and bones. "Oh my gods…"

"What did you find?" Ryoma asked upon noticing how quickly Orochi's expression turns ill.

"Oh… my gods… oh my gods…" She mumbled two more times, looking like she's becoming sicker by the second until she can't take what she's seeing anymore and drops the scroll in a panic. "OH… MY… GOODNESS!"

"Orochi!" Reina uttered as the Diviner takes several steps back in a rapid pace that she trips and falls into her partner's arms. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'll… never look at meat the same. Sephiroth, I'm going to be a vegetarian from now on." Orochi muttered, now looking like she's about to throw up.

"Meat?" Corrin repeated, not liking the sound of it.

"Well, this keeps getting better and better." Rinkah hissed sarcastically as she picks up the Scroll and see what got Orochi spook with the hummingbird still active with her own eyes what sort of hell awaits them, and it is certainly a horrid one. "WHAT IN THE ETERNAL FLAME?!"

"WHAT?! What is it?!" Corrin cried, the suspense killing her as well as unnerving the rest. "Are Shura and the others dead? Are they alive?!"

"Yeah, I see them, they're all in what I think used to be a large dining hall, the Black Bulls are there, probably twenty or more, I can't count at the moment with long dark chains that look like meat hooks keeping them suspense in the air but are otherwise fine by looks alone but below them… man, oh man, this is what I like to call a Dish of Hell."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Rinkah?" Corrin demanded.

"There are a bunch of Nohrian citizens there as well, commoners and street rats from the looks of it and they are eating like savage monsters." Rinkah explained.

"Eating what?"

"THEMSELVES! They're fighting each other while eating one another." Rinkah yelled back while also dropping the scroll to turn away from the sight. The others gasp in terror over this news.

"Cannibalism?!" Ryoma shouted.

"What… what kind of disaster are those abominations up to now?" Hinoka uttered.

"That's horrible…" Felicia uttered about to throw up herself.

"This must be the work of the Sin of Gluttony, and where better for him to spread his influence than a nation beset by famine." Lilith said terrified.

"We have to get in there. We have to get them out right now! Get the troops ready." Corrin demanded with desperate haste as Orochi snaps out of her horror trance as she and Rinkah both use the Light Scroll together and summon a battalion of Light Soldiers that charge into Dragonfall in a full siege with the Hoshidans being carried downward alongside them and march to save the Black Bulls as soon as possible and by the time they arrived, their Light Soldiers have already restraint the Nohrians and they can see why even Rinkah was horrified as the entire dining hall is bathed with blood, flesh, bones, organs and dismembered corpses from mostly bite marks. The restraint people are more like monsters, wrathfully and desperately trying to free themselves to continue feasting on each other. The entirety of their bodies and clothing is covered in blood, some of them have either lost a limb or have so much of them bitten off, others are missing eyes and flesh on their faces. It's like watching a real live version of those horror stories about the undead known as zombies and these Nohrians are such creatures. It's a miracle that Sakura, Mozu and Hayato weren't allowed to come like they wanted to after all.

"This… can't be real!" Felicia looks like she's about to go insane from this madness.

"How could such evil exist." Jakob too cannot bring himself to watch.

"Oh, shoot. We're really near the mouth of hell now." Hinata uttered as she and Hana throw up at once at the sight of it all. They certainly picked a bad time to have a big lunch.

"That's the understatement of the year!" Shura shouted from above, getting the attention of the Hoshidans.

"Shura! Are you alright?" Corrin shouted.

"NO! We're not okay! We were moments away from becoming the main course!" Black Bulls Anna shouted in terror, pretty much Shura is the only one among his comrades who maintains a semi-calm demeanor while the rest, especially the other Anna is in a state of total despair.

"We'll get you guys out of this, okay. You're going to live through this nightmare." Robin assured them as he will begin to free them.

"I think not!" Roared the voice of a malicious monster with the ground beginning to tremble.

"No… no, no… NO!" The tormented Anna wallowed in despair with the true terror returning. "He's here. He's coming for me!"

"How many Sinners are here, Shura?" Corrin asked as they ready themselves to fight.

"Just one, and he is one ugly son of a bitch!" Shura informed.

Large cracks form on the right of the dining hall as a large winged beast emerges out from it, blowing most of the Light Soldiers away, getting all attention to it.

"Gluttony!" Robin cursed as the Hoshidans face the newest Sin.

This one appears more like a demon than the rest they've encountered, roughly the same size or bigger than a Death Stalker. Four-legged, resembling a very twisted sphinx with red sharp claws, a humanoid upper torso in the front that gives it a centaur-like appearance, it's demonic face contains a sickening grin to it with curved, segmented horns that arc back over the back of the cranium and has two pairs of wings with purple feathers on its back riddled with eyes.

"Welcome, Minions of the Dawn. Daughters of the Silent. And welcome most of all to you, High Deliverer. I knew you would come to save your friends. As expected of those who live by the weakness of Virtue." The grotesque creature spoke in a sickening tone with green liquid spewing out of his mouth.

"What an atrocious bastard." Rinkah hissed in disgust.

"That's… a real d-d-demon?!" Felicia gasped with pure terror overtaking her.

"So… you must be the embodiment of the Sin of Gluttony." Robin address, staring at the monster down intently.

"I go by many names, same as you, I've long since stopped caring about what people call me. All that matters is what I desire." Gluttony shrugged disgustingly. "And what I desire is to satisfy my hunger."

"How utterly deplorable." Jakob scoffed.

"Explain yourself, you bastard! Why have you done this to these people, making them mad enough to actually cannibalize each other. Your brother and sisters are deplorable but this is just a new low?" Corrin demanded, enraged by the horrors.

"You speak as if I have done something evil. Foolish, little girl. I am no enemy of Nohr. I am their savior." Gluttony argued, catching the humans off by his claim.

"In what god damn sense?!" Corrin shouted back.

"Were you not once a Princess of this fallen from Blackgrace nation? Have you forgotten the conditions these people are going through? The duty you have sworn to uphold but forsook for a life of pleasure and eternal… gluttony!" Gluttony asked in a scolding manner, glaring at the proper Hoshidans while waving his hands at the Nohrians still restrained and still under his corruption. Whenever he speaks he would continuously growl and choke on his words, many of which are straddled with gutter belching or gurgling, as though he is suffering from perpetual indigestion.

"I haven't forgotten! And I may have forsaken the family that raised me but not the people!" Corrin argued.

"LIES! The Dawn always lies. Light is and always shall be the Father of Sin." Gluttony argued with more anger and malice. "Each of you must know by now, Nohr is the most populated kingdom on this planet, too many mouths to feed, too little to go around, a land cursed by the aftermath of the Old War to truly provide anything, these people are hungry. They were born hungry. If they lose this war, then they must resort to the true path of Hunger. Over the centuries, Nohrians have resorted to this before. "Crimes" like these, while rare have happened enough times for the authorities to be fully invested in making sure they stop and never happen again." He explained as he starts to sound sympathetic. "The thought always comes to mind when one is truly hungry, the growling of the stomach, the agony of emptiness, the longing of becoming filled, the hatred for those who have and will not give. The desperation, the rage, the feeling of powerlessness that turns good and virtuous men… cruel. I know their pain. I know it all too well for it was that pain that birthed me as the rest of my siblings who too were born from the pain of Humanity's infinite vices."

With each word, Gluttony takes a few more steps closer to his foes, the Hoshidans take few steps back with their Light Soldiers stepping between them to keep this evil away. "Nohr will lose this war, I know it. You all know it. And when they do, when they accept that even they were forsaken by the gods, they will come to me, and I will give them the courage to embrace the devils inside and feast on the flesh of their kin and it will be oh, so… EXQUISITE!"

"Nothing but empty words come out of your mouth, beast. Everything you've done you did for your own thirst for destruction." Ryoma countered, not falling for the demon's nonsense. "You and your kin have done enough damage to Hoshido and even we must accept that not even the Nohrians deserve to meet such an end, and you will pay for every life you've destroyed, especially your wretched brother, Wrath."

"Really, now?" Gluttony laughed like a madman upon his declaration though stops once he starts coughing violently for a few seconds. "I've seen all your battles thus far from the shadows against the Grimm and my family. As usual, you humans are weak and feeble when in the presence of true power. When in the presence of true GODS. Do I look like I will be different? An easy win?" He asked sarcastically "I am eternal. Hunger is INFINITE!"

"You're not the first beast to make that claim. At least I'm getting a sense of déjà vu from those words." Robin said being the most composed out of everyone from this crisis.

"And I'm sure you would know better than your new friends, Robin. I pity you, not being able to remember your past lives. A brain with a few memories is like drinking ocean water. It makes me thirstier when I taste them." Gluttony said, hinting that he knows about Robin's past, something that was already established with the Seven but not really confirmed to most of them, to Robin's chagrin and Corrin's uncertainty. "But your soul remains intact and what is left of Grima will be truly appetizing, along with Anna here. How disappointing that Takumi didn't come along as I'd hoped."

"What do you want with my brother and Anna?" Hinoka demanded angrily.

"To eat them of course." Gluttony affirmed as he stares at the Anna that used to be Greed's vessel and licks his lips to clarify his aim, and the tongue just so happens to actually be a cobra that spills venom all over his lips, adding further intimidation to his horrid appearance.

"Why go to the trouble of capturing them?" Robin asked.

"Because she, like Takumi both served as demonic vessels and those touched by the demonic are marked for life. Their souls forever tainted with the aura of those who stole their bodies for a time. Even though we can create bodies for ourselves to move about we once and a while desire Meatsuits for various purposes. As for I, human flesh is even more delicious when they are marked by true darkness." Gluttony explained, further horrifying Anna over the realization that there is still pieces of Greed still inside her.

"Takumi…" Oboro whispered mortified with the thought that there is still apart of Envy in him.

"Going after the former vessels of your kin sounds no different than cannibalism." Robin pointed out in disgust.

"And what's your point? It's not like anyone can go through their whole lives without wishing for their kin to suffer once and a while, and while I have nothing against my brothers, there is nothing I hunger more than to see my sisters, and Lust suffer." Gluttony confessed with contempt for his sisters and then returns his sights on Anna. "And do you know what is just as scrumptious as human souls tainted by devilry? Fear. Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear. Best way to salt the meat." He began to giggle maniacally as his body starts changing with his mouth enlarging, from as an opening that slits from one side, reaches his neck and part of his face, then ends to the other side of his body, revealing a bigger mouth lined with rows of sharp teeth with a bigger, extendable tongue-like cobra.

"Holy shit!" Subaki actually cried out in terror, not even he can keep a calm head, not unlike Robin in the face of this madness, and Gluttony moves her Cobra to take a bite out of Anna finally.

"NO! NNOOOOO!" The Fallen Merchant cried with her end nearing inch by inch.

"ANNA!" Her sister cried, being forced to watch the horror, that thankfully never came as Robin saves her as he pulls out Ragnell and decapitates the cobra, forcing Gluttony to retract what remains of the tongue and restore his mouth to its original size.

"It's sinful to ruin someone's breakfast." The Demon hissed insulted.

"You've eaten enough for a thousand lifetimes and will not have anymore." Robin warned, pointing his new blade at the monster.

"Ah… Ragnell, the Sword of the Radiant King. How fascinating but ultimately futile." Gluttony smirked not intimidated by the legendary sword like his brothers were. "Not even a hundred Fire Emblems can destroy me, what makes you think that old antique will be able to make a difference."

"I don't. I don't even know how deadly this blade I stole really is." Robin lied. "But it's powerful, I know it and so do you apparently and I get the feeling that once I sink it into your stomach you won't be eating anything or anyone for a very long time"

"BUT WE'RE NOT YET FULL!" Gluttony cried with anguish over being denied more meals and his tantrum causes the corrupted Nohrians to become more feral with their hunger. "You know we've tried. We've been feasting but we're still not… satisfied." He mused as he begins to cough a bit loudly before accidentally spilling out ahead from his mouth that lands far enough near Corrin's and the sight of it further mortifies the former Princess of Nohr as it is the head of a little boy, the left portion completely mutilated while the remaining right is completely devoid of flesh, the skull completely visible. There are no signs of children being here until now, leaving them to conclude that whatever younglings were here must've already been devoured, either all by Gluttony or the other infested humans who are likely their relatives.

And this is what really causes Corrin to snap as she gives the demon one last intense glare of pure hatred before screaming her lungs out, no longer able to restrain herself and instinctively transforms into a dragon again and rushes after Gluttony, ramming herself into the beast as they bash through several walls, all the while Gluttony laughs with pure delight.

"Corrin, wait!" Robin cried out for her with her allies attempting to aid her, only to reach certain problems of their own as a geyser of water erupts from the hole Gluttony came out of and from that water come out the Veiled Soldiers who block their path and another battle commences.

* * *

The two Titans are now outside on the east side of Fort Dragonfall, Gluttony grabs on to Corrin's shoulders tightly and lifts her up, spreading his wings to fly them both as he slams her to the wall of the fort and starts ramming her upwards, dragging her towards the nearest tower. Corrin fights back and frees herself by headbutting the Demon to then ram him into the wall, bursting a hole open for them to crash into a room within the fort where the two continue to fight in a brief scuffle before Gluttony gains the upper hand, taking her outside and resume to reach the tower for no real reason other than continuing to bash Corrin as the Dragon Princess continues to struggle and once they reach the top of the tower, Corrin regains the upper hand, bashing Gluttony on the floor so hard that the impact causes the entire tower to break apart and they both fall back down and get buried under all the debris for a few moments.

Corrin is kicked out of the debris by Gluttony using his two back feet, crash landing near the edge of the cliff on Fort Dragonfall's east side. She forces herself back up to continue fighting as Gluttony charges as well and is the first to make the next move as he stops Corrin's assault by punching her in the face, delivering three more punches that nearly throw her off balance as she attempts to punch him back but her hits do less damage than he does. After receiving two more vicious punches and a literal slap to the face from him that make her go dizzy for a brief moment and might actually faint, she recklessly attempts to bash him by his chin with her horns, but that also proved futile as Gluttony grabs her head in time to stop her and then begins to pull her to his right in an attempt to knock her to the ground but she manages to stand her ground until he hits her on the back of her long neck with his right elbow, causing her to howl in pain as she finally falls to her knees.

"PATHETIC! And you call yourself a DRAGON?! Something so weak as you could barely ever hope to count as an appetizer." Gluttony roared as he raises his front legs up in an attempt to stump on her head but Corrin manages to roll out of the way in time and launches another attack by swinging her tail at him, which proves to be a fatal mistake as he catches it with his bare teeth and with enough force pulls and bites it off out of her body, causing her to cry out in agony, lying helplessly on the floor with blood coming out of where her tail once was.

"DAMMIT! YOU… YOU…!" Corrin growled, her anger intensifying as she watches Gluttony swallow her tail whole.

"You can't fight on an empty stomach, you know." Gluttony laughed at her agony. "Though, I suspect you would provide me a bit more entertainment, if not way more and certainly be a more exquisite meal if you allowed your true self-control. Now that sounds like a fight Wrath would be looking forward to."

"I just met you… and already I have you figured out, and see right through your strings, Gluttony. All you are is empty, like the rest of your family. You're just an empty void that can never be filled, there is nothing you won't destroy so you might as well spare us your nonsense." Corrin cursed, forcing herself back on her feet.

"You're in no position to judge, little dragon. After all, out of the gluttonous scum in Hoshido, none are more hungry than you." Gluttony retorted, mockingly to the already bested Dragon. "Oh yes, you especially are hungry out of everyone in Nohr and Hoshido, Corrin. Hungry… for… DDDDAAAAARRRRKKKKNNNNNEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS…"

Suddenly, everything turns dark for a few seconds before Corrin opens her eyes again and finds herself back in human form, her pain and injuries gone, not that her tail is ever really present when she's like this but she is no longer anywhere near Fort Dragonfall but instead the last place she would ever want to be in.

"The… throne room in Krakenburg. I'm back home." Corrin uttered in confusion. What is Gluttony plotting? It really stings to be here again after leaving Nohr. Growing up, being here was but a dream, the place where a Royal Family would stand together primarily to converse about the welfare and duty to the Kingdom, the first time she finally got to see it with her own eyes was everything she expected it to be, a place of strength, intimidation and absolute authority but now it brings her discomfort and fear. If this is Gluttony's way of breaking her spirit more so than Wrath already did than it's working perfectly.

"Need to get out. I'm not ready to be here." Corrin said with haste and desperation in her voice, marching straight for the doors, only to find her path blocked by the one person she'd ever expected to face off against. Herself.

Yes, standing before Corrin is another woman that looks exactly like her, almost down to the most minor detail, barefooted and all, with the only exception is that the uniform she's wearing is not of a Hoshido Noble but a black one of Nohr's nobility, and it is the exact same one that Camilla had designed for her six months ago that she was meant to wear once she takes on her position as a Nohrian Commander. She even has a replica of the Yato in the sword's base form.

"What… what's going on. Who are you?" Corrin gasped flabbergasted by this latest crisis. The other Corrin remains silent, instead, she glares at her with intense ferocity. She raises her Yato a bit and like with the real one, the blade transforms, and before she knew it the second Yato now radiates a crimson aura that reminds her of a sword bathed in blood with the slot on the bottom of the blade now illuminated crimson. The crossguard slightly widens and takes a more ornate look. The Fake Corrin begins walking forward, looking like she's itching for a fight and eager to go for the kill.

"Answer me! What kind of new devilry is all this?! What are you?!" Corrin demanded more agitated, raising the true Yato against the imposter with its wind magic activated, releasing a harmless gust at the moment.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm everything you wanted to be. What is, what isn't what was supposed to be but can never be." The Imposter responded with the very same voice but with a darker tone fueled by malice.

"I don't understand." Corrin mumbled.

"Come on, Corrin. we're not that gullible, just slow but slow learners have their benefits. Don't tell me that we lack even that." The Other Corrin said, sounding like they are one and the same.

"We?"

"Yes, we. I am Corrin. Second Princess of Nohr and second daughter of King Garon and Queen Arete, the ones who will rule all and bring absolute order to a depraved world deceived by the Light." The Imposter declared with conviction and passion so familiar it hurts inside.

"No… You're not me. I threw that title away." Corrin shouted in denial.

"And look where that got us in!" Dark Corrin snapped back enraged as she raises her Grim Yato as it clads with red lightning and swings it down at her with Corrin countering with her Noble Yato. Both Sacred Treasures release huge amounts of magical force that the impact causes the throne room to shake violently. Both Corrins begin their fight, each clash causing more shakes on the throne room but Dark Corrin's strikes are much more ferocious, the wave of red lightning running wild with the true Corrin desperately releasing stronger gusts of magical wind to repel the electricity from touching her as the mere sight of this darker Yato, that must be the Ultimate Sacred Treasure's alternative form of the deeply feared Sword of Demolition that is said to bring total destruction upon the world instead of safeguarding it. It's living up to the legends so far as this Nohrian Corrin seems to have more of an understanding of the sword than she has about the ''Sword of Salvation'', every blow she counters is more intense than Gluttony's punches.

Corrin narrowly escapes being decapitated by her obvious nohrian side's blade and finds an opening to thrust her sword at Dark Corrin's next and does not hesitate to go for the kill for once, seeing the imposter only as another demon that has to be stopped. Sadly, Dark Corrin has fewer inhibitions than her, as she stops Corrin's attack by transforming her left hand into its monster form, grabbing her by her head and begins to squeeze her, getting a loud cry of pain from the Scourge of Nohr. Dark Corrin then throws her straight up as she crashes into the ceiling violently that she leaves a large crack upwards and as she falls back down, Dark Corrin begins channeling power from her sword to deliver one last swing to finish her, however, Corrin recovered quick and using Noble Yato she forms a powerful twister that not only stops Dark Corrin's attack but also blows her away from the demoness and she lands closer to the throne room's doors.

"You're not real! Nothing about you is true!" Corrin shouted out loud, determine to get out of this mess.

"I AM REAL!" Dark Corrin yelled back louder. "I'm as real as the pain you've felt day and night ever since you set foot in that accursed Suzanoh. As real as the Pride you felt when you got to call Xander brother and Garon father! The Wrathful vengeance you hold towards those who wronged you, Nohr and Hoshido alike! The Slothful reluctance to truly fight for justice! The Envy you feel for not being as competent as your siblings! The Greed you have for wanting to come back to them and for them to accept you back with open arms! The Lust that keeps you up at night for Robin's embrace! The Gluttony that starves you for the perfect life, the perfect family, the perfect parents, the perfect siblings, the perfect husband and children! Everything that could've been yours and more and you threw away! And for WHAT?! Complete strangers! Months ago they were our enemies! And they've lied to us and are keeping secrets all the same. Hoshido is just as bad, if not worse!"

"What country isn't full of bullshit?!" Corrin argued. "I know what I have to do now for all of Horus's sake, just as how I know there is no turning back from what I've done. Xander made that clear when he was prepared to strike me down."

"And what a bigger wreck we've become because of it. We're getting weaker and weaker with each passing day; our very existence is on the brink of collapse as we sink further down back into the Darkness that was once ours to rule as a goddess that now only welcomes us with fire and hate." Dark Corrin scuffed. "There is no future for us left in Solheim because of you! And that will not stand anymore. I'm taking control and putting us back on the right track."

"Over my dead body!" Corrin declined.

"That's already begun!" Dark Corrin roared with Grim Yato emitting a more violent surge of electricity that spreads wildly all over the Throne Room, threatening to fry everything it touches, with Corrin stabbing Noble Yato on the ground and creates a twister around herself to serve as a barrier that successfully repels all the red lightning with no form of breach, which irritated Dark Corrin as she concentrates all the lightning back into the sword and to herself and moves at the same lightning speed as Ryoma, howling like an inhuman beast and aims at the twister, destroying it, along with the massive doors that fall down and crash on the corridors but thankfully Corrin survived that blow without a scratch. Dark Corrin continues her assault with more violence and without rhythm to her moves but her speed is enough to catch up to Corrin's more precise and careful swings, after all, if they really are one and the same they both must know how the other fights and Corrin has fought with the same lack of pace before when her blood was made to boil on a few occasions so she instantly understands how Dark Corrin fights. Regardless, in this fight, it's about who is stronger and the light side of the Hoshidan Princess is definitely not the strongest.

* * *

"That's a good little dragon. Just stay quiet and sleep soundly in the Shadows while I have my fill." Gluttony smirked malevolently, staring down at the unconscious Corrin still in Dragon form as the fight against her Nohrian self must really be all in her head. "I haven't had a good dragon to eat in ages. Let alone a Precursor's spawn. I hope she is tastier than the one of the Mist." The Demon said as all the eyes on his wings begin to glow in maroon light that fire bolts of electricity that hit Corrin but do not harm her but instead lifts her up in the air while he opens up his mouth into its bigger state, pulling her closer to swallow her whole, but again he is denied his meal as he instead ends up eating Robin who forces himself inside and thrust Ragnell through, causing Gluttony great pain as he releases Corrin and tries to get the Tactician out of him and he relentlessly cuts away at his insides until Robin gets out all on his own with Gluttony falling on the ground, his insides shred to ribbons with gore spewing out but no blood again, instead having water coming out of his insides instead, like Robin who's all wet now but still smells like he is covered in organs.

"Lady Corrin!" Felicia cried out as she, Jakob, Kaze and Lilith rushed to the unconscious Corrin. "Is she alright?"

"Of course she is, you fool." Jakob shouted at her not to suggest anything he would deem absurd.

"Y-You… miserable wretch!" Gluttony howled, regenerating all his wounds rapidly fast and getting back on his feet and glaring at Robin. "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've eaten a proper dragon? They're a rarity in this day and age, you know "

"I missed the part where that's in any way my problem." Robin replied coldly, causing Gluttony to howl again and fires a magenta-colored beam at the Tactician from his mouth that he easily slashes in two with Ragnell.

"Well, if the feeling is this mutual, then perhaps I should disembowel you and let not just your latest army watch your guts spill out but also in front of you as well to make your final moments more amusing." Gluttony threatened. "Wouldn't that be lovely, Jakob?"

"This is the only time I'm ever going to say this but no, that does not sound lovely." The Butler responded sternly.

"You have my permission to at least try, you bloated thing." Robin dared. "Now what have you done to Corrin? Her body is fine as far as the eye can tell but there's more to it than that, is there?"

"As expected of one such as yourself to be very perceptive. She's alright for the moment. I've merely imprisoned her mind and soul into another dimension of mine and siblings' dominion. A place where nightmares and dark sides come to life. the Shadow Realm." Gluttony revealed. "You want her out, you have to kill me, and we both know it can't be done."

"Not permanently, yet." Kaze hissed as he and Jakob go to fight alongside Robin. They may not be anywhere near as strong but they can hold up long enough to give their partner an opening.

"Foolishness, Hoshidans. Utter foolishness, but I can't say I'm surprised by your ego and vanity. Pride is the tastiest sin of all." Gluttony chuckled.

"We'll see how long you can keep the smirk up for much longer." Jakob growled.

* * *

"These things are tougher than they were last time." Hinata noted as he engages one of the Veiled Soldiers in combat as he is once again pinned to a wall and unable to fight it off without help as Hana swoops in and jabs her katana through its left temple, however, he has noticed from previous engagements today that these creatures are much more potent than the ones that fought under Envy's control.

"Probably has something to do with the fact that Gluttony must be stronger than Envy. Speaking of, all the commotion outside must have something to do with Corrin getting pummeled and bashed by a lot of stone." Azama noted while assisting Setsuna to shoot down more of the invaders.

"Don't even joke about something like that!" Hinoka shouted just before pushing a Veiled Soldier to the ground and stabbing her spear through the neck. "And how can you hear anything going on outside, the entire fort at this point is crowded with all sorts of commo-" The High Princess is left unable to finish as she gets knocked to the ground by one of the feral Nohrians who got loose in the surprise attack of the Seven's army, pins her to the ground and begins to try and take a bite out of her face but she manages to keep herself safe by using the polearm of her naginata to have him sink his teeth on instead but pushing him off her is easier said than done because despite appearing like a simple villager he is really strong and really difficult to push off on her own until one of the Light Soldiers comes in and not only pulls him away from the Princess but kills him by stabbing him in the back.

"Damn, even with our forces this big, keeping those we must guard safe is too difficult." Ryoma cursed while taking down four Veiled Soldiers with one swing and was going to intercept another of the feral Nohrians going for him next but she gets kicked in the face by Kagero and knocked out.

"It's pointless to try and help these people, Milord. Unlike the Black Bulls, they've lost their humanity and even if we do snap them to their senses, they won't come back to how they were." Saizo said advising the High Prince not to focus on them as even with the Light Soldiers, fighting off Gluttony's soldiers is quite the challenge as well as guarding the Black Bulls who were set free but are in no condition to defend themselves.

"I know." Ryoma sighed in contemplation as the merciful thing to do for these people is to kill them and spare them the agony of what that Demon made them do to one another. "Mercy? In a way that is exactly what Nohr has been asking of us for years, to show them mercy by sharing our lands with them and now these malevolent entities are causing chaos in the shadows and bringing untold misery upon gods know how many people. In a way, this may be interpreted as some kind of true test of Kings to overcome. What sort of mercy is there to really offer to those who are suffering?"

* * *

Back with Corrin, where Gluttony confirmed to be trapped in a place called the Shadow Realm, she continues to do battle against her Nohrian counterpart which took them far from where they first started and now find themselves in a narrow corridor, both Yatos clashing with one another and both pierced the wall. Dark Corrin puts more pressure, slowing pushing her Hoshidan Half back as this fight is overexerting her too much and while this is happening their blades leave further gashes on the wall that look to be made of solid stone. Though this must all be a hallucination of sorts if the Shadow Realm works in any way similar to Lilith's Astral Plane than perhaps this replica of Krakenburg must be real enough.

"Your efforts are futile as they have been since your betrayal, Corrin." Dark Corrin hissed, continuing to torment the real Corrin during this entire fight both physically and mentally.

"I said shut up!" Corrin howled more ferociously herself as she pushes the Grim Yato away, allowing her to get behind Dark Corrin to slice at her back, only to be instantly parried by the quick reflexes both Corrins share, as the darker one narrowly managed to stab her in the face but again Corrin dodges, following up by attempting to decapitate her and later cleave her in two from the right abdomen, both of which Dark Corrin easily parries, counterattacking by grabbing Corrin by her right shoulder and drags her back to the direction she previously was before headbutting the Hoshidan Princess with enough force to make her lose her balanced, followed by getting punch in the face by Dark Corrin. Corrin struggles to keep herself on her feet and pouring more strength into her next swing, which again is futile with her Nohrian half easily parrying.

Dark Corrin then transforms her left hand into its monstrous appearance to deliver one powerful punch to Corrin that sends her flying pass the whole corridor and crashes hard into a stone wall at the end, making a large crack that makes Corrin gasps for breath as she lies down but is unable to as Dark Corrin throws the Grim Yato like a boomerang that nearly hits her neck by an inch. Dark Corrin doesn't stop there as Corrin can see a small and weak stream of electricity coming out of the Grim Yato's pommel that goes all the way back to her dark side's right hand and once she tightens it into a fist the sword starts coming again and Corrin nearly loses her head by the blade who telekinetically moves by itself through the lightning connecting it to its wielder that then gets pulled back into Dark Corrin's hands and she again clashes with the real Corrin who find themselves again in a stalemate so to speak.

"You still can't begin to grasps the power you've been blessed with, and still you persist on following this path!" Dark Corrin cursed.

"But you seem to know Yato best, seeing how you were created by Gluttony." Corrin countered, now being the one to push Dark Corrin back, followed by an uppercut to the chin that knocks her to the ground, she even drops her Yato, leaving her wide open to being struck down once an for all by Corrin, who sadly cannot proceed with her assault as something catches her by her right leg that pulls and throws her off her feet. As Dark Corrin gets back up, Corrin sees that what caught her leg was Dark Corrin's own dragon tail that she manifested at will to stop her lethal attack.

"Want to know what our real problem is, Corrin?" Dark Corrin asked while she maintains her hold on Corrin with her tail and with all her strength she pulls her out from the air and swings her hard on the wall, hitting her back, followed by another to their right as she hits her face. This was the last blow for Corrin as she drops the Noble Yato from fatigue as Dark Corrin leaves her lying there in defeat. "You're the side of us that can't accept not being in control. It's natural for people, especially those of the upper echelon of societies to explode with resentment towards anything and anyone who disrupts their way of living and how they want to run things but Robin and Xander taught us to show enough humility to not throw a tantrum every time something comes along and tarnishes our hopes and plans. You stand tall when danger arrives but in truth, you just want to run away and let the big strong man take care of everything like your typical pathetic noble lady. Your dreams of the life similar to mercenaries is just that, a silly pitiful act of escapism."

"I don't have to answer anything to you!" Corrin snapped, attempting to continue fighting but Dark Corrin keeps her pin to the ground by placing herself on top of her and the Grim Yato around her neck.

"Who better to talk about your past sins, present sins and future sins than with yourself!" Dark Corrin talked back, practically barking at that point. "You've tarnished our hopes of our most heartfelt desires, destroy Nohr's respect and now they're coming for us and we'll spend the rest of our lives in chains unless father does the merciful thing and executes us right on the spot. But Robin? Robin will never be so fortunate and you know it most of all. They'll make him suffer, putting him through the worst conditions humans should never go through and keep him alive for as long as he can resist until he begs for death but instead they'll just keep tearing him apart without end. Because of you!"

"No… they can't… I won't let them take him from me." Corrin swore.

"**I won't let them take him from ME**!" Dark Corrin replied more stern and bitter just as the Yato begins to change yet again, now having a jet-black aura, same with the two bottom slots on the blade now and finally, there are small protrusions all over the blade except for the tip.

"Another form…" Corrin uttered.

"Once I destroyed your consciousness I'll cease control of our body in the outside and finally set things right in the real world by tearing Hoshido apart from the inside!" Dark Corrin swore as she raises her blade, about to finish Corrin, only to have her be stabbed in the back, literally as someone arrives at the scene and a silver blade comes out of her chest. Dark Corrin makes a demonic howling mix with pain as the assailant and savior lifts her off Corrin and throws her aside.

Corrin recovers and sees her savior be a young girl close to her age with white hair like Robin's and hers, wearing a uniform that gives her the impression of what Pegasus Knights wear in another country that was only recently annexed into Nohr but the design has a remarkable resemblance to the coat Robin used to wear and the sword she wields holds a striking resemblance to Ragnell, the obvious difference is that the blade is silver, while the handle is instead gold.

"Jeez, the demons in this place have always been loud but that one has some serious issues." The girl whined in annoyance before turning to Corrin with a concerned smile and offers her a hand to get back up. "You alright?"

"Yes, thank you." Corrin smiled as she accepts her new savior's hand to get back on her feet. "But, who are you, and what is this place? Definitely not Nohr. Sorry, I should introduce myself first."

"What matters is getting you out since you clearly need help." She replied back. "Oh, the name's Morgan by the way."

"Morgan…" Corrin repeated and lost for words over this news as she had been saved from her Dark Side by the woman who upon closer inspection does resemble Robin to some degree, or rather a lot as Corrin is having a difficult time looking at her without the face of the man she loves coming to mind and that smile of hers holds the same amount of warmth and compassion he would always give her that is just so adorable coming from her. She even has the same light brown eyes like his. This must be the same Morgan that Robin is struggling to remember and reunite with, who Corrin has been doubting for some time is really his sister. Hell, if anything, she's really his daughter. Wait a minute…

"Hey, are you okay? I hope you're not too hurt, wounds received in this place are more severe than in the mortal planes of existence but your soul shouldn't be this banged up." Morgan asked concern by Corrin's lack of response. "Don't worry, I know my way around White Magic so I'll have you healed in…"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Dark Corrin roared getting back up with a pained expression due to the wound she still has that Morgan inflicted but is holding up strongly more so than any human should, likely due to her being a demon. "I'm going to get my hands on you, and I'm going to kill you by tearing your guts out through your throat!"

"Sounds like someone's never been to a spa." Morgan joked, not taking the demon's threat seriously in the slightest while sparing Corrin a glance. "I'm referring to you, by the way."

Dark Corrin howls more monstrously, thrusting the now Shadow Yato as it surges with insane amounts of dark magic that Corrin swears it surpasses the power of Siegfried, which she didn't think it was possible as even Leo believed that Siegfried was stronger than any dark tome in Horus. The impact from the swing was so strong that it destroys a large portion of Castle Krakenburg with Corrin and Morgan being blown out of the castle, though Corrin was able to minimize the damage to herself using her Yato and Morgan in her own way survive the attack with no damage at all and grabs hold of Corrin and very much like Robin, she also starts flying them to safety, to the Princess's ever-growing surprise. Dark Corrin is in hot pursuit as she manifests her dragon wings and is able to use them properly to fly on her own without Lilith's assistance or giving in to her dragonic instincts.

"There is no escape!" Dark Corrin howled, swinging her sword towards Morgan but this time the younger Tactician counters using her silver blade that parries the Sword of Demolition effortlessly but also releases a magical force that cancels out the Shadow Yato's power and pushes Dark Corrin away by a few feet, to the shock of both Corrins. "What…"

"A holy blade can only live up to its legend if its wielder is even remotely competent both mentally and physically to harness and be a proper conduit to its power, and you, lady, are only half of the master." Morgan mocked as she cast a spell that is of Light Magic. "Seraphim!" By her command, a meteor of silver light falls on Dark Corrin that consumes her and blows her downwards to the bottom of the walled pit that makes up the castle, her scream ever more demonic as she fades away.

"Is she… dead?" Corrin asked hoping for a big fat yes.

"If she were dead than you be dead too." Morgan explained, to her confusion. "She was created from the darkness in your heart by this dimension if either of you is struck down by anyone that is not each other than no invitation to Smash for you."

"What?!" Corrin gasped in horror.

"In order to stop her you have to either escape the Shadow Realm, which will force her to return to your subconscious or for you to beat her, not through brute strength like you've been doing but with your heart, and I get the feeling that you're an emotional wreck at the moment so I'll go with the former." Morgan added.

"Yeah, I would like that very much." Corrin muttered as Morgan flies them out at top speed and once they exit the pit, Corrin sees that they really aren't in Nohr, much less the Capital of Windmire as she sees a dark city unlike any she's seen before that is more insidious in appearance but not necessarily hellish and the dark sky is being illuminated by a red moon, like a lunar eclipse but Corrin gets the feeling that it's really just a red moon. This whole place feels like Lilith's dimension but she can't feel any Dragon Veins but there is magic in the air that feels foul but at the same time empty, almost like her entire being will start to decay any moment now.

"Just what is this place? I've been to a Deeprealm before but this feels all so wrong." Corrin uttered.

"Oh, this ain't nothing like the Deeprealms, what you're looking at is actually the Shadow Realm, a dimension that exists outside but is still intertwined with all worlds at the same time born out of elder magic mix with all manner of negative emotions accumulated over the eons that humans have gone to war, all those evil thoughts turn to energy that merged together across the Multiverse to create a realm both corporeal and incorporeal to contain all malice. All the inhabitants here are demons that serve as a reflection of the people in the real worlds, like your own shadow who we are running away from." Morgan explained.

"Well then… how do I know you're not one of these demons?" Corrin questioned, regretful to even ask that but she can't bring herself not to.

"The cynicism is forgivable, I mean, who in their right mind would travel to this place willingly but sadly my reasons for coming here aren't for you to know." Morgan said.

"I kind of feel that it does." Corrin argued.

"Well, let's agree to disagree." Morgan shrugged while she clads her left hand with aura mixed with both light and darkness. "Now try to relax, this might sting a little and get uncomfortable because I'm gonna have to explore your mind to re-establish a connection with your body."

"Huh…" Corrin uttered as Morgan begins to work on getting her out of the Shadow Realm. "Hold on, why are you even helping me, not that I don't appreciate it but why risk yourself for me?"

"Don't worry about it!" Morgan brushes her off as she places two fingers on Corrin's forehead, putting her in some kind of trance as she becomes unresponsive. "That should shut her up for a while. Now to find a safe spot." She said as she lands on a grassy field that looks safe enough in appearance that is surrounded by a very menacing forest, followed by her casting a spell that puts both of them in a protective dome to keep them safe from the dangers that will soon come their way.

"This have better work." Morgan muttered in desperation wanting for this to work but she only gets three minutes of peace as the vicious sound of demons can be heard coming from the forests with multiple glowing red eyes popping out everywhere. "Well, this should be good." She said sarcastically.

Dark Corrin catches up to them and crash lands on her feet like a meteor from the sky as a Dragon with no physical differences to the form.

"You… how dare you get in my way!" The Inner Demon howled, her rage pouring up.

"Well, this is not how I wanted this to go down. I'll be back soon." Morgan sighed as she gently places Corrin on the ground and exits the protection dome to face Dark Corrin, summoning Alondite to arms again. "You want to assert your dominance on your very being, you'll have to go through me, Darkling."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with!" Dark Corrin warned.

"Hate to break it to you, but I know you more than you know." Morgan countered.

* * *

**Hello to 2020, I'm back and ready to see this story through and Morgan has finally arrived and she has the sword of the god damned Black Knight and Ragnell's twin; Alondite. Long overdue, I know but I honestly didn't think it take me this long to write this many chapters, I started making them weekly at first but I kept getting unexpected delays, and no I don't get writer's block, if anything I'm the complete opposite. My take on Awakening and Robin's past will come soon enough and note that I will be making massive changes to Awakening, and believe me, I am largely familiar with the full tale of the thirteenth game. The Sixth Sin has revealed himself and he is my most atrocious in appearance and ferocity and Corrin confronts the side she's been trying to let go but is sorely implausible.**

**I got the idea of Yato's Nohrian versions being red and black instead of purple and magenta ****from a review I once read from another Fates story of male Corrin joining Nohr called Fates Rebirth: Conquest, it was Temporal King if memory serves, I stop watching that story after the last two chapters (it's still ongoing) got too depressing for my liking, that the two nohrian forms of Yat****o should represent Corrin embracing the darker traits of her choice, blood-red from all the lives she has ended from her role in Nohr's Conquest and pitch black from just how blackened her heart should have become. Granted Corrin does end a lot of lives in Birthright, both Noble and Blazing Yato should represent something as well other than light and righteousness but I really don't know what should "Salvation" really represent in Corrin's soul other than the Kingdom she has chosen to fight for. Sacrifice? Acceptance? I really don't know. I've always been in favor of dark powers that it's easy to discern and write about it without it feeling completely cliché, though perhaps any of you can help me give the two a better meaning, I really want bring up the true meaning of the different forms before I finish. Till next time, on my story's first year anniversary.**


	24. Chapter 24: Daughter of Hope

**Chapter 24: Daughter of Hope**

The Sin of Gluttony howls as he gets pushed back by his adversaries to the wall of Fort Dragonfall. His battle with Robin in Corrin's place has been a short but vicious one as Gluttony came close to overpowering the heroes as his sisters and brother accomplished before, however Robin's kept himself at full power after stubbornly and secretly using the Weisslogia Gem again and with the Holy Ragnell in hand, getting to actually defeat a Sinner may be within reach finally. The two stare at each other intently, Robin with a stoic yet predatory glare while Gluttony's is more base and animalistic with true malice, and considering that he is a being of hypermetabolism, meaning he is constantly hungry so he must be becoming increasingly frustrated the longer he goes without eating anything, which is the main intention of Robin to try and stall this fight to tire Gluttony out to increase their chances of "killing" him, and while there is still the issue of freeing Corrin from this Shadow Realm, Robin and the rest of Corrin's retainers understand that they can't rush things otherwise they've end up throwing their lives away for nothing and have chosen to follow Robin's lead and so far so good they have the abomination right where they want him. Fury overtaking him, Gluttony makes an animalistic roar with his bigger mouth before rushing in after the Tactician with Robin doing the same in response and the latter was the first to strike, cutting open Gluttony's neck with Ragnell, ceasing his assault and with a second swing, Robin aggressively knocks the Sinner to the ground, followed by a third swing that cuts off both Gluttony's jaw and right hand, though he makes no howling of pain this time.

The Demon does continue to fight back, grabbing Robin's head with his remaining hand and bashes him to the ground hard enough that Robin releases his hold on Ragnell. Gluttony begins running while dragging Robin with the intent of crushing him even harder but is stopped by Jakob who makes a surprising leap on top his head and stabs him in both his eyes with powerful knives that cause the Demon pain enough to make him drop Robin and Kaze also jumps on top of Gluttony to help Jakob escape before Gluttony could get his hands on him. Gluttony removes the knives from his eyes but soon learns that he is having difficulty regenerating the body parts he lost to Robin and Jakob.

'Damn, Holy Weapons! I can't heal quickly under these conditions.' Gluttony cursed in his thoughts as he falls to his knees, needing to catch his breath, which Robin doesn't give him much as he sucker punches him as soon as he gets up, knocking him pretty far and near the edge of the cliff. 'I'll have to conserve my energy with my vessel. It should hold me for a promising extent while I recover spiritually.'

"Can someone please explain why is it that instead of blood there is water coming out of this thing's wounds? It was the same thing with Wrath and he was constantly covered in fire." Jakob asked intrigued by the liquid coming out of the Sinner's body.

"I really don't know; this is just so baffling as a demon's blood is supposed to be a black ichor in contrast to a deity's golden blood." Lilith muttered.

Gluttony makes a new move as he begins to shrink and morph into a new form, one of a human male, way taller than the three males in the vicinity, messy, short brown hair, very bulky and wearing a uniform fit for his size that is of Nohrian nobility.

"What the… Lord Volker!" Felicia uttered recognizing Gluttony's human form.

"Isn't he one of the minor nobles that lives in Macarath?" Lilith asked.

"Yes, a real vulgar man, who's muscles are for show as he really thinks with his stomach." Jakob hissed with clear disdain for this man. "Has a very unsettling fetish for maids that made him quite unpopular with the masses when it got out and was banned from pretty much all the villas in Nohr."

"Think it's really him, a ''meatsuit'' of Gluttony?" Felicia asked.

"If so, then I can't think of a more fitting end for this pig." Jakob scoffed.

"This isn't over Robin. DAMN ALL OF YOU!" Gluttony howled enraged as he flies nearing the dark clouds just as they split apart and in their place an orb twice the size of Fort Dragonfall made of corrupted magic that resembles a sun of darkness is created.

"A Sin Caliburn… so fast." Lilith uttered in horror.

"Well that's one way to go out with a bang." Robin muttered as he prepares to enact another spell.

"Got anything in that book that can stop that thing?" Felicia pleaded.

"Maybe one but I don't think I can cast the spell in…" Robin mumbled as Gluttony throws his spell way quicker before Robin can do anything about it. "… time?" He cursed under his breath.

"Dad…" Whispered the soft voice of a girl that only Robin seemed to hear and before anyone knew it, a brilliant wave of light erupts from Corrin's body that wraps all of them in it and protects them from the Sin Caliburn and miraculously repels it all the way from the backside of Fort Dragonfall, to the Sinner's shock as the dark attack moves towards the rest of the terrain, destroying everything it comes in contact with, leaving a large U-shaped valley in its wake.

"What the… I haven't seen Light like that in a long time, but there's no way Robin can perform faith-based magics with his soul more tainted by darkness than ever." Gluttony mumbled more impressed than anything else by this sudden development. "A new volunteer has put themselves on my list, perhaps?"

"Where did this light come from?!" Azura asked while the five of them are covering their eyes as the light is too bright, she fears if they even try to open them they'll be burn to cinders.

"Light of this magnitude is so surreal, I could feel it deflect Gluttony's attack easily." Lilith said in shock.

"Can we tone it down, it's so damn bright?" Jakob asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea, given that we're now safe from Gluttony's fury." Robin countered.

"It's really you." That same voice spoke again with more enthusiasm and hope that Robin better recognizes now.

"That's… it can't…" Robin uttered, unable to believe what he's hearing.

Without warning, Robin gets hit by someone hard and fast who rams him with a monstrous hug and before he knew it he is already up above the dark clouds of Nohr with the person in question who brought him is really Corrin back in her human form, all better now and all the sudden able to fly herself finally without her wings. "DADDY! DAD! DAD! IT'S REALLY YOU! IT'S REALLY YOU!" She cried out hysterically, more so than usual, almost like she's become a different person.

"Corrin! What has gotten into you?" Robin asked horribly confused before realizing only now that the voice he heard before was coming from her that has completely changed and when she shows her face she's shedding tears of joy but something else is different as her red eyes are gone, replaced with his own… "It can't be… Morgan?"

"Dad… I knew you were alive… I just knew it." She mumbled with newfound hope.

"You…! But how? How are you here? In Corrin's body?!" Even though Robin is able to give out a proper sentence, he cannot stop his body from shaking from the overwhelming surge of emotions coursing through him.

"It's a complicated story based on dumb luck but a dragon in need let me know of trouble occurring in the Shadow Realm of all dark places to be stuck in and I marched in to see what the fuss was all really about and now I'm calling shotgun on this overly complicated body. You would not believe how odd this feels." Morgan explained as she releases her hold on her father and examines Corrin's body. "Then again, this is the first time I've ever possessed another person's body even though I've had the spell for years, so I can't really judge."

"You're possessing her? Why are you in the Shadow Realm too, how did you even get there?!" Robin demanded, absorbing this information poorly.

"Don't worry about it!" Morgan shrugged.

"What about Corrin? Is she okay?" He asked concern.

"Yeah, I put her in a trance while I work on my spell to set her free but since there's a risk of each of us having a peek on the other's mind I have to keep her unconscious so she wouldn't see all my memories. Can't afford her of all people to see, and man does she have a bucket of problems." Morgan whined as she saw all of Corrin's past. "BTW, you played the Amnesia Card, really?"

"What else was I supposed to say, I'm in a foreign world." Robin mumbled.

"I get it but it's kind of cliché."

"Not as cliché as Wars, Monsters, Gods, Good and Evil but you don't hear anyone complaining about it." Robin shrugged.

"A fair point."

"Wait… you saw all her memories." Robin uttered, now getting a cold shoulder over a terrible realization.

"Oh, I saw everything alright and she totally raped you."

"WHY WOULD YOU SEE THAT!" He cried agonizingly at her daughter.

"NOT EVERYTHING! But I wanted to see first-hand how your adventures in Horus really went but got more than I bargained for." Morgan said deeply disturbed. "Not what I call a good first date but at least she's a catch."

"What, you actually approve?" Robin questioned.

"What can I say, I really like dra-DODGE!" Morgan shouted as she tackles Robin out of the way with Gluttony coming in fast and nearly hits the two with a fist clad in green energy that resembles the Mire dark spell.

"Well this is truly interesting, I didn't think you could be full of more surprises, Corrin but here you are and… wait a second. You're not Corrin, where did this second soul come from?" Gluttony muttered as he can easily sense the presence of another person within Corrin's body ceasing control. "A Human possessing another Human? Ridiculous! Only Demons should be able to wield this power."

"Well, there are also dragons in the mix." Morgan pointed out.

"Dragons who degenerate or at the very least embrace the Dark Side of Aether qualify as demons." Robin corrected her.

"Oh yeah, totally forgot about that." Morgan smiled at the information before getting concern. "But anyway, this is one of the personified Seven Deadly Sins? His body is surging with magic fouler than Grima's? You just can't catch a break, can you?"

"Not ever." Robin sighed.

"Wait… this smell, so familiar." Gluttony said getting more serious as he realizes something else. "It's the same as Robin but also more unique. Your soul, I know I faced one such as you before but why does it elude me so?"

"You can smell souls? That's a neat trick. Wish I could do that." Morgan praised.

"Don't compliment the evil thing that wants to eat everyone?" Robin lectured

"Don't be so judgmental, now come on, our long overdue reunion has been stalled long enough." Morgan brushed him off with the legendary Alondite manifesting into her hand to fight the Sinner.

"Story of our lives." Robin hissed, readying Ragnell.

"Ah, yes, I faintly recall that you have a daughter born from one of the 666 alternative timelines where the Shepherds actually managed to defeat Grima unlike the other 14,980,100 other timelines where the results were the same as the original." Gluttony said now recalling Morgan. "So, you're Morgan, the one worthy of the title of Magic Queen, who is also the First Empress of the Unified Valm, renamed New Valentia. How delightful, to think I be able to feast on such powerful beings. Father and Daughter can die together in my belly."

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Robin gasped in shock upon learning of what his daughter has become. Empress? Of Valm. Morgan actually reignited Walhart's dream of conquering the continent under the supposed banner of the Saint King Alm. Envy vaguely mentioned it but he brushed it off as her trying to get under his head.

"Not now dad. It can wait." Morgan insisted as Gluttony is bringing up a topic best left for another time.

"God damn, that's a huge leap, and here I thought you'd want to live your life in Titan or at the very least stay with Chrom and the Shepherds?" Robin uttered.

"FORGET ABOUT THE SHEPHERDS ALREADY!" Morgan howled with pure wrath in her face (well, Corrin's face) and voice. "I'm done with them and so should you! You may be willing to forgive the Exalt Bloodline and Chrom for what they've done but I won't! Least of all HER!"

"Morgan…"

The argument between father and daughter gives Gluttony the opening he craved as he flies in, grabbing the two by their faces and dives them both down on the valley at his top speed, using enough force to cause much of the land to tremble violently, even causing the weaker of towers of Fort Dragonfall to crumble apart.

* * *

Morgan in the Shadow Realm groans as Dark Corrin rams her through several trees, apparently fighting two battles at once somehow, both in a corporeal and incorporeal body and stand against two deadly foes. The Young Empress stands her ground against the Nohrian Princess and pushes her with an electric shockwave from her magic, followed by a blast from a swing from Alondite that blew the Dragon pretty away, though Dark Corrin holds her own as well, reverting back to her human form while still retaining her wings and tail and flies back after her with greater speed as the two clash again with Alondite against Shadow Yato, the ferocious power of both Holy Swords putting the shadowy lands in turmoil as their powers seem to be affecting it in some way, not that the two combatants seem to notice yet.

"Just who are you?" Dark Corrin demanded while she attempts to decapitate Morgan but that is easily parried by the young Empress, followed by her casting an Excalibur to push the demoness away though she resists the powerful spell and destroys the twister with a mightier swing from Shadow Yato that releases a wave of dark magic while also going towards Morgan, she easily slices the darkness in two with Alondite.

"You fight just like Robin and your touch, it's just like his, you even look like him a bit." Dark Corrin said noticing the uncanny resemblance between her new adversary and the man she lusts for. "None of this makes sense. Robin is mine!" She snapped viciously.

"I would love to knock some sense into you, more than you know but sadly we're pressed for time, I have bigger fish to fry and you're going back where you belong." Morgan said as she continues her clash with the Darker half of the Princess.

"If that is what you want then stop getting in my way!" Dark Corrin howled pushing forward and manages to finally get the drop on Morgan and pins her to the ground and stab her in the face but missed by an inch.

"Hey, ever heard of a really cool hammer named Mjölnir?" Morgan asked out of the blue.

"What the fuck are you on abo-AHH!" Dark Corrin howled in agony as she gets hit by the biggest thunderbolt ever and receives the full fury while Morgan is completely unharmed, then kicks the dark side off her once the spell is done. "Oh… you meant THAT Mjölnir… but where are the tomes to cast the spells?"

"Wow, your resistance is superb, at this age I figured you be more susceptible to that." Morgan said amazed by how Dark Corrin is still able to get herself back up after such a devastating lightning bolt.

"You make it sound like we've met before and I think I'd remembered wanting to murder someone as badly as I do to you!" Dark Corrin hissed.

"I rather not be in speaking terms with this side of you and your dominate half will soon wake up from this duller place, so goodbye and have fun with my little friends. Say hello Blárblades!" Morgan joked as multiple blue glowing swords manifest around Morgan and launch themselves after Dark Corrin who is forced to wage a counterattack with the full fury of her blade while Morgan makes a run for it to reach for the dominant Corrin still resting safely where she left her, untouched by all the other demons who remain watching them but have not made a move for reasons Morgan can only hypothesize.

"Crap, the miasma of this place is getting to me, I got to end this now." Morgan mumbled to herself with haste, entering the dome to sit beside the still unconscious Corrin and places both her hands on her temples with red aura surging through both women with Morgan performing the final stage of her spell to get Corrin out of the Shadow Realm before it's too late. Though like father like daughter, things don't really go her way as the protective dome is hit with something massive with Dark Corrin releasing a burst of dark magic in the form of a black tsunami.

"You die! NOW!" The Dark Side of the Princess cursed, pouring all her strength to finish them both off once and for all with the dome showing cracks and there doesn't seem to be a way out of this mess.

"War Father's Bane! And people call me tenacious!" Morgan mumbled, trying to keep her protection from breaking apart.

"I'll make you both suffer if it's the last thing I-AHHH!" Dark Corrin ultimately fails as a large creature arrives from nowhere up above and stumps on her with its large hand, causing the ground to shake violently and leaving a large crater as a result but this sudden impact was not enough to break Morgan's barrier, leaving her and Corrin's light side unharmed.

"What is it now?" Morgan uttered and turns to see the large creature as soon as the dust had settled to see, to her huge surprise that it's a large dragon that has the more traditional appearance but also covered in dark purple armor from his neck below to his sternum, as well as on his shoulders, forearms, knees, shins, claws and thighs. The head is almost square in shape and his lower jaw has the appearance of being hinged. His eyes are beady and circular with no pupils and black sclera; around his eyes are small black markings which continue around the back of the neck. The only thing that is not covered in armor are its massive six raven-like wings.

"Ah… hello." Morgan greeted the great dragon. "Are you the one who tipped me off into coming here? Qliphoth, right?" At her question, the Dark Dragon scoffs in response.

"That bloated maggot. You dare compare me to him and his disgusting kin of the silver age." He questioned sternly and very cruelly.

"Well then who are you then?" She asked again.

"That is none of your concern, now begone! Neither you nor this Half-Precursor belong here!" The Dragon demanded, holding on to the unconscious Dark Corrin and tosses her beside her Light counterpart. "Go home and never return to this sacred place. It is I who claims dominion over this world! I already have enough troubles with the Seven Deadly Sins stealing some of my territories, I will not have "Morgan the Supreme" start causing trouble as well. And if you see Qliphoth deliver him this message; he is not welcomed here anymore either and if he so much as sneaks a peek here again, he'll lose more than just his precious poems." He warned as the beast flies away and vanishes into the dark sky.

"Jeez, what a jerk." Morgan pouted in annoyance as she resumes her spell to get Corrin out of here. "Well, it's been fun but so long Cor. I wish you and father the best."

* * *

Gluttony howls as he delivers a darkness infused punch on Robin who blocks with Ragnell, the impact sends him crashing through a large bolder that breaks apart easily but the Tactician is otherwise fine. He then intercepts an attack from behind from Morgan who swings with Alondite, that Gluttony stops by grabbing with his bare hand and then lifts the legendary sword and its current wielder up in the air and throws towards her father, slamming into him and pinning them both on the ground. The Sinner then fires a large magenta-colored beam from his mouth on them that comes in fast but the duo still manage to evade, going left and right respectively and charge in on their mutual foe and kick him both at once with enough force for Gluttony to gasps from the blow that he stops his beam and coughs out water but still, the Demon does not relent and then proceeds to slam both his fists on the two foes who narrowly escape the two hits that cause the ground to shake violently again.

"Now!" Robin called as the two stab their blades into Gluttony from both sides of the abdomen at once, the Demon howls in pain from the sting of both holy swords inside him, though he is proving to be more resilient in this form than he was before as he places his hands on the blades and forces them off him, and as his eyes illuminate in a magenta glow, an explosive shockwave is triggered that blast the pair off the Demon, though the two do not relent either as both their bodies become empowered by Ignis and they charge in simultaneously cutting off both Gluttony's arms off from his body.

In response, the Sinner morphs again into another form, a demonic serpent-like beast many times the size of a human but the head does not resemble a snake's, instead, it's just a large mouth with no eyes and large decayed human teeth and tries to take a bite off Morgan but she parries him with her sword, only to get hit in the back by his tail, falling to the ground with Gluttony attempting to eat her next if not for Robin who gets between them and he instead swallows Ragnell again and like before it does not go well as he releases a shockwave that causes his insides to implode but not in his entirety with Gluttony falling back and hits the ground hard in pain.

"You're slower than I remembered." Robin commented, helping Morgan back on her feet.

"Cut me some slack. I'm new to this whole possession and I'm also fighting Corrin's inner demon in her place at the same time. I'm already exhausted." Morgan complained, sounding more like a whiny child rather than an empress.

"I see you still haven't let go of your bad multitasking habit." Robin joked.

"It's done wonders for me in recent years." She shrugged.

"You guys… this isn't over." Gluttony cursed still in his serpentine form, struggling to get back up. "I told you already; Hunger is infinite. The Sins are forever."

"Yeah, the concept you represent is eternal." Morgan mildly corrected.

"But your consciousness is another story and this fight is over." Robin added as the two bring their swords together as they channel their magic powers into them, lightning from Robin and fire from Morgan.

"Hey, Gluttony, if you're so hungry why not have a taste of the elements? Have you ever tasted a Valflame and Mjölnir at the same time?" Morgan mocked Gluttony as the two are going to fire a shockwave from the swords fused together with the two spells she just mentioned as they are not holding back this time.

"Heh… that actually sounds pretty tasty." Gluttony mused as he rises up and reverts back to his first demonic form. "In fact, give me your best shot!" He dared, enlarging his mouth again, as he really intends to literally eat his next problem away.

"You asked for… huh." Morgan uttered as she and Robin feel a new presence drawing near and before they knew it, a pillar of light burst out from where Gluttony was standing and consumes him.

"Pride…?" Gluttony uttered before fading away and neither of his adversaries could hear his last word with the light soon fading afterward.

"What in the blazes." Robin uttered as the two cease their attacks with the Sinner apparently gone.

"Well… that was a letdown, someone came to his rescue." Morgan stated.

"But that was Light Magic, it's supposed to be toxic to all unholy beings." Robin muttered wondering that if Gluttony really was rescued by one of his siblings, how is it that they can use something that is supposed to be lethal to their kind without side effects. Robin has little time to wonder more as he falls to his knees due to exhaustion, though he's not low on Mana again the wounds he received from the Sinner require treatment as Gluttony hit pretty hard.

"Dad?" Morgan uttered worried as she gets on her knees to check on him and quickly concludes the problem. "Your bones must be pretty cracked. Each of Gluttony's hits was infused with corrupted mana that made it easy for him to penetrate any magical defenses like the ones we place on our skins to bounce off most dangers."

"Yeah, the Sins are unique and they seem to be getting tougher to take down." Robin sighed.

"Try to relax. I'll heal you up quick." Morgan said as she summons a healing staff to her side to heal him.

"The Goddess Staff?" Robin said recognizing the item as it activates. "Shouldn't that be in Laurent's possession?"

"He became more focus on the research you left behind for him and Miriel, he won't be missing it." Morgan explained. "There, you should be all better now but for some reason something inside you feels off."

"That would be my soul? My… ''miraculous'' resurrection was not kind to it as it is visibly scarred from the aftershock." Robin explained.

"I can see it now. It's tainted by Dark Aether beyond your control. But this doesn't feel like Grima's darkness. I take it using Light Magic is difficult for you?" Morgan guessed.

"I can't use it period without overusing so much mana even for a minor Light Spell, heck, as I am now, it takes too long to rejuvenate my magic reserve." Robin explained. "I don't know how but I unintentionally absorb what remained of Grima's powers before it all faded away to nothingness with him and that was enough to pull me back from the brink. Though how I ended up in another world is still a mystery. Then again, Grima had the potential to open portals to other worlds anywhere, so I guess I inherited that magic."

"Oh, I think of this as a miracle, alright." Morgan stated with a serene smile. "The staff should be able to heal such a wound but it will take more time."

"Patience is my main virtue." Robin replied. "How is Corrin by the way? Is she safe?"

"Yeah, she'll be out of the Shadow Realm and back in her body in no time." Morgan explained.

"And what will happen to you?"

"I'll warp back to my body in our world, sitting peacefully in my Throne since I cast my Astral Projection spell." She explained.

"And what, you'll just fade away back there once Corrin is back. You don't seem bothered by it." Robin noted that she is maintaining her smile.

"Just knowing you're alive is enough for me, and besides, I got more important things to worry about than getting dragged into another war." Morgan said.

"Right, you're an Empress now. Of New Valentia, eh? I'm not surprised that all the countries in Valm were forced to unite under one banner since Grima decided to change our final battlefield to take place in the continent and his army did not hold back. All Valm fell into disarray both economically and financially worse than Walhart ever could so standing together as one nation was one of the better solutions to survive and thrive in the aftermath of such a bloodbath." Robin said running the scenarios through his head. "Resources must be scarce worldwide with Ylisse and Jugdral being in a similar state."

"Things have been hard but we're getting by with everyone sticking together, and say what you will about the Fell Dragon but he ultimately helped us by focusing his rampage on all the more corrupted members of society and putting the fear of hell into any of the nobles that might think of trying to grasp for power at a time like this so things are under control." Morgan explained.

"Good. Good. As long as you're doing okay, I can rest easier now. I'm proud of you Morgan, I wanted you to be better than me and it seems like you're getting closer to that." Robin smiled, feeling a lot of weight in his heart finally lifting off.

"Thank you, father." Morgan smiled with more warmth as his words mean more to her than anything.

"But still… Morgan, you know I can't let this stand. This rift you have with our friends, the Shepherds. I know how you feel but they don't deserve to be hated. You know that." Robin said changing the subject to an uncomfortable one that he knew would instantly sour Morgan's mood before she developed a scowl on her face that makes Jakob's look like a child's in comparison.

"You can't expect me to forgive them, father, not after what they've done. Chrom and Lucina especially." Morgan cursed with suppressing hatred.

"The sins of the father do not fall on the son, let alone the granddaughter. Chrom only ever wanted to do the right thing and Lucina, she was just scared and confused, they both bit off more than they could chew and fought the best they could and winning was never within reach so we had to force it into our arms and that took sacrifice." He protested. "You can't live your life holding all this wrath inside, it's not right, especially for people like us who embrace the Dark Arts. Elder Magic is corrosive to a person's psyche."

"You know the Darkness is no match for my will. I have the Shadowgift same as you and Aversa." Morgan countered.

"That's not the point Morgan! Regardless of what happened I know you still love them as I do. I know I'm asking a lot but…" Robin pleaded with her but she doesn't look like she'll relent. "You're in a lot of pain and it be hypocritical of me to tell you that you have to move on because even though I'll never hold Ylisse responsible, I'm not sure I can move on from the pain I've endured for so long either but if there's one thing I've learned in my life is that losing sight of the future leaves you to drown in a past that needs to be left behind. You saw what it did to your grandfather, what he became. I don't want that for you, and neither would he."

"Dad…"

The argument is pretty much left in silence after that with neither having more to say on the matter with the past five minutes being spent in recovering Robin's soul but even that is put on hold as the two gasps in unison upon sensing a terrible sensation in the air, and on the ground. A force that screams death all over.

"What is this?" Robin muttered better sensing the disturbance. "It's like all the mana in the atmosphere has just vanished or is going to. I've never felt anything like this before."

"I have and we need to leave, get out of this valley. Right now." Morgan said with a panic expression as she forces Robin back on his feet and they rush back to Fort Dragonfall. "This whole place is going to blow up on our faces."

"What?" Robin uttered.

"Someone is triggering a chain reaction to every single bit of mana in the immediate vicinity and forcing them to go berserk, instead of being absorb or use to channel a spell their being forced to crash into each other." Morgan explained.

"But the mana in Nohr is based largely on empowering Dark Mages more so than Anima Mages. The clash of so much negative energy could potentially destroy the whole valley." Robin muttered in horror at the devastation coming their way.

"What's more they'll be able to disrupt every magic conduit in the vicinity, rendering them unusable." Morgan added.

'Not all of them.' Robin mused as they reach the Fort with all his comrades and the rescued Black Bulls outside and well with the light from before gone, but there are no sign of the Nohrians Gluttony captured, making Robin reach a sad conclusion that they may have had no choice but to put them down, which he cannot fault them given what Gluttony turned them into.

"Lady Corrin! Robin, you're both alright." Kaze spoke up relief.

"There's no time to celebrate, we have to get out of here before you all end up dead." Morgan shouted at them over the coming danger and catching them off guard but not just over what she said.

"What happened to your voice?" Felicia asking what they all wanted to ask.

"What happened to your soul?" Lilith uttered, referring to the bigger question that only she notices.

"Forget those two, what has become of your beautiful eyes? They're now so painfully hideous." Jakob uttered, quickly and painfully noticing how alike they are to Robin's eyes.

"Fuck you, Joker."

"WHAT DID I SAY?!"

"What do you guys mean by we're going to die? You beat that Demon didn't you? It's why his minions have all but vanish out of the blue?" Shura asked.

"We did beat Gluttony into falling back in a way but something else is going on, of which I'm sure Orochi and Rinkah have noticed." Robin said.

"Yeah, all the Mana in this Valley is going berserk, almost as if someone is forcing them to crash into each other, and if that happens this whole place will erupt like a volcano." Rinkah said.

"Yes, and I don't think it was Gluttony, there's another Sinner here and he or she is taking an indirect approach to get rid of us. In a few moments Fort Dragonfall will be no more along with possibly a huge portion of this valley." Morgan explained, horrifying all of them of the coming danger.

"Well then warp us the hell out of here!" Black Bulls Anna cried.

"We can't. Magic Conduits are extremely dependent on the mana that flows through everywhere and everything in the world to work and because of this desecration against nature none of our magic tools will work." Orochi explained as she tries to get the Light Scroll to work but it's not responding and neither is Rinkah's natural fire magic. They're trapped!

"NO! There's a chance." Robin said as he reveals the two rings he had previously hidden away in Morgenstern until now and puts on the red one on his ring finger and gives the other to Azura. "Put this on, they are powerful magic items that can work independently with their own mana alone. They'll both get us out of here."

"Alright." Azura muttered as she puts it on her finger and at once both rings start to glow in a sky blue light and a fog starts to come out of both of them that spread to everyone's feet and before they knew it, they are all standing on a large, tangible cloud that lifts them up in the air.

"Whoa! This is awesome." Hinata mused.

"It's like the Legend of Sun Wukong!" Hinoka uttered in amazement.

"Time to move!" Robin declared with haste as the cloud takes flight to get them out of here, though it might be too late as Fort Dragonfall and the rest of the valley begins to illuminate with a brilliant white light.

"Look at that." Hinoka uttered as they look down below them. At first glance it looks actually beautiful, seeing such a sour-looking valley become brighten by such a light, sadly it doesn't take long before even those with zero talent for magic begin to realize just how dangerous it really is, especially when the ground starts to shake violently like an earthquake powerful enough to devastate and entire city as great as Suzanoh and Windmire with guarantee of very few survivors. As Fort Dragonfall crumbles away with not a single trace of its former glory left the earthbound light glows brighter, as if there's not much time left.

"We have to go faster!" Morgan shouted at her father.

"We'll be out in thirty seconds at best, these two just need more time to adjust to being used again after so long." Robin said, more impatient than anyone.

"We may not have thirty seconds!" Ryoma shouted as pillars of light erupt out of the ground, one nearly hits them as Robin manages to get the cloud to steer in time from danger. One need not experience it to know that those pillars could vaporize any it touches.

"Oh, shoot! We're really in for it now!" Hinata cried.

"Dying in a blaze a glory may suit all of us Annas but this is so not on our menu!" Black Bulls Anna yelled.

"We're not going to make it!" Azura cried.

"YES WE ARE!" Robin yelled back.

It could be seen for miles away, probably as far as Windmire as a gargantuan pillar of light consumes what was once known as the Valley of Ahsoka, named after the legendary Mist Dragon, the light is perceived as a thing of beauty at first glance and from afar but those nearest to it can feel it, like a punch to the stomach of the true terror that it represents and once it fades away, leaving not only a massive hole in the sky that disposed of much of the dark clouds that have long since been a common sight on the Kingdom of Darkness, it also left behind nothing left of the valley that there once was. A symbol of strength and wonder to Nohr, in spite of the blasphemous fort it housed, now gone. All gone.

Regardless, though, the Hoshidans and Black Bulls still managed to survive the ordeal, the survivors safe and sound as they lie down on the magical clouds that saved them as they gaze upon the devastation that they just survived from the sky.

"This… this can't be." Ryoma is lost for words as to what they just witnessed and are seeing right now. There's really nothing left of the Valley.

"What in the name of the Gods are we actually dealing with?" Hinoka mumbled in complete horror.

"All the Mana in the Valley, it's all gone, there's truly nothing left." Lilith uttered terrified. "The place has been completely desecrated; mana will never be able to flow through this place again. It's a No Mage's Zone."

"This is impossible. This kind of destruction should've vanished from the earth when the Precursors were forced to abandoned us." Rinkah cursed under her breath, not able to look away.

"Now what do we do? How are we supposed to fight them if this is the extent of their true power? Worst still if this is only a mere fraction." Subaki mumbled.

"Let's be logical for a moment here, if the Seven were capable of this level of destruction but haven't used it until now must mean that there are limitations they can't overused." Azura tried to think logically about the whole thing but her own fears over such destruction are showing and make it difficult to think more rationally.

"One thing is clear, our Shadow War against Sin itself will be our final battle." Robin said somberly.

"Lady Corrin?" Felicia called to her as Corrin fainted all the sudden again with everyone focusing all attention to her while Robin looks at her with a neutral expression.

'Farewell, Morgan. I'm… glad you're doing alright.' Robin mused. He also notes that Alondite also lies beside Corrin with the father quick to realize that his daughter left it behind for him to use and picks it up, smiling at it with a look of pure nostalgia.

"Hello, old friend." He whispered.

"Argh… my head." Corrin groaned. She has no idea how long she's been out but she finds herself being carried in Jakob's arms and she notes that they are back in Shirasagi with the Black Bulls at their side.

"Lady Corrin! Glory to us that you are unharmed." Jakob cheered.

"Did I missed the climax of the battle because we're all alive and Gluttony is nowhere in sight?" She muttered.

"A lot's happened that makes me question how we could all possibly still be alive but beggars can't be choosers as we both painfully learned in our youth." Jakob replied.

"Well, that's all I need to know and you can let me go now." She requested.

"Normally I be adamant on insisting you let me take you to rest some more but honestly you look as healthy as a newborn." Jakob noted as he puts the Princess back on her feet with her standing up straight with no issues.

"How odd, I don't feel like getting back up from being butchered by a demon and surviving a dark world full of people's inner demons but more like I just came out of a spa." Corrin said feeling really refreshed. "Is that weird?"

"Yes, because you've never been to a spa." Jakob corrected.

"Whatever the case, you're all better now just like the rest of us." Ryoma said as Corrin turns her attention to her friends who look rather banged up from their latest skirmish but nothing life-threatening. She then focuses on the Black Bulls with Lilith, Azama, Felicia and Orochi mending some of their wounds, such as the parts of their bodies that were strap to the meat hooks. That could not have been pleasant.

"Hey there, glad to see we made it in time." She said walking to Shura and the Annas.

"You don't know the half of it." Shura groaned but with relief to have survived that hell. "Guess this makes us even, you're Highness. I won't forget this."

"No need for thanks. We more or less became comrades over the course of this war and one should always look out for their own. Even if Hoshido and the Black Bulls have a bad history." Corrin stated.

"Well, you whiteheads sure know how to please your friends." Black Bulls Anna noted while holding her still traumatize sister in her arms for comfort.

"Always happy to help." Robin smiled back at the sisters before returning to Corrin.

"Hey, whatever happened to those poor people Gluttony infected? Were you… you know?" Corrin muttered dreading the answer.

"They were caught in the crossfire and would not relent because of their corruption and we were forced to cut them down, Corrin. I am sorry." Ryoma said with regret as that was a truly unpleasant experience for all of them.

"Don't be sorry, brother. I… know you did the right thing. Those people would've never had come back the same after what was done to them, even if there really was a way to reverse the corruption from their minds and souls." Corrin said sadden by this news.

"They'll pay for everything they've done, Corrin. I promise you that." Ryoma again swears vengeance for these sadistic crimes against humanity from the Sins.

"I know we will, regardless of how strong they are. Just one battle at a time." Corrin replied.

"Well spoken, Cor. Though, are you sure you're alright? If what Gluttony said was true, he locked up your soul self into a dark dimension of sorts." Robin said.

"Yeah, a creepy mirror world of some kind called the Shadow Realm that supposedly contains the dark sides of every living person in our world and beyond and I was forced to fight my own inner demon who went berserk on me." Corrin said, getting surprised looks and even shock gasps from her allies.

"Well, you seem like yourself so I take it your light triumph?" Robin said, already knowing the answer to that due to Morgan.

"No, actually I lost that fight because apparently I can't even kick my own ass." Corrin confessed with bitter reluctance, terrified of the notion of being victimized by what dwells inside herself. "But I wasn't alone over there. There was someone else, an actual person who fought off my darker half and got me out of there. A girl named… Morgan." She made sure to pay close attention to Robin to see what kind of reaction he would make and he definitely looked surprise but still tamed, to her disappointment.

"Morgan?" He uttered, fainting ignorance. "So that was her name…"

"She reminded me of you, so much so that she could easily be considered your twin sister but she seemed like around my age, and you're what, five years older than me." Corrin noted.

"Well, I'm definitely in my mid-twenties." Robin said.

"Ah, so the Shadow Realm truly does exist. How fascinating." Azama said with bemusement.

"You've heard of this evil place?" Hinoka asked.

"Oh, the monks who raised me tell all sorts of tales they claim are based on truth rather than fiction and the tales of the Shadow Realm are very popular. It has long since been believed that the consequences of humans partaking in the dark arts would result in the creation of worlds birthed from fear, hatred, lust and chaos and that a person's soul is divided between light and darkness, one side harboring an angel while the other a demon to represent one's morality scale and so on with the inner demons being the more popular topic." Azama explained. "With the discovery that the Seven Deadly Sins existing, the existence of such worlds no longer became farfetched in my mind and if our Lady Corrin really was imprisoned there opens up a door for more probabilities of us getting killed in our Shadow War. How lovely."

"Well, Gluttony only put Lady Corrin there to keep her from struggling while trying to eat her in dragon form so I wouldn't be too worried about any of us getting trapped there as well too much." Kaze advised.

"That remains to be seen." Saizo objected. "If that demon was capable of such feats why didn't he trap us all in that dimension, much less infect us with his corruption as his brethren did before?"

"Very good questions that are not easily explained so we better just consider ourselves lucky. What I'm more concerned about was how this Morgan took control of your body." Lilith said. "Human beings shouldn't be capable of possessing another's. And Mind Control isn't exactly the same thing."

"Yeah, the person who helped me fight off Gluttony and forced him to escape was definitely not Corrin. She was far stronger and shockingly enough had the same abilities as me." Robin explained, careful not to reveal too much.

"You mean this body snatcher is as strong as you?" Hinata asked in shock.

"No, she's much stronger." Robin didn't bother keeping that bit a secret, and that really got a surprise from the others.

"She possessed me?" Corrin muttered.

"What's more, Gluttony seems to know her as well but while he was amused by her presence he also seemed threatened by her." Robin continued, disguising the dread he feels over this with a confused and curious expression.

"Well, holy crap, guys. We better find this lass and list her support in fighting the Seven then. Two Robins? Forget defeating Nohr finally, we might as well conquer Horus ourselves." Azama declared, obviously joking but his tone sounded serious enough to be mistaken.

"Appealing but definitely not. One Robin is enough to make me scared for my life ending from a heart attack any day now." Joker muttered, looking like he might have a stroke any minute now.

"Bah! Demons, other dimensions, fighting two wars, one out in the open and another in the shadows. You guys sure have your hands full." Shura hissed at this whole mess.

"Sorry we dragged you into it." Corrin apologized.

"Princess, I sincerely doubt this whole mess is entirely on you. Like I told Robin and Azura, something twisted has been harassing Horus for more than a decade now and was aiming for us all. While my group has never been attacked until now, it was never a question if we would be next but when would we be next." Shura shrugged.

"Still, it be a real shame if we don't have any more super soldiers like Rob over here, maybe then we can be sure to teach those abominations a new one." Anna boasted, hitching for some payback.

"Morgan is an intriguing one. While she wasn't rude or anything, she seemed too eager to get me out, I felt like she was desperate for something and either I became an inconvenienced to her or I was needed for something, I can't say but I am sad that I didn't get the chance to really know her, there was something more about her that I felt compelled to know more." Corrin said with great curiosity.

"Considering how crazy things have been, I get the feeling that we may get the chance to see her again if our world-hopping adventures are only just beginning." Hinoka noted.

"I hope so but still…" Corrin said as she stares into her hands, getting a strange new vibe. "I definitely feel different, not in the morality spectrum but I mean more of a physical change like Morgan did more than just rescue me."

"How so?" Ryoma asked intrigued.

"It's too soon to tell but…" Corrin began as she returns her gaze to Yato being held by Robin and extends her hand to it and the Tactician took it as an obvious sign to give it back to her but hesitates upon feeling the sword vibrate with meek wind being generated from it and before anyone knew it the Noble Yato levitates, moving itself back into Corrin's hand. "It's certainly a good change."

"Whoa, that's actually pretty neat. Wish my spears could do that." Hinoka replied.

"Well, I supposed something came out of this disaster, even if it is minuscule." Ryoma smirked, liking the bright smile on his sister's face.

'I don't think it was minuscule.' Corrin thought.

'Not minuscule at all.' Robin mused, still feeling the warmth and happiness from getting to speak with his daughter again, no matter how bizarre and unorthodox it was.

"Everyone, you're back!" Sakura cheered as she and Takumi walk pass were they are and reach for them.

"You actually made it back from whatever hell you were walking into." Takumi said sounding extremely relief.

"Naturally, was there ever any doubt." Hinata smirked in triumph over their latest survival. "But holy Dawn was this one a real nightmare. We fought the living Sin of Gluttony this time but he had the opposite effect on me that instead of making us hungrier, he just robbed us of our appetite."

"Gluttony? So, I take it none of you feel like eating all the chicken we'll be having for din…" Takumi began but soon gulp nervously upon getting a lot of disturbed and menacing glares from everyone as soon as he mentioned there was chicken for them. "Really should've seen this coming?"

"Are y-you all oka-y?" Sakura said becoming very nervous by the frightening glares that she can't help but feel scared even though they are clearly pointed at Takumi. Ryoma then walks over to his siblings and places a hand on one of their shoulders, making them extra nervous.

"Listen to me well, my brother and sister. You are to collect the food that is in our dining hall, take it, keep it as far away from us and distribute it to the citizens. A lot of food was stolen by the Nohrians during the second attack after all." Ryoma ordered very sternly.

"Well… sure, our soldiers have reported Nohrians storming into a lot of houses and stores all over Suzanoh and taking whatever food and supplies they can get while the fight was going on to be swallowed by Void Travelers, as mother called those worms, that clearly warped it all to Nohr." Takumi replied.

"B-But we've al-already distributed s-so much food from the castle to th-e… capital. We barely… have enough for our-selves now." Sakura mumbled, growing increasingly scared.

"We'll make do with what we have until we get more from the other cities who will offer us supplies tomorrow but from now on everyone in this castle are vegetarians. Understood." Ryoma instructed much more sternly.

"CRYSTAL!" Takumi and Sakura cried out at once.

"I-I… ll go g-get… m-mother." Sakura volunteered as she runs away shouting like a little girl escaping a monster's clutches.

"That was a little extreme." Subaki muttered.

"It needed to be said, Subaki. It needed to be said." Hana deemed.

After that shock fest, they all head outside with extreme relief to see that Izana did his part and restored the Capital to its former glory. Everything looks as if it was never attacked by Nohr with the people looking more lively than ever. It definitely feels like a joyous day but enough of them know better than to celebrate too soon when the Twilight War is still fresh.

"Oh, I'm so glad you all made it back safely." Mikoto smiled with joy, seeing her children and the retainers come back to meet them and Izana.

"Ah, truly a day of celebration, to think anyone would claim to face off against more than one great evil and come back alive to tell the tale." Izana cheered. "You lads and lasses are the stuff of legends."

"It means a lot coming from you, Lord Izana. What's more you have our eternal gratitude for what you did on this day, bringing Suzanoh back to life." Ryoma said.

"Oh, think nothing of it, my friends, we all must do our part to restore peace to the continent after all." Izana shrugged.

"Indeed and regarding our war effort the people of Oldstrong have chosen to join our cause in the war." Mikoto informed.

"Truly?" Ryoma asked with intrigued and confusion in the mix. "But why, the Wind Tribe have long since held their neutrality in all conflicts that occur in Horus. Has Nohr attacked them?"

"No, following the incident with the High Princess, the Grimm have maintained their distance, High Prince." Fuga said as he walks into the scene with a sad looking Hayato beside him with both his cheeks looking red, probably from being hit too hard. "However, circumstances have occurred that has compelled me and my people to make our stand against tyranny, of which we can discuss on a later point so consider Oldstrong official comrades of Hoshido in the War against the Dusk."

"You honor us, Chieftain of the Wind. My father would've been proud to see you standing with us." Ryoma said barely able to contain his joy upon hearing this as he has long since held great respect and admiration for Fuga based on the stories his father told him.

"I've always felt great pride in fighting alongside Sumeragi, I wonder just how strong the son truly is." Fuga said with a hint of curiosity.

"Hey, Hayato, you doing okay, buddy?" Corrin asked looking at the boy and the sad expression he has.

"No…" The Kid muttered, clearly not happy but not angry either and is clearly depress over getting a scolding by his father over his actions.

"Serves you right, you little twerp." Rinkah scoffed in amusement at the boy's misery.

"I would also like to apologize for my son's insolence and whatever inconvenience he might have caused and knowing him it must've been a whole lot." Fuga now harbors a scowl on his face.

"His very existence was an inconvenience." Rinkah mocked.

"SHUT UP!" Hayato cried.

"BOY!" Fuga spoke up louder, that made Hayato squeal and stay silent, causing his friends, minus Rinkah to harbor pity for his plight.

"O… kay." Corrin muttered, wanting to change the subject. "Anyone seen Mozume?"

"Oh, she should still be in the castle. I think she's taken an interest in archery too but she keeps breaking all the strings, guess she doesn't know her own strength." Mikoto said.

"Well, this is a fine opportunity. Maybe you can pull your mastery to the test by taking on a student, Takumi." Ryoma suggested.

"You're kidding, right? Me? Taking on an apprentice? Girl is better off being a Master of Arms, her punches hurt so damn much. At least, that's how everyone who've seen her fight the Nohrians claimed." Takumi declined. "She knocked a Nevermore from the sky using an oak tree like a bat and a Manticore was the ball. An OAK TREE for a bat! Reina can have her."

"It has been a while since I've taken up a youngling with true promise." Reina mused with delight.

"Now I fear for her future." Orochi mumbled.

The Hoshidans later return to Shirasagi and start to properly rest and also make time to discuss what comes next.

"So until further notice Shura and his group will be staying with us until we begin our march to Nohr and they can be on their way back to the Black Bulls or remain with us if they decide to join us?" Corrin suggested.

"I won't object after all, one of the Annas is in the same kind of danger as Takumi if Gluttony shows up again so we can't in good conscious leave them to fend for themselves." Ryoma agreed. "Besides, we could use their spy network to our benefit. Hoshido has always produced excellent spies but the extra help is always appreciated."

"I'll see if we can still count on his support seeing how the rest of his crew that survived the attack are still shaken up." Robin offered.

"Lord Ryoma, the team I have assembled to hunt down the traitors in Cheve are finally ready to begin the investigation." Saizo informed.

"Good. I doubt Scarlet has been successful in tracking them down herself given the state of the dukedom, we better not delay this any longer." Ryoma said. "Lilith, do you still have your mark on Cheve for our use?"

"Yeah, we can still bypass the Great Wall but the previous fights have worn me out so I need at least another day to refuel myself." Lilith explained.

"Very well. Let us hope we are not too late."

"So, this needs to be said but what do you think is going on in Nohr, I mean an entire valley that was essentially a landmark is all but gone, I can't imagine how the Nohrians are taking that." Hinoka said.

"Definitely not well. I mean, they must be terrified and judging by how intense that light was, I believe everyone from the core land of Nohr saw it, all the way to Windmire, there will be panic and disarray with everyone trying to figure out what's going on and how will this affect the war effort." Robin surmised. "It's crazy, but maybe we can work this to our advantage, no matter what Garon informs the public there will be mass panic, people worrying over what's to stop that level of destruction from happening again, accuse us of being the cause, which will benefit us if we can control the people's fears and once we begin marching our counterattack would be all the successful."

"You really think so?" Corrin muttered with great concern.

"I'm just speaking my thoughts out loud. I detest fearmongering with a passion but if things go the way I am predicting, Nohr will pour all their strength into using the Grimm to defend them now that they can no longer wage direct assaults on us. Using an army as unnatural as the one they have surely has the unfortunate side effect of making the human combatants feel inadequate, many have already been discharged either by their own accord or the nobles feeling more confident in the monsters to defend them, it saves money when the ones on guard duty have no need for currency to get by, much less food and while there are many who still feel nervous around them, the majority of Nohrians have become increasingly comfortable having the Grimm around, they feel safer than ever and the more we overpower the more people may feel compelled to surrender and submit to our demands." Robin continued. "But there lies the real problem, for them. They can't really afford to surrender, Nohr has long since depended on other nations to sustain itself and they've committed too much to the war economy, they lose the nation is pretty much doom and extinct. Garon took a big risk preparing for this war, he like the rest of them knew that this whole thing was an all or nothing operation."

"Wasn't bringing their extinction kind of the point of us fighting back?" Takumi questioned.

"Not necessarily, if we can reach King Garon and dethroned him than there is no need for more bloodshed. What we do afterwards we can talk about when the fighting is over." Ryoma declared. "Kagero, any word on the people of Niflheim? It's no secret that the Ice Tribe like Nohr about as much as us so I imagine their hostility has been more out in the open."

"Quite the contrary, they've been completely silent and Nohr has made no attempts to drag them into the war effort but according to our spies, multiple Grimm have been spotted guarding their borders, being extremely thorough that no one gets in or out so the distrust remains unchanged with our enemies not wanting to take any chances but there hasn't been any fighting between them yet, or at least none that a single word about it has managed to spread." Kagero informed.

"Thank Shiva." Felicia sighed in relief.

"Speaking of what happened in the Valley of Ahsoka, are we really sure that it was another Sinner who caused such untold destruction?" Kaze asked.

"It had to have been and based on all the lore I have on demonology there should only ever be five demons in existence capable of using light magic because as I mentioned before, light is toxic to their race and one of them happens to be the de facto leader of the Seven Deadly Sins; the Embodiment of Pride." Lilith explained.

"Well, that's the sixth Sinner who's displayed their tyranny and power. All that's left is what… Lust?" Corrin asked.

"Yep, and something tells me that one will be the most unpleasant of all but if the Leader was there and bailed Gluttony out, why didn't he try to finish the job with us?" Hinoka wondered.

"Hopefully because performing destruction like he did exhaust him, or her." Azura suggested.

"Pride's a male, while Lust is supposedly genderless but can shapeshift to pass off as both." Lilith added.

"Disgusting." Hinoka hissed.

"Regardless of his motives, I can't help but shake the feeling that we've seen the last of them for a long while and we can focus the next several days on just Nohr." Robin said not sounding convinced himself but still cannot shake the feeling that he may be right.

"Well, you haven't led us astray yet so I'll take your word for it." Corrin said feeling at ease.

"Hana a-are you okay?" Sakura asked as she has noticed that her retainer has been watching intently at both Ragnell and Alondite that Robin left lying on a railing together ever since he put them there.

"I'm sorry, what?" Hana yelped as she snaps back to reality. "Oh, Lady Sakura, do you need anything?"

"Do yo-u need me to check on you?" Sakura said now getting worried because this is the first time Hana ever ignored or not listen to her the first time around.

"Huh?" Hana uttered, confused.

"For shame, Hana, for shame. Making our mistress get all worried, it's bad enough you would ignore her just for a second." Subaki shook his head in disappointment to his partner.

"WHAT?! How dare you. I would never dismiss Lady Sakura for anything ever." Hana argued defensively to her position.

"You totally did. You've been staring at Robin's swords intently like your eyes got glue to them or something ever since you got a better look at them." Oboro corrected.

"Really girl, I know those are sweet, sweet looking swords but it's not like you to go all zombie-like for a blade. Heck, you weren't this starstruck when you saw Raijinto for the first time and your Ancestor who fought in the Precursor War was the first person to ever wield the holy katana." Hinata added.

"Wait, really?" Corrin said surprised.

"Yes, I'm honestly surprised that we never mentioned it with all the stories we've shared with one another." Kaze smiled. "Hana is the descendant of one of the ancient Hoshidan Heroes who fought in the Great War of the Gods two thousand years ago who also bared the name Kazahana and was also the first human ever chosen by the Rainbow Sage to wield Raijinto upon its creation. Setsuna, funny enough is also the descendant of the first to wield the Fujin Yumi."

"I am?" Setsuna asked almost sounding surprised.

"You seriously didn't know that? That legend is the biggest reason why your family has been of the nobility for centuries, heck even I know that." Hinata whined.

"Oh… that's neat. Now it all makes sense why my father won't stop whining on and on how we should be claiming ownership of the shining bow." Setsuna replied.

"Well, he can keep complaining because this girl is all mine." Takumi hissed, holding on to his bow like it was really his child.

"Does that mean that you two can also wield the Sacred Treasures?" Corrin asked.

"Of course I can wield Raijinto, the blood of its first master courses through me. The Rainbow Sage himself even said the sword calls to me, seeing my ancestor in me but Lord Ryoma refuses to at least let me hold it even once." Hana glared at the High Prince.

"She's mine and mine alone, Hana. Speak no more of this." Ryoma ordered, scoffing very bluntly that made mostly everyone drops a sweat at the silly tension.

"Well, why the sudden interest in these new swords?" Takumi asked.

"I'm glad you ask. It all has to do with one of the two main heroes who led humanity to victory against the corrupted gods, the Man of Miracles." Hana pointed out.

"Oh yeah, it is said that during the seven yearlong Great War a mysterious man who claimed to be from another world entered the battlefield during its third year and over the next four years his prowess gave mankind the strength to fight back and since it took the Rainbow Sage six and a half years to create all the Sacred Treasures it was a miracle that one man could amass such hope, hence his title but he was also known by another." Felicia said familiar with the legend.

"Yep and during his time defending Horus from the rampages of the Dragons he took on two apprentices, one was Kazahana and a Nohrian man named Lancelot who was the first to wield Siegfried." Hana continued. "And it was said that he fought the gods wielding twin majestic broadswords, one of gold called Ragnell and the other silver, Alondite."

'Impossible!' Robin gasped in his thoughts by this revelation. 'That war was two thousand years ago and Ike hasn't been dead that long. I mean, he did went through the Outrealm Gates more than once after discovering that the other lands of his world actually survived the Great Flood and that time travel is more than likely to happened when one goes through the doors even without intervention from the Divine but if Morgan was able to travel across worlds with Astral Projection from this Shadow Realm to here than that must mean that the flow of time between the two worlds shouldn't be any different. And I thought my life was out of control. Just how many troubles did that old man really put himself through?'

"And Gluttony said so himself that that sword right there is Ragnell!" Hana claimed, pointing accusingly at the golden sword, which definitely got a surprise from the others. "Which makes the twin Alondite."

"Robin has both swords of the legendary Radiant Hero Ike." Corrin uttered flabbergasted as she turns to him who looked briefly nervous before looking more confused.

"Hey, don't look at me, Ragnell previously belonged to Leo's retainer, Odin before I stole it on impulse while escaping with Azura and Alondite belonged to Morgan who left it behind when she was done possessing you." He replied with the full truth.

"Yes, you did in fact steal one of those swords from that strange Warlock but it sounds farfetched how you ended up with Alondite." Azura said.

"Come on, give me more credit than that, at least I got us the swords, that is if they truly are these ancient god slaying weapons." He did not tell her that he has a daughter from the future, much less was she ever brought up when he was explaining himself.

"They're real, dammit! They're right here and within our reach!" Hana declared strongly, picking up both swords and lifting them upwards. "We have with us the power of the Man of Miracles now! And if the legends are completely accurate, after defeating the mad Precursors, Ike battled against the Seven Deadly Sins alone and defeated them, allowing the Dusk Dragon, who was the only god that managed to be cured of the Degeneration to seal them away. Once the fighting was over, both heroes vanished, never to be seen again. This is it! We finally have the means to really fight back against the Seven when we face them again."

"I've n-never seen Hana be… behave like this." Sakura widens her eyes in astonishment.

"Now she's even more annoying." Saizo sighed.

"Really, because this upbeat attitude is old news to me." Hinata noted.

"Well, you would know given that you two train together all the time." Oboro added.

"Goodness, Hana, calm down, you're making us nervous." Subaki pleaded, awestruck himself by his partner's new optimism.

"No I will not calm down; this is the best news ever!" Hana declared.

"Well feel free to use Alondite but I'll be keeping Ragnell." Robin offered.

"Hell Yeah!" Hana cheered as she places Ragnell down and claims ownership of the Silver Twin.

"Okay, so things are turning into our benefit after all but until we manage to actually gain Cheve's support and ready our march we better not get too enthusiastic otherwise we might slip up." Kagero advised.

"Right, but while we're still on the subject of special relics that Robin neglected to mention he had or conveniently forgot about until the exact moment we needed them, want to explain with more detail on how these rings work." Azura said as she shows off the ring Robin gave her that she's still wearing, to Corrin's immediate chagrin as she comes close to exploding upon seeing her with the one that looks like a wedding ring and considering that Robin is still wearing the other one that match each other well enough, the two can be easily mistaken for newlyweds and given Ryoma's own chagrin and chuckles from the others, she's not the only one who thinks so. She really should've taken the ring when she had the chance.

"Oh, right, we were in for quite the rush when I basically forced it on you." Robin bemused, not knowing the implications of his own words which caused the others like Orochi and Azama to burst out laughing as a result while making Corrin's suppress jealous rage and Ryoma's overprotective rage be more noticeable, not that Robin has. Honestly, it's a true miracle from the gods that these people haven't been slaughtered already by the Seven as they have been repeatedly warned of their ungodly powers, such as their low-tier omnipresence and superiority over magic and have suffered nasty defeats by them that trumps their victories against Nohr and there's still the matter of Takumi suffering post-traumatic stress because his jealousy for his siblings made him the perfect vessel to possess and in spite of this, pretty much all of them, especially Corrin cannot keep their emotions in check and avoid being easy prey. Hydra's blessing must be the true cause with it in effect, otherwise they be dead already.

"These rings are both called Icarus and their magical powers are unique among magic tools and tomes as you've all have noticed." Robin began explaining as he summons a cloud from his ring. "The clouds that each of them can summon are tangible and can enable the users to fly at high speeds and can be controlled by the thoughts of the ring bearers, like moving an extra limb and are sturdy enough to block off incoming attacks, though how durable are they, shockingly enough to allow us to escape from that explosion as the shockwaves didn't deter us when hit by them."

"Damn, that's amazing." Hinata said.

"I know. Wish I remembered I had these things a lot sooner but better late than never." Robin shrugged.

"It's just like the tale of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King." Takumi mused.

"Yeah, the Journey to the West. A very inspirational tale your grandfather wrote." Robin smiled.

"Well, isn't that just convenient. Now our precious Songstress can better look after herself and not get kidnapped again." Azama cheered with an insult but before anyone could react to his rude comment, the monk gets yet again hit in the face and this time by an agitated Azura who hits him with her ring's cloud, instinctively showing off its offensive capability.

"Holy shit! That's even more amazing." Hinata and Hana cheered.

"Today is truly a good day." Orochi snickered.

"Yeah, he definitely had this one coming." Hinoka muttered.

"When does he not have it coming?" Kagero pointed out.

"True."

"There's one left and I don't really have any real need of it." Robin offered.

"With that kind of protection, Sakura should have it. The safer she is, the easier it is for us to focus on the battlefield." Corrin suggested. "Of course, there's Mozu but at this point she be too overpowered."

"I'd liked that very much." Ryoma agreed.

"Actually, I was thinking of giving it to you." Robin offered and this for some reason catches her off guard even though he offered it to her before. "Personally I would prefer it if you and Azura would keep them since you two are the most stubborn about staying in the frontlines and quite frankly the most vulnerable at times, these rings can make up for your shortcomings. Plus, with Icarus at your side, there is less reason for you to assume your Dragon Form unless someone like Leo tries to suffocate you again but until then we could use Azura's singing since your stone can act as a substitute for her pendant."

"Oh yeah, Azura's magic singing, forgot that was a thing." Corrin said, better getting his idea.

"Yes, Azura's magic is powerful with holy properties, it served us well before, and can do it again." Ryoma added.

"Should I really be entrusted with two valuable relics like that?" Azura replied.

"Well, I do despise being away from this stone but once we get to Nohr we'll be facing the full power of the Grimm so reluctantly I concede that you take it." Corrin said.

"I don't know, maybe Sakura should take it." Azura said.

"That's ok… I do-don't like flying all that much." Sakura insisted. "No offense to Hinoka and our sky knight friends, I mean."

"Don't worry about it." Subaki shrugged.

"Well, then it's decided then." Corrin said as she gives Azura the Dragonstone, albeit a little forcefully and then gets closer to her to whisper something in her ear. "Trade rings with me."

"What?" Azura asked.

"Now!" Corrin whispered again but a little harsh enough to make the Songstress startle but thankfully no one notice and with haste Azura complied and switches rings with now Corrin having the wedding ring, to her delight and Azura's annoyance.

'You little nuisance.'

* * *

"It's only been two days since the Barrier of Concord was reactivated and already we're facing major issues on both fronts. Our inability to keep Cheve contained because of the interference of the Hoshidans inspired the other continents to be more up and arms about their stupidity and riots are being more noticeable. My men have silenced them for the time being but since word also got out that we can no longer attack Hoshidan lands it won't be long before the rebels become even more motivated." Iago gave his report as he is in a war council meeting with the Royal Family, excluding Elise and other generals of the Nohrian Army discussing the current situation. "Things are not looking good on our end and it's only a matter of time before Hoshido launch their counterattack and because of the complications of the Bottomless Canyon and our fortified defenses, I deduce that they'll march will take place in Cheve."

"Why Cheve? Isn't the Great Wall blocking off all warp magic from going through?" A General asked. "I doubt the Chevians would risk turning it off just to begin mobilizing."

"The Hoshidans have with them a powerful mage that can bypass the Wall and make it easy for them to better communicate with their western allies for their preparations." Leo explained, referring to Lilith.

"Oh, of course, where would the Hoshidans be without that backstabber and sister thief." Camilla scoffed mistaking what Leo said for referring to Robin.

"He's referring to Lilith, Camilla." Xander corrected her.

"What…?" Camilla uttered.

"Oh, Qliphoth's Bane, Camilla, were you not paying attention when I last mentioned her?" Leo hissed.

"If Cheve is where they plan to make their first real stand than we must strengthen our border walls there to tighten our grasps and strike first." Arete suggested.

"Naturally, however, they'll obviously be expecting it so preparations must be made in order to ensure we will maintain the advantage on our territory." Leo said.

"Indeed, and we still have the advantage and time to perfect everything to keep the Hoshidan dogs away and make preparations for another assassination attempt on Queen Mikoto, my liege." Iago declared. "Even though she will be more guarded than ever it won't matter in the long run."

"You speak of perfecting our defenses and achieving victory, Iago, however, what you fail to realize is that there is a difference between what is perfect and what is absolute, and what you are assuring me is inadequate. I expect more from you, as with everyone in this room." Garon said sternly and clear disappointment over all the constant failures even his own family has presented him with. As usual, Arete and Iago remain neutral to his cold words while his sons and daughter do little to hide their shame for not being able to follow through with their orders. "I will not suffer any more failures. Stand your ground, do not lose focus, no hesitation and when the moment comes, you will kill every last one of them!"

"Of course, you're Majesty." Iago bowed in respect, as does the rest of the generals. "And bear in mind that we have also gained the support of Nestra's army, who's might combined with ours will undoubtedly force the Hoshidans to rethink their methods."

"An alliance we have gain at too high a cost." Xander scoffed, tightening both his arms in frustration over the tragic news. "I still cannot believe it. King Alexander has been slain and the Hoshidans committed the deed. It doesn't make any sense, how could they?"

"Doesn't add up, I know but the method in which he was assassinated originates from Hoshido known as Haritsuke that is usually used to frighten those who attempt to further threaten the Throne of Dawn into submission." Another General named Cesare said. "Nasty thing. Of course many are claiming that we actually did it and frame the Hoshidans but those who support us, such as the only survivor of the Nestrian council and Crown Prince Donatello are vouching for us. One way or the other, Nestra is on our side."

"Most beneficial, indeed but that just leaves us with unanswered questions as to who would do this. At this point it wouldn't be hard to believe that one of our own has gone rogue and committed the deed out of some sick notion on helping us as a whole. If we don't secure our innocence we'll have more enemies in the future." Arete concluded.

"If the worse occurs we will have to fight the Nestrians as well but until then we will take advantage of the turmoil and despair that is happening." Garon declared.

"Yes, father. However, I must stress that we should still post our own investigation on this murder, at the very least to ensure it wasn't one of our own and we owe it to the late King that we should help in delivering justice to him." Xander insisted.

"Granted, however, do not forget that your place is in the battlefield, Crown Prince. Your Sacred Treasure will be the instrument that will satisfy our men and beasts with the music of the screams of our enemies." Garon ordered.

"Yes, your Majesty."

The meeting is soon interrupted by a Warlock who barges into the doors with a terrified expression.

"You're Majesties! Forgive my-" He is caught off as Bölverk is thrown at him, only missing him by an inch, and on purpose since Garon never misses, causing the Warlock to fall to his knees from the shock, granted, he was going to do it anyway.

"Incomprehensible fool! All should know better than to dare disturb us!" Garon growled, not in the mood for interruptions.

"Please, forgive me, sire but this is an emergency!" The Warlock pleaded. "Something terrible has just happened."

"What is it this time?!" Xander demanded.

"Our Seer scouts spotted a battlefield going on in Fort Dragonfall, between the Hoshidan Royals and… some terrible beast. And Princess Corrin was there and… it's all gone." The Warlock tried to explain but is too taken in by fear to make sense.

"What's gone? What happened to Corrin?!" Camilla spoke up next.

"The Valley of Ahsoka is gone, everything has been completely destroyed."

"What nonsense are you getting at? Speak sense, man." Leo demanded next not really able to process what he's saying. Though it gets even more complicated when Elise comes in, looking awestruck.

"Father! Mother! Something just happened in the Valley of Ahsoka. A huge, pretty pillar of light just burst out from there, I could see from the skies in Windmire but for some reason the mages and even the Grimm are all frightened up about it." Elise revealed, making much more sense, though the part about the Grimm looking afraid makes even less sense since they don't have the capacity to feel anything.

"Show me!" Garon demanded.

"I… can't really do that since it already faded away." Elise muttered.

"He was addressing me." Iago sighed in complete frustration as he rubs his face.

'This just keeps getting better and better. No doubt the Seven are involved too. Damn, I didn't want to expose them at all but I can't afford not to now, otherwise I'll run the risk of being exposed myself to some capacity.'

The meeting is suspended now that they have other matters to attend to and using the Seers to see the situation, Iago shows the Royal Family through other Seers that are now exploring the sighting where there was once the Valley of Ahsoka and how there is nothing left.

"I… I don't believe it. It's really all gone." Leo mumbled, left nearly speechless over the aftermath of the devastation they are witnessing.

"Who could've done this and… did Corrin survive?" Xander wondered also left almost without words, and while Garon remains the most composed of them all, there's no denying how he really feels over the situation before them.

"Is there no way to know what really happened?" Arete asked Iago.

"There is a solution. Through my own experimentation with the Grimm's unique energy have provided us I have created a spell that allows us to physically see the memories of others, I call it Recording, and while the Grimm seem mindless and obedient, there is actually a brain under their thick skulls, the Seers are no exception and if the reports are true, over seventy-five Seers were in the Valley when this phenomenon occurred and the Seers in the Castle captured everything they saw." Iago explained.

"Seventy-five scouts? We've never sent that many to keep surveillance anywhere else before?" Garon asked.

"Apparently, and even I was not made aware of this until now, over the past two weeks, people from the villages and towns nearest to the Valley of Ahsoka have been acting strangely and walking to Fort Dragonfall, never to be seen again." Iago informed.

"That fort is off-limits, no one without clearance should be allowed to set foot in there." Leo stated.

"Even infants should be aware of that law at this point, especially with our guards but they too have vanished and abandoned their post and even the Grimm that were sent to investigate the Fort were all destroyed for getting close until recently, for reasons that don't add up, Hoshidan Elites and three Royals, Corrin included arrived there and their presence finally gave the Grimm the opportunity to get close and arrived in time to see the Hoshidans storm into Fort Dragonfall with a battalion of their new army of light and once inside a devastating battle occurred as Corrin was spotted in her Dragon Form fighting a hideous creature who I believe must be responsible for these disappearances." Iago informed.

"Show us." Garon ordered with Iago nodding and he and Leo cast the spell known as Recording on the Seer that is with them and once they activate the spell, the Grimm grows in size until it is big enough for all seven of them to see the Seer's projection from it as it shows from a far distance and the Grimm's point of view the events that took place before the Valley's destruction, such as the Hoshidans battling against Gluttony's minions, protecting the captured Black Bulls, the terrifying state that the missing Nohrians have been reduced to that Arete had to block Elise's eyes from the frightening sight and then came Corrin as a dragon engaging the Sinner in combat.

"What is that thing?" Camilla asked in horror and disgust upon seeing the Sin of Gluttony personified.

"What has it done to our people?" Xander uttered, unable to look away from the horrid state those taken by Gluttony have been reduced to, even when the Hoshidans were forced to cut them down. They reach the part where Gluttony brings down Corrin by biting off his tail and her lying on the ground bleeding and beaten.

"Corrin…" Elise whispered.

"Can't we hear anything they're saying?" Leo asked as no noises are coming from the memories.

"The spell is still imperfect, nothing we can do about the volumes just yet." Iago explained; however, he is actually lying as that is the only part about this advance spell that he can safely manipulate without Leo taking notice. Can't risk them hearing something they shouldn't.

The scene proceeds to the part where Gluttony is about to eat Corrin whole until Robin saves her by throwing himself on to the demon and cuts him up from the inside.

"Wait a second, that's Odin's sword. He never mentioned it was stolen." Leo mused.

"J-Jakob!" Camilla gasped upon seeing her old friend alive as he, Felicia, Lilith, Azura and Kaze enter the fray, and even more so by the hoshidan clothing he and Felicia now wear, meaning they too have betrayed Nohr. Fast forward, it reaches the point where Gluttony is forced into its human form.

"Volker!" Xander gasped.

"Just when I thought he couldn't be anymore revolting." Arete hissed as the recording soon reaches the scene where Robin and a recovered "Corrin" fight off and defeat Gluttony.

"Something's even more off. That looks like Corrin but the way she moves is different, now she fights like Robin and that new sword." Xander said, examining the fighting thoroughly. Eventually the fight ends with Gluttony being pulled out and after the baffling display of Corrin using magic and a staff to heal Robin and a curious argument the two had, finally arrive at the scene where the Valley becomes consume by colossal amounts of light energy and the Hoshidans trying to escape on a… cloud… and taking the Black Bulls with them until the footage fades to black.

"That was the last bits of memory left before all the Grimm scouts in the Valley were destroyed." Iago informed.

"What about Azura and Corrin? Did they make it out?" Arete asked the big question.

"See for yourselves." Iago said as he shows off another memory of the Seers that were nearby the Valley when it was destroyed but weren't caught in it and one of them reveals that the Hoshidans did make it out of that destruction, they themselves lost in fear by what they just survived and Corrin again unconscious before they teleport away from the scene.

"Good." Arete sighed in relief.

"By the Gods, just what was all that?" Leo uttered, filled with the same questions as the others, minus for Iago and Garon.

"Exactly how it looks like. It seems that while Corrin and her concubine have been spearheading Hoshido's counterattack, they've also been engaging in a Shadow War against malevolent forces that seem to be an anomaly in this day and age." Garon said as he turns away from his family and stands on a balcony.

"What do you mean, father?" Xander asked.

"First a creature of fire appears in the Bottomless Canyon at the same time Corrin was to be there, then another monstrosity terrorizes Izumo as she passes by and again in Mokushu when trying to head towards seas an unnatural pandemic occurs that kills over three hundred Mokushujins and when Corrin assaults us in Cyrkensia, almost all who partook in that battle felt it, a rage that did not feel like our own began to overtake us." Garon deduced. "It seems there is a third party involved in this war that only the Hoshidans know about and have taken it upon themselves to fight with Corrin as their target."

"That's an interesting claim, sire, but there is a lot to be desired from this, like what exactly is out there that would make the Hoshidans waste their time in facing while fighting us at the same time." Iago said.

"It's too soon to draw any conclusions, what we do know is that that foolish girl will most likely draw the attention of these evils to strike at our soil even more." Garon concluded but strangely chooses not to reveal what he really knows that these monsters are the Seven Deadly Sins.

"But what does this mean for us, and for Corrin and Azura? Should we help them?" Elise asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, Elise. Regardless of whatever alternative threat we may end up facing, we are in no position to be forming any kind of temporary truce." Leo scoffed.

"Yes, putting aside the great destruction that just occurred." Garon began.

"That's a HUGE thing to put aside." Arete countered.

"… It is still Hoshido's problem and if it can slow them down enough to give us a greater advantage than let's use it." Garon deemed.

"Father, you can't be serious? You saw what that atrocity did to those people. OUR people! And who knows how many more are suffering similar fates right under our noses." Xander argued against this. "We must do something about this and confront this new threat."

"So you're suggesting that we split our forces, searching for abominations that we don't even know where to even begin to look or how many there actually are while Hoshido readies to march on us, exhausting twice as many resources and risk us having more vulnerabilities for our enemies to exploit." Garon countered against Xander. "I will not allow it. The White Night is more powerful than ever now that those two nuisances have joined up with them. Even when prepared enough they still managed to overwhelm us and nearly took us if not for that dark rage causing Corrin to lose control and urging Robin for them to escape. We shall not be reduced to such a pathetic state again."

"But father… we still have to get Azura and Cor…" Camilla began, wanting to use Xander's idea as a means to recover their lost sisters but Garon will not hear any of it.

"ONE WEAK LINK CAN BREAK THE CHAIN OF A MIGHTY DYNASTY! AND NOT ONE OF YOU WILL BE MY WEAK LINKS!" Garon raised his tone that now roars with thunder as he turns around to his family and right-hand man, even raising his axe upon them for emphasis. While Arete and Iago remain calm, expecting this outburst, as well as know that he would never really threaten them but still affects his children as even Xander has lost all his nerves and a frightened Elise hides behind Arete. "Corrin is now our enemy, execute her, or arrest her, I don't care! She has made her choice and will be dealt with accordingly. Speak no more of her, Camilla. She was never your sister, nor was she ever worth the effort in the end."

Camilla makes no response to protest as she really wants to put her foot down against his commands but cannot find the words to defy her father and simply nods in response.

"Of course… father." Xander bows in obedience.

"Iago, Leo, begin preparations for our next battle. Xander, Camilla, assist in making sure the stability of our soldiers doesn't demoralize any further. Our recent failure has made our men and women more annoying than usual." Garon gave his orders with those spoken to bowing with respect as they depart with Elise following until it's just him and Arete.

"You certainly have a way with words. And how to speak with half-truths." His Queen said with weak sarcasm and more distaste.

"Nothing gets passed you, does it." Garon replied.

"You really intend to keep what you know about these strange monsters from them?" Arete questioned, knowing that he is withholding information.

"Those four could never begin to understand the real depth of the situation really happening in Horus, and while Xander seems willing enough, I doubt he can stomach going against Corrin again, and it's not like he necessarily disagrees with Elise's idea. Camilla and Leo especially, so the less they know the better. I will confide in Iago with this in due time." Garon said.

"So going in blindly, not knowing what else to expect is the better solution?" She questioned.

"Don't fight me on this, Arete, now is not the time for diversity among us." Garon insisted.

"I'm not trying to start something, I just want your assurance that whatever comes next won't fall down on us because as things stand, the Twilight is not in our favor." Arete warned.

"I know but be patient, I'm doing the right thing, for all of us. And we will get Azura back, however, you know what needs to be done about Corrin if she persists any longer." Garon warned.

"Only if you get to her first." Arete replied, having the same idea in mind as Camilla. "I'm not doubting your intentions, I know you have good reason for hiding whatever you know."

"I know you don't, which is why I trust you most of all to stand with me through this whole mess. One way or another, Nohr will triumph over the filth that have wronged us for so long." Garon swore with absolute conviction to win this war.

* * *

"ARGH!" Cried out Gluttony as he gets knocked into a stone floor in his human vessel with a hole on his body, bleeding out water and lies there for a few moments until the wound heals and he can get back on his knees to see himself in what looks like the ruins of a dining hall of what must've been a great castle once, at the center is a table, there lies four of the Seven Deadly Sins, Wrath, Sloth, Greed and Envy. The twin sisters looking depress and livid while the brothers look more disinterested, with Sloth having his head on the table, sleeping and drooling and Wrath lying down on his chair chilling, both hands placed on his head and his feet on the table.

"Pitiful, just utterly pitiful the lot of you are. I tell you to do one simple thing and you end up doing the complete opposite. I would think that after all these centuries you would learn to bow at my radiance and lend me your ears whenever I speak my divine voice but it seems you mongrels can't even accomplish that." Cursed the voice of Pride personified unto his siblings in his more humanoid form which can be best described as angelic. Everything about him screams perfection, which is befitting of his nature, a tall, muscular man, probably in his late twenties to early thirties, a face so majestic and pure that he could be mistaken for a woman if not for his exposed chest and abs due to wearing no more than a white ancient Greek based toga, magnificent, shoulder-length snow-white hair that is leagues above Robin and Corrin's. Unlike his Siblings with demonic eyes, his look human enough, if not for the silver color of his irises that mixes well with his divine appearance. He is barefooted but is floating, via levitation, not touching the dirt of the ground, refusing to let anything unworthy touch his soothing skin. On his left arm he also wears a golden side guard. And Finally, on his back he has large, majestic white angel wings spread out for all to see that glow with a silver aura that easily spells out his perfection.

"I warned you not to interfere with the mortal world. There is no longer a point in dwelling with those degenerates that dare to call themselves living beings when the seeds of discord have already been sown for our benefit and you fools have drawn too much attention. Sloth, ironically enough caused the second biggest offense with his inability to avoid killing so many humans just by his mere presence." Pride lectured the five of them with a voice fitting of an emperor of the highest authority, meant to rule the world, in his mind at least.

"It's not my fault human lifespans are in actuality no different than flies." Sloth protested weakly in his defense, woken up by the loud lecture.

"True, brother, but that doesn't excuse that you still decided to slack off and I gave you a very specific and easy mission to accomplish." Pride persisted.

"You call looking for these knuckleheads easy?!" Sloth protested, raising his head up, clearly upset.

"Who are you trying to fool, asshole. The real irony here is that you're the most competent out of all of us and can get any job done." Envy whined.

"Excuse me!" Pride snapped indignantly at her comment but she ignores him.

"You're just too you. And I hate you above all others for your adequacy." She growled.

"You guys… are always… ALWAYS forcing me to do so much crap. What am I to you?! Diligence? Just let me rest already. Let someone else end the world." He pleaded.

"Oh, chin up man, you know there's no fun in that and besides, with the way things are going right now you may not have to worry much about anything for a while." Wrath shrugged, being lazy himself, until Pride snaps at him by evaporating both his legs, causing him to groan and fall to the floor.

"Oh, my apologies, dear brothers and sisters, apparently I had too much precious time I didn't want to waste explaining myself but it seems I'm gonna have to waste those precious moments meant only for me on you." Pride taunted viciously. "There is no slacking off. You don't have my permission to slack off because you all have your assignment. An assignment that is long overdue. And there is no getting out of it this time and stop eating the table, Gluttony!" He shouted to the Sin in question who is taking a bite off the table.

"But I'm hungry!" He cried.

"You're always hungry and you are not ruining the only table in this world that I find to be suited to be of any use to m… well isn't that just dandy, now there are bitemarks on this holy table!" Pride yelled noticing Gluttony's bitemarks on said table. "Good job, idiot, now I don't want it anymore."

"Can I keep it then?" Greed asked.

"NO!" Pride roared as he consumes the table in light, disintegrating it until not even dust remains.

"I wanted this table." Greed muttered.

"Hey, if we're getting another holier than Heaven lectures, shouldn't all of us be present for it? Where's that freak we sometimes call brother and sometimes sister?" Wrath asked as he regrows his legs to stand back up.

"Who cares, if they're out of the picture, it's a win for us." Gluttony hissed while trying to take a bite at one of the chairs instead.

"I CARE!" Pride snapped at Gluttony, startling him enough to trip back on to the floor. "I will not allow any of you to do as you please and screw up what I want WITHOUT MY CONSENT!"

"You never let us do anything, Pride!" Envy cried like a teenage girl would to their strict father, or in this case, strict older brother. "Nor do you let us have what we want!"

"I don't care how you feel on how I do things. I am the only one who decides how things go around here, or anywhere really, right now it's just a pain to deal with all the humans, especially when their war craze. But then again, they're always war craze but still, things were going just fine but of course, things would've gone even smoother and more satisfying if that Demigoddess had chosen the Blackest Night over the Brightest Day. More chaotic, more dramatic, more fulfilling. Anything to say to that, Brother?" Pride turns to Wrath.

"Okay, fine, I confess that maybe, I went partially close to overboard when I drove Corrin to make that choice but in my defense, I had nothing to do with her choosing to stick with the Family she barely knows and still loves less than the family she's known all her life. That was all her." Wrath said.

"Really, because I'm pretty sure stealing one of Sloth's monsters and putting it inside that half-dragon might've had something to do with it, we're just lucky that the events in Kurosaki stayed close enough to the original timeline to stay in control." Greed questioned. "So ultimately the way you did it was unnecessary and succeeded only in making her more unbalanced emotionally than she already was. Is that really your idea of a little overboard?"

"Yes."

"Geez, I do not envy the tormented soul who witnesses you going completely overboard because you being partially overboard is too much for us." Envy whined.

"HA! Sin jokes because we are two sins personified. How original." Wrath hissed.

"Don't you dare try to be funny around me, Wrath. You and Gluttony are the biggest screw-ups of all. And now because of Gluttony, we have Alondite to deal with now, not just Ragnell." Pride protested.

"The Tellius Legends is here?" Greed and Envy gasped at once, squealing with excitement.

"Oh, for Satan's sake, you two. Why do you get so many kicks making me miserable." Sloth hissed.

"Worst of all, Gluttony had a chance to eliminate Morgan and failed." Pride cursed, getting the whole room to be silent with confusion.

"Robin's spawn was here? How?" Wrath asked surprised.

"Hey, you screwed up too, you tried to kill the Hoshidans by turning every mana in the Valley of Ahsoka into Pseudo-Antimatter and yet that was still not enough to kill the High Deliverer." Gluttony whined. "Not that I'm surprised, after all you tried that same move on Ike and he kept on kicking despite having a clean shot."

"At least I came closer than you did at killing them. You're the only one among us who was actually defeated by those mongrels." Pride insulted.

"Wait, really? HA! You suck so hard." Wrath, Greed and Envy laugh at Gluttony's expense.

The demonic familial drama is interrupted when a monstrous roar is heard from practically everywhere with the castle they're in shaking a bit.

"And that's your cue. Get to work on keeping that maniac in check. I'll find Lust." Pride ordered and reluctantly, the five sins comply and get to work on whatever it is they are supposed to take care of while muttering and whining at being bossed around and throwing insults at their elder brother. Pride begins his own reluctant search. "What are you up to now, Lust? More importantly, what pure, unspoiled soul has earned your predatory gaze this time?"

* * *

Waking up from what feels like a long deep slumber, Morgan awakens after leaving the Shadow Realm, sitting right at her throne where she left her body all night, in New Valentia as she now lives in the castle that once belonged to the vicious Conqueror, Emperor Walhart who wanted to unite all of the continent to rule it the same way his ancestor, the Saint King Alm once did as an empire that had no need of gods and while the Shepherds did stop his rampage with Robin slaying him, Morgan ironically ended up fulfilling his grand ambitions by recreating Valentia since all the former countries have banded together after surviving the horrors of the Fell Dragon and all the surviving dynasts have submitted their leadership unto her for various reasons with her now the empress of it all as the daughter of the one who saved the world. What's also ironic is that unlike her father who never liked living in a castle, she most certainly loves it. Though granted she couldn't really appreciate it all because of her depression but she's doing a lot better now. And she's certainly aged well, she's twenty-one now and while looking more like her father, she's also prettier.

Though, when she cast her spell she was alone but now she finds that there are others beside her, such as one worried looking boy who looks to be around eight years of age with white hair like hers and dressed in the standard mage uniform fit for his size.

"Lady Morgan?" The child asked with worry eminent in his face while having his hands on her lap.

"Noctis…" Morgan yawn while she stretches her arms and rises up from her throne.

"Finally, I thought… you weren't waking up so…" The boy named Noctis mumbled, trying to find the correct words to say.

"Hey, now, why all the muttering? Did I worry you, or something?" Morgan mused as she rubs him in the head.

"Fie, Milady, you had us all worry for a while." Said one of the other two who is in her throne room with her, a black-haired samurai and former Princess of Chon'sin, Say'ri and the green-haired Divine Dragon Oracle, Tiki.

"Goodness, dear, I thought you lost your soul for a moment there, you haven't left the throne since we last saw you yesterday." Tiki mused.

"Oh, I was doing something important that can be discussed at a later point." Morgan replied casually.

"Need we remind you that you have to be more careful. After all, danger continues to hunt us." Say'ri warned.

"What, have our new friends finally made their grand entrance? I'm still alive so no assassinations on my life have been attempted." Morgan asked sarcastically.

"No, as far as we know they haven't set foot on our soils yet but they made their intentions clear so it won't be long before we can no longer hide the dangers from the public that we face a great risk with the possible return of both the long-forgotten Loptria and Dolhr." Say'ri revealed the dire news.

"Well ain't that a kick in the can." Morgan sighed as she lie to her father about everything being fine here. "Say what you will about the Grimleal but they actually did some good trying to wipe out the competition with their top-secret Shadow War against the followers of Medeus and Loptous respectively, who unsurprisingly have stood the test of time waiting this long for their chance to bring back their respective Dark Gods and each start their version of the Apocalypse. I'm just surprised it took the Church of Naga this long to figure out that they were still kicking."

"None more than me." Tiki muttered, dreading the notion of facing the Shadow Dragon Medeus again. Anri, the first hero to wield the Divine Falchion slew Medeus, followed by his great-great-nephew Marth, the Hero King of legend who bested him himself twice and still that evil tries to find a way to come back. "I just hope for all our sakes, including my own that Gharnef hasn't stood the test of time as well."

"Well, we can't say we didn't see it coming. There was always going to be consequences to ending the Grimleal War in our favor. My grandpa said so himself that stopping Grima was never going to bring the world peace but leave behind a void that won't stop trying to fill itself." Morgan said, assessing the situation carefully. "The question is, who's worse, Grima, Medeus, or Loptous?"

"I can't speak on behalf of our western neighbors in Jugdral but Medeus is definitely inferior to Grima. Or at least he was if memory serves, I can't imagine his strength remains the same if a fraction of his soul has lasted this long but either way we must engage this situation lightly, we never know what to expect." Tiki warned.

"One thing is clear though, both cults are numbered in the thousands and already the people of Ylisse and Jugdral have begun to engage them. Not a single country is ready to go through another war, especially not us, Empress." Say'ri warned.

"I'm aware but alas diplomacy is lost on fanatics and both sides have waited far too long for this moment to cease power in the criminal underworld so there's no way they're going to back down just because everyone wants to live in peace. Even still, there's a chance to keep the fighting from reaching the people and maintain all the pain to be felt by the scourge." Morgan said, already a mountain of strategies building up inside.

"What's going to happen to us?" Noctis asked with fear over the talking of more fighting on the horizon.

"We are going to be just fine, Noct. It's just some more bad guys that need to learn a lesson but everything will be okay." Morgan assured the boy.

"You already have an idea in mind?" Tiki asked, though she quickly realized how futile the question was by how obvious it is.

"You know me." Morgan smirked. "Have Lyon and General Mustafa ready the Council in the afternoon to discuss the next course of action. Right now, I'm off to get some breakfast and later have a stroll around New Plegia for a bit. You want to come along." She asked Noctis.

"Okay." He replied with more enthusiasm and grabs her hand.

Noctis is among the hundreds of children who were left as orphans by both wars against Walhart and Grima and when Morgan became empress she had as many of the orphans that had nowhere else to go be moved to her Crown City as possible to be better cared for and she befriended Noctis due to him being born exceptionally gifted with magic but because of the constant nightmares he kept having about the Risen, he's abruptly caused everything around him to be set ablaze from his fears, and this drove her to help him have better control and in no time they developed a teacher-student to brother-sister bond, though many mistook Noctis for Morgan's son, hence the rumors Quill spoke up, so Robin is not a grandfather yet.

"You certainly have your hands full with all those children you brought in." Tiki chuckled amused.

"Well, what can I say, I love multitasking and you two are no slouches yourselves on the matter." Morgan mused.

"Children are wondrous but also complicated, I can only work out the energy for just one with all the work I have." Say'ri replied.

"Oh, and how are things with your new family, Say'ri? We really haven't had much of a chance to converse with all that is happening and my long slumber?" Tiki asked curiously.

"It's about the only thing in my life so far that isn't out of control." Say'ri said with pure content. "Life has improved for the better and I don't speak on behalf of just myself."

"Well, we all did our part for the sake of a better world, even if it does feel short-lived at times but work is work." Morgan shrugged as she and Noctis take their leave. "She certainly has come a long way." Tiki said.

"Yes, lately she seems to be reverting back to her old self, though her anger remains, bitterness is subsiding year by year." Say'ri noted with a hint of sadness.

"I know, I could sense her wrath all the way back from the Mila Tree. No one was happy with her taking it upon herself to rebuild Valm to this extent, even if it made some shred of sense for her to take the throne and she did always strike me as more ambitious than any of the children from the Future Past." Tiki said.

"Fie, Robin never was one for a big fancy home, even for Chrom's sake, he could only live in Ylisstol for so long, if only he had lived on he would've returned to Titan with Priam." Say'ri replied.

"Really, because from what I heard he was very open to Khan Flavia's offer to be her Tactician in Regna Ferox."

"She is a very stubborn and persuasive woman." Say'ri chuckled a bit before silence envelops the two women for a few moments. "We're gonna be able to win this new battle and keep the peace we've sacrificed so much for, won't we?"

"Have faith, my friend, our enemies may be many but our allies are even stronger. I have no doubt Chrom and the Shepherds stand together again in their next fight and so we must do the same." Tiki assured her. "I will soon depart to gather our own Shepherds. Lucina is never far behind from Morgan but she's still a challenge to find."

* * *

**And here's Chapter 24, which makes my first year anniversary of my story, I honestly didn't think it take me this long to finish this, granted I was always aiming for long chapters so I have only myself to blame. I had a really fun time writing this one, especially the father-daughter team-up. Much of Morgan's new life has been revealed and the reasons why she became Empress in the first place and how her hatred for mainly Lucina has not subsided is a tale for another time. I've also added my own lore to Ike's tale after leaving Tellius. His life after Radiant Dawn was left ambiguous, leaving us to our imagination so I decided to take the initiative and make him involved in Fates to some degree and since he was given ownership of Ragnell, why not let him keep Alondite instead since despite still being sore about it, he reconcile with Zelgius to some extent not to hate the blade that killed his father, plus having both swords adds to his credit as the strongest hero in the franchise. My main reason for including him is that I've never bothered to learn anything about the Tellius Series until last July, being more focus on the Elibe Series, Sacred Stones, Awakening, Fates and Echoes despite all the attention Ike has and boy did I instantly get hook into it once I saw Path of Radiance and while the events of Radiant Dawn has been contemplating, I loved it regardless but still disappointed by how lackluster the endings were. I am so tempted to make my own novelization of the two. But I won't… Also, no, when I said Future Past, I wasn't referring to that alternative reality DLC I detest, while I enjoy the Multiverse factor let's keep the 2nd Gen Shepherds traveling to the past as a linear time travel instead of them actually entering another world and Future Past is just what they call their own past that could still be the 1st Gen Shepherds' future. And no, I didn't exactly rip the flying clouds from Dragon Ball, I got it from Sun Wukong and to be fair Akira Toriyama was inspired too and DB was not the only manga he made that used flying clouds.**


	25. Chapter 25: March into Darkness

**Chapter 25: March into Darkness**

The War had resumed from its short stalemate. Hoshido's attempts on Cheve to be where they can begin their march had proven successful as they were able to find the moles in the country with minor delay and with fewer objections, the army gathers in the Dukedom and march ahead to Nohr's borders with High Prince Ryoma leading the way and his siblings closed by and while there was much opposition as expected from the Nohrians, the Army of Light's tactics and raw power proved superior so far as they go forth into the Heart of Darkness.

A mighty Nevermore comes crashing down on Hoshidan ground units, blocking their path and brings carnage upon them, killing a few soldiers before it could be brought down by two titan size Light Soldiers that pin it to the ground and cut down, allowing the other Hoshidans to proceed in their march.

"Don't let them get away! Purge these dogs from our soil!" Howled a Great Knight Commander leading a large squadron that has been chasing a company of Samurais, Archers, Spear Fighters and Diviners led by Takumi for sixteen minutes now heading for a recently abandoned fort from a previous battle and have so far been able to elude them, even with Grimm aerial support.

"They're gaining on us!" One of the Archers cried out shooting her last arrow barely hitting a Paladin by the shoulder that knocks him off his horse.

"Don't quit on me now, we're almost there!" Takumi shouted as they near their destination. At the same time, two more hoshidan companies can be seen from the north and east heading to the same fort also being chased by Nohrians with Takumi coming from the south. "That's more than I was assured but it'll do and they don't have wyvern knights either at least."

"General, the Hoshidans seem to be heading for Fort Craig!" A Cavalier blurted out to his commander.

"I can see that, you idiot! It'll make a fitting new graveyard for these bigger fools." The Great Knight smirked as he watches the Hoshidans regroup at the front doors of the fort with him and his allies closing in.

"Is this everyone?" Takumi asked with haste.

"Yeah, but the real question is if this crazy idea is really going to work or did we just come here to die." Rinkah hissed as the Nohrians are here a lot quicker and thankfully, the ground begins to shake violently with the area the Nohrians are standing on beginning to fall apart with all of them falling down below, screaming, and crashing into what used to be underground tunnels now out in the open with many of the soldiers having been buried under the rubble while the Hoshidans are the ones left standing, unharmed just like the fort by what's happened, leaving only the startled Grimm who are later blown out from the sky by a series of magical beams fired right out from basically every angle from the fort that take out all but one Nevermore that tries to attack Takumi's forces, only for it to have its head cut off by a swift slice from Raijinto as Ryoma flies above with Scarlet on her wyvern with the knight in question laughing with delight.

"I can't believe that actually worked." She roared.

"Should've been easier said than done but it sounded so simple and it worked in actuality all the same." Ryoma mused, impressed himself. What's more, he is wearing a new set of armor more befitting of a Supreme Commander that greatly resembles the one his father was known for wearing, now looking even more like him.

"That was more fun to watch." Takumi said relief.

"His ideas definitely aren't boring." Rinkah replied.

Upon ceasing control of the border walls that separates Nohr and Cheve, the Hoshidans merely received more opposition from Nohr, struggling to fight off an army led by one of Nohr's veteran generals with a reputation that rivaled that of Gunter, General Cesare who has put up a good fight until now.

Similar to Mokushu, there are a series of underground tunnels around Nohr but only in certain lands and not all in the kingdom that Robin and Jakob are aware of and understand fairly well with the former choosing to strategically use them to set up ambushes against the Nohrians. There was much debate over this plan, especially because Nohr would surely want to use the same tactics, being more familiar with them but ultimately they went along with his plan which has proven to work flawlessly once they ceased controls of the tunnels, removing the Nohrians they encountered inside, set up a schedule, picking the time and place, and before anyone knew it the threat of the old general ends with him buried alongside his troops. The combined army of Hoshido, Oldstrong and Cheve can now proceed further into Nohr and once word gets out that Cesare was killed in action, Nohr will either lose morale or become bolder in their assaults, regardless, they are in control now.

* * *

"Die, traitor!" Howled a furious Wyvern Knight that attacks Corrin, though the Hoshidan Princess is easily able to block his axe using the Icarus Cloud, allowing her to easily stab his wyvern's wings, causing it to lose altitude with both falling to the ground with Corrin watching with an unreadable expression before being forced to fight off two more wyvern knights. Roughly two miles away from Takumi and Ryoma, Corrin is engaging in an aerial battle alongside Hinoka as they lead the Sky Knights, Light Soldiers and Chevian Wyvern Riders against a squadron of Nohrian Wyvern Knights, Ravagers, Manticores, Lancers, Griffons, Sea Feilong and at least one Fafnir and the fight is stuck in a stalemate so far with the outcome unclear.

"Kill the Scourge!" Another Knight shouted in outrage, trying to get to Corrin from behind while she was distracted cleaving a Ravager in two, and later dealing with six more, though none are given the chance as Corrin unleashes Noble Yato's power, firing a large Elwind attack that blows them all away.

"I will not be acknowledged by that name!" Corrin shouted with disgust by that alias she has been given and fires another horizontal tornado attack that destroys every Grimm it touches with the exception of the Fafnir that holds on strongly and counterattacks with a firebreath that greatly overpowers Corrin and she narrowly evades the fire herself and the Dark Dragon continues its attack as it catches Corrin by its mouth and tries to munch on her. Pouring all her strength and the aid of the Icarus Cloud, Corrin avoids being eaten, holding the upper jaw with just her left hand and prepares to fire another attack right through the Grimm's throat, though at the same time the Grimm makes the risky choice to fire another firebreath while she is still inside, though neither are given the chance to fire as Hinoka comes to the rescue alongside another Falcon Knight, jumping off their Pegasi, landing on the Fafnir's back and with both their respective Blessed Lances, stab the Fafnir's wings, leaving large gashes on them that give the Grimm pain, losing control and altitude, knocking all three women off it as it falls down to the ground and they are nearly five thousand meters high up so it may not survive the fall.

"Corrin, are you alright?!" Hinoka cried out to her while she was gracefully saved by her Pegasus, same with the other dame.

"A lot better since I didn't go through with triggering a magic explosion by mixing holy wind with dark fire." Corrin replied sarcastically.

"Good thing you have your big sister to watch your back then." Hinoka smirked.

"Miladies, the signal." A Kinshi Knight called out to the two as they look down and see a blue-colored flare be fired from the ground below to the west.

"That's our cue. EVERYONE TO ME!" Hinoka howled to all Sky Knights to fall back and follow the Princesses to where the blue flare was fired and the Nohrians blindly followed them by how frustrated they are. The Wyverns are easy enough to outpace since Pegasi and Kinshi are naturally faster but the Grimm are a different matter as they are gaining on them, forcing some of the Basaras and Corrin to remain in the back and hold them back while successfully making it look like they are retreating, causing some of the more brash Wyvern Knights to feel more confident, which will be their undoing.

"Here goes nothing!" Corrin shouted as they reach the ground where there are many Snipers and Onmyoji waiting and unleash a mighty barrage of arrows and magic that accurately hit the Nohrians without harming any of their comrades. Another strategy of Robin's that worked wonderfully.

"Oh Gods… I thought I saw my life flashing before my eyes." A Chevian cried in complete bewilderment after going through that, even shedding a few tears from the fright.

"I can't believe I let you Hoshidans talk us into doing that." Another muttered.

"Aww, come on, everything turned out fantastic." A Kinshi Knight mused, sounding almost as excitable as Reina would in such a predicament.

"That could've been the biggest shortcoming stunt I would've had in my entire life." Hinoka sighed, nowhere near close to having a heart attack as some of her soldiers but still too relief to had made it out all the same.

"You're the one who consented to Robin's plan and besides, Reina's squadron pulled it off with flying colors as well." Corrin said brushing off the fright quicker than the others.

"It's Reina. Of course crazy stunts are going to work out her way." Hinoka shrugged. "What about you, how's the flying cloud working for you?"

"I'm loving it! Beats the hell out of using wings that don't work for you." Corrin said feeling giddy about having a cloud help her fly. It's so surreal but so is everything else happening to her. "Granted flying like this did feel bizarre at first but Robin makes a fine instructor."

"Yeah, I bet it was his instructions that got you to learn fast." Hinoka mused.

Nohr's aerial units are as tenacious, if not even more so than their ground forces, numbering around six thousand beasts, fighting them off has proven to be insurmountable at times but thankfully they were still able to tear them asunder as Robin devised several unorthodox tactics that Nohr's Tacticians could not see coming and what was left of the hostiles in the skies retreated to the heartland of Nohr. After three weeks of grueling combat, Hoshido pretty much has control of nearly half of Nohr's southwest region with heavier casualties on Nohr's side than themselves. Hardly a steppingstone compared to their true objective but enough to send a strong message that they are not to be underestimated and it's all or nothing now, either one side surrenders or they are beaten into submission a thousandfold. Corrin truly did not want it to come to this but alas she's more accepting now on how it has to be this way, at least more than she initially was when the march began, she can only wonder how Azura is feeling.

* * *

The Army of Light is fortunate to score themselves two days of rest, taking camp in another Nohrian fort they've taken for themselves and it's likely that they'll get another two more.

"Here comes the last shot!" Takumi shouted as he uses one of many test dummies Lilith made for him to practice his shooting and unsurprisingly he hit nearly all of them, though nearly is not good enough for him but at least he's in a better spirit than before. "Only 90 out of 100 today. Pathetic. Guess I'd better re-rack."

"N-No, you've been at it all day, you need to rest." Sakura pleaded with him to call it a day.

"I've rested long enough. Besides, I'm all better now. We're fighting Nohrians now, not Devils. I'll pull through." Takumi insisted that he's fine.

"Even still, you should stop for now. It's lunchtime and you and Hana faint from skipping food for training more times than you get bullseyes." Sakura did not relent, actually sounding demanding while not stuttering for a change.

"Geez, you're not pulling any punches for a change." Takumi mused.

"S-S-So-Sorry. I didn't…" Sakura goes back to stuttering.

"Calm down, I didn't mean it as a bad thing. In any case, you win, I'll call it a day." He surrendered. "Who's cooking today?"

"Mozu volunteered to be our main chef." Sakura explained.

"Mozu? Haven't seen her, or Corrin in over a week now. They doing alright?"

"Big sister is fine but I don't know about Mozu, last I heard of her she was reassigned to Reina's unit. I hope she hasn't been bullied again. It's happened twice already." Sakura said worried for their friend.

"Infighting in any unit led by Reina is impossible, everyone's too afraid to cross her and she's too protective of the younger soldiers so I'm sure she's fine. Still, the only way to know for sure is if we see her ourselves." Takumi said.

* * *

"Pardon me, Milady. My team and I have finished scouting the surrounding area." Kaze introduced himself as he walks into Corrin's tent while she is having her dinner with only Robin to accompany her since the dining tent is full and typically too loud, and while she would very much prefer to be a part of a loud crowd, she's been desiring more peace and quiet the more she feels exhausted and Robin is not one for such things so it's just them now and because everyone is still feeling jumpy by an inevitable ambush that could occur, especially with the risk of Void Travelers and Apathies appearing any moment now, everyone's been unable to change to more casual and comfortable clothing, at least until it's time to rest just to stay ready for anything, so no one will be too quick to assume they're having a dinner date since the white duo remain dressed for another battle. Speaking of sleeping the night, the night patrols are heavily fortified by Light Soldiers, though because of their shining bodies it can be difficult to sleep so they have to dim the lights as much as possible.

"Oh, Kaze, welcome back. I was beginning to worry for you guys with how long you've been out there, it's almost sunset." Corrin smiled relief to see her retainer back safely.

"A thousand apologies for worrying you." Kaze said with a respectful bow.

"How does it look out there? It's been strangely quiet lately and Nohrians aren't known for their silence." Corrin asked, feeling unnerved by how much they've all had to themselves.

"That would be because the enemy forces are staying on the defense, the loss of three of their high-ranking commanders such as General Cesare seems to have struck a huge blow on them as Sir Robin predicted. Despite being fully aware of our current location, they turn to focus more on blocking all paths to Windmire and the rest of the other cities. Even the back roads and trails. They are being quite thorough. There are thousands of troops massing." Kaze informed.

"As expected, however, as things stand we still have a chance to force our way through." Corrin concluded.

"Yes, with the Light Soldiers as our vanguards, we have avoided massive casualties on our part, only losing soldiers when engaging their superior troopers which haven't been occurring so much lately with them saving their stronger forces to preferably defend the cities." Kaze added. "Though I wouldn't recommend just marching in, even with massive forces, the slightest ounce of overestimation could be costly beyond measure."

"Naturally and given our current location I assume there is one area that the Nohrians haven't bothered to block from us." Robin spoke up next.

"Yes, judging by the way they are stationed, they've left a not so obvious path for us to walk freely into Mount Garou." Kaze said, looking annoyed.

"The Land of the Werewolves." Corrin muttered.

"How predictable." Robin sighed, annoyed himself. "Even with the Grimm, Nohr's army dares not set foot in that land for very good reason. No way our Chevian allies would be willing to go either, they are taught to fear and hate Lycans due to a brutal skirmish that occurred three hundred years ago."

"The Battle at the Impassable Peak. A tragic story that resulted in a hellish fight between the Duke and Lycan Chief of the time that created an everlasting rivalry between the two people. We're at a loss here." Kaze said troubled.

"For now." Robin said, confident in finding a way out of this.

"Thanks for the report, Kaze, you should go get something to eat. Mozu's cooking again." Corrin insisted.

"I would enjoy that very much." Kaze vowed before departing the tent.

"So, we were bound to hit a barricade that's actually sturdy at some point or another." Corrin said as she continues to eat.

"True, but nothing is ever as impassable as it seems at first glance, I made it out of that place before after all." Robin pointed out.

"Yeah, but you were alone before, I don't see how we can get a whole army through without picking a fight with innocent creatures." Corrin said worriedly.

"We don't have to blast our way through anything. The nearest city to us is Macarath." Robin began. "There's a secret pathway that we can use to reach the city undetected if we can get enough troops behind the barricade we can launch a surprise attack that would allow the rest of our troops to enter with lesser resistance." Robin suggested.

"That sounds good on paper like your other bizarre strategies but there is still the matter if the Nohrians, especially Leo or Iago know about this pathway you speak of." Corrin replied.

"They know about it but trust me, I can make this work as well."

"It's not that I don't trust you but that I can't fathom why you think you don't already have it." Corrin replied a little smugly.

"Force of habit I guess, even though my plans haven't failed us yet, doesn't mean they won't eventually. Everyone else seems to think so." Robin said, referring to the many soldiers reluctant to listen to someone who is still an outsider to Hoshido despite earning so much prestigious trust from the Royal Family, the only reason they have listened so far is because of Corrin's adamant faith and saying no to anything Ryoma says is no easy task.

"Like Mikoto said, baby steps. It's not like we didn't expect this. One thing I learned easily from Leo is that in every army, like societies, too many want to be at the top and can't stand those who get up there easily while the rest have to work themselves to the bone. I'm not fond of nepotism, ironic since I have a royal status but I was raised to be more a soldier so it doesn't really count for me." Corrin mused.

"Maybe not the way you may think but I'll get by one way or another." Robin said as he finishes his meal.

"I got to say, this all feels way more natural for you than it is for me. I mean, the way you talk and tolerate the slightest inch of insubordination, it's like I've been living with a born and bred Supreme Commander this whole time." Corrin said in awe by how Robin has been handling his position as Major General and Top Tactician. She now holds the rank of Lieutenant General along with Hinoka, a position she strongly protested since the best she can do is lead a hunting party, and that's being generous. Ryoma is a born leader so being the High General seems easy for him but he's still so young so he may be putting off more than he bargained for as well, and she can say the same about Hinoka, and Takumi who's also a Major General, they seem more competent as well and the soldiers are extremely devoted to them, Corrin can tell easily but she can't help but see the self-doubt they clearly feel. But Robin? He makes it look so easy, its laughable that she is struggling at all with his presence and constant support. "I have no idea how you do it and honestly, I'm a little scared to find out now."

"Yeah, I supposed it must be unnerving for me to hold my own so well but I guess carnage is more of a nuisance in comparison to what it means to you." Robin mused, looking like he is reminiscing something from the past, or trying to in Corrin's point of view. "But alas, my past is a minority and it best stay that way, the future is thrusting itself upon us, after all."

"I know but I wish the future could slow down a nut." Corrin sighed.

"Time flies when you're having fun or trying to savor moments like peace but feel like an eternity when we struggle, sometimes the best way to slow it down is by force." Robin advised.

"And we haven't been forceful enough?" Corrin questioned.

"You're still Nohrian at heart, does all this seem enough to get you to back down?" He replied smugly.

"Yes, because then you be my enemy and I might as well cut my throat open with Yato." Corrin replied now more sour, causing Robin to chuckle.

* * *

"Goodness! Blessings to this Icarus, these boxes are heavier than I thought." Azura said carrying a heavy box full of weapons. She volunteered to relocate some of the storage to another tend since the one she's in right now will be used to hold other supplies and somehow she managed to get to be the one to move it all by herself, luckily she has the Icarus Ring which helps with much of it but sadly, it can't get any bigger to carry more without the other ring and instead of leaving the last box behind to pick up later she decided to carry it herself while the cloud follows with the rest, and sadly Azura's thin body really isn't doing her any favors.

"Azura? There you are, it's not like you to miss dinner. What are you doing carrying all of those weapons by yourself?" Ryoma asked as he went looking for her after not showing up for dinner and is very surprised to see her carry so much, he could've sworn he requested the Wind Tribalists to deal with the armory. Granted, the crazy part is the magic cloud following her but at this point, he has become indifferent to Robin's tools.

"It's really not as troublesome as it looks." Azura shrugged.

"I beg to differ, if you can't throw a javelin accurately than you really shouldn't force your body to this kind of thing. Let me help you with that." Ryoma said as he takes the box from her hands. "Wow! this one is heavy! Why don't you carry one of the lighter boxes and leave this one with the rest?"

"They all feel to have the same weight." Azura muttered.

"Well, that's not surprising anymore. Lilith has been working overtime making so many weapons for the new army." Ryoma mused as they carry all the supplies to their newly appointed tent.

"Thanks, Ryoma." Azura said.

"You and Corrin really need to learn to ask for help some more, you're both biting off more than you can chew as of late. I know you're used to taking care of things alone and Robin's ring has certainly made you more advantageous but all the same, unity is key in any group, you know." Ryoma advised.

"I'm sorry. I just got carried away is all. You know I hate bothering people." Azura shrugged.

"It's not really a bother if everyone is doing things like this more often around camp. And you know I'd be glad to help you. I'm here for you anytime. Really." Ryoma offered.

"Thanks, Ryoma. Now, please, will you stop worrying about me? Excuse me, I have to go and see Subaki about something." Azura bids farewell and leaves in a hurry.

"Azura, hold on a moment." He pleaded but she already flew off. "Hmm. I really thought she'd warm up to me one day. I've got to try something else."

"Trouble in the family?" Scarlet asked as she walks in on him.

"You could say that. Azura has always been harder to reach than most. She's stoic by nature and was never one to express herself but there's always more to it than that." Ryoma said.

"Well as the oldest sibling in a family myself I can tell you that when the young ones don't want to talk about their problems, it can take a lot to get them to open up when they're not used to it. Archaean knows my middle brother has been a shut-in since dad died or at least tries to." Scarlet said.

"Perhaps, though Azura's scars may well cut deeper than just loss given her background."

"Okay, yeah, she definitely has bigger issues than most. To that end, you either try to push the matter without being actually forceful or wait for that golden opportunity, which may very well be one of many dark days to come." Scarlet added.

"The former then. Thanks for trying to help with my dilemma, Scarlet, though we should really get to patrolling." Ryoma smiled.

"You want to stay on guard duty again?"

"I trust my eyes more than that of mere constructs."

"True that, though won't your babysitters protests some more again?"

"Saizo and Kagero are always raising their opinions on whatever I do, the key is to make them worry for my enemies more for standing against me in the first place." Ryoma said with amusement, causing her to laugh a bit.

"Ha! Well, in that case, let's hope some Nohrian morons do make themselves more the fool then." She smirked.

* * *

"Everyone in camp has been talking my ear off today…" Mozu sighed to herself trying to catch a break after helping make dinner and lies down behind a tree. She has been working herself hard all weak and it only got challenging when she helped a soldier that had a nasty head cold and she offered a medicine she is familiar with in her village that helped out in no time and from then on a lot happened.

"Oh, Mozu! I'm so sorry…" Subaki arrived to greet her looking very apologetic.

"Subaki? What are you apologizing about?" Mozu asked confused.

"I heard that people were literally lining up to ask you questions today. That's totally my fault. I kept going on about how knowledgeable you are. I didn't mean to go on and on, but I couldn't help myself." He explained guiltily.

"Well that explains today, I suppose." She muttered.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't think word would spread so quickly. Was it a problem?" He asked.

"Well I've been very busy, but I always like to help folks." She shrugged.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. I was feeling guilty for talking about you so much but you should know that I did so to put you on a more respectable pedestal." Subaki said.

"Huh?"

"Come now, my friend, I may have been busy with another unit lately but I've heard the rumors how you were basically harassed by other soldiers of ours for your Nohrian heritage until Scarlet got involved and left those men without teeth since you didn't want to fight back and hurt them even worse." Subaki mentioned. "It's why you were transferred to Reina's squadron, no one under her command has the courage to act with insubordination less they are ''taught'' to be more discipline so you've been safer."

"Right… that." Mozu uttered, recalling how troubling being the daughter of a former Nohrian soldier really is and how Aikawa and the other Anti-Nohr Zones are really treated as such.

"I didn't think that simply being around well-behaved soldiers would be enough to make you feel safe so I and Hinata started talking more about you in hopes to get others to see you at a lighter note, and it clearly worked but that only led to more trouble." Subaki muttered.

"Well, at least the insults have stopped for now but becoming popular won't change things in its entirety, you know." Mozu noted.

"I'm not well versed with unpopularity, I'm afraid." Subaki shrugged.

"Still though, I am thankful for all you and the others have been doing for me. I got to confess, I misjudged you. I thought you would be competitive and jealous. I heard that you want people to think you're perfect or something. But it seems like you really just care about learning and helping people." Mozu smiled with gratitude and this got the famed Falcon Knight to chuckle.

"Well now, I would be lying to say that I'm not a little bit jealous. But the wealth of knowledge you possess is wildly valuable. I am grateful to have met you, even though the circumstances were so undesirable." Subaki smiled back.

"Me too. And who knows, maybe people think you're perfect because you can look beyond yourself, Subaki. You're a really good person."

"Now, now, there's no need for flattery. Thank you for teaching me so much, Mozu."

"Of course, I am always happy to help." Mozu smile becomes more bright.

* * *

"This is unacceptable!" Iago cursed with venom, slamming a fist into a table containing a map of Nohr as he is in a war tent discussing the war efforts and the recent defeats they've been suffering to stop Hoshido's march. Beside him is Leo for being a great tactician as well, Xander as the acting general in the fight, and while Camilla is absent, Selena was tasked to attend these meetings since she has proven to be very well versed in tactics as well. "Even Cesare failed to stop them. How could they have known about our plans to use the underground tunnels to collapse on them and use it for their own gain, much less gain control over them in the first place? Their spy network shouldn't be this competent."

"Doesn't matter, we may have lost much of our southwest region and full control over Cheve for that matter but we still got time to hold them off and our enchantments have been successful in nullifying their warp scrolls." Xander said.

"All well and good if they hadn't erected their own spell to make our warp tomes unusable so we're both locked to more primitive methods of travel which indeed have slowed down their progress but we've lost too many to the slaughter and there might not be enough time to safely deploy the Apathies to their immediate location. They keep moving around and their tactics have proven to be too unpredictable to really fight back against." Leo noted.

"Not for the last three days, they've been resting west of Mount Garou, hence why we covered all pathways in this direction." Selena spoke up next, not hesitating to use the authority she has been given in this council to speak her mind freely.

"With the death of their previous High General, High Prince Ryoma has taken the role of leader of this army with his siblings acting as generals as well, Corrin included and considering the disaster we dealt to Shirasagi, his pride won't suffer to let Windmire remain in perfect conditions any longer so they'll want to strike at our heart most of all." Xander said.

"Naturally, the filthy mud bloods. However, our barricades are superior to anything they have at the moment, even with their new super-soldiers, forcing their way through will be risky since either one will buy us the necessary time we need to completely surround them like lions in a cage." Iago surmised. "The only path we left purposely unguarded is the route to the Werewolf den."

"Which they won't fall for. Everyone fears going up against the Lycans in their own turf, the Chevians themselves who have joined them won't stand to be anywhere near those beasts." Selena countered. "Our biggest issue is Robin, who is their top tactician now, making these insane yet almost flawless strategies who we know has been to Mount Garou and is the only one so far that we know of that has actually made it out alive so the Hoshidans are too well cautious. Trying to reach Macarath has to be their next objective if they want to proceed."

"Indeed, the rode to Macarath is the fastest way to our Capital, any other route will only delay them further to our benefit but with the city being the most guarded at the moment, it won't be easy at all to get through, especially in the sky since the Grimm have nearly limitless stamina to stay airborne for days, there are no underground tunnels in that region and the ground units are well equipped to hold off the holy vanguards this time. However, it is possible for just a handful of skilled ninjas to sneak their way past all this. Our Dread Fighters are dutiful in espionage but they're short in numbers and stretched too thin." Leo calculated. "And among them, there's Lilith who I doubt any spell we use besides my Brynhildr can negate her power to create portals across dimensions."

"There is only one way they can possibly hope to take and make their way through our blockade and that particular path is not well known, even to the Marquis of Macarath." Xander said.

They remain silent for a few moments as they contemplate what to do next, Selena included as she knows that Robin will be able to sneak in with the least amount of casualties to his new army and is torn about saying anything before she ultimately makes her choice.

"They already know about the Cobra's Path." Selena confessed.

"What? How is this possible?" Xander asked confused.

"Robin was there in Palace Macarath during that filthy mess Lord Volker started with the new maids in the palace months ago and he volunteered to get the supplies for dinner when they almost ran out in the Northern Fortress. When Volker tried to escape from his punishment, Lady Elise told Robin that he would try to flee the city through the Cobra's Path and that's how he caught him in time." Selena explained.

"Dammit, Elise. That's twice now you've helped that worm." Leo whispered to himself in exasperation. "Could he be bold enough to use the Cobra's Path to make his way through, despite the fact that we know about it ourselves?"

"How should I know! I've never conversed with him. I only know that the Princess told him because I was in the immediate vicinity and couldn't stop myself from eavesdropping." Selena snorted.

"Well, in that case, we know what we must do next." Iago said, already a nefarious plot seeding in his dark mind.

* * *

"The Cobra's Path?" Ryoma repeated as all the generals gather in a war tent to discuss their next plan first thing when noon started the next day.

"Yeah, there is a cliff west of Macarath and within it, there is a cave of sorts that can lead to the city, and we're very close to it from our position. This path is not wildly known since the cave is not that noticeable with one side being covered up by trees and the other by large boulders too big to push and block either side, from my knowledge only a handful of people know about it, such as the Royal Family, including Elise who would on occasions use it to reach the Blackgrace Forest all the faster, the only forest in Nohr that is truly lushes and beautiful." Robin explained.

"Blackgrace? We're near that place and control much of it now, don't we?" Corrin asked as she always wanted to go there based on all the tales Elise told her about but even now she couldn't find the time.

"Yes, Milady." Jakob affirmed.

"If the Royals know about it than they have to think to at least want to put a few guards on it." Hinoka said.

"Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't bother with dealing with it at all so it is often ignored altogether but with how close we are to Macarath and the city being our fastest route to reach Windmire they've no doubt paid too much attention to it by now." Robin continued. "Of course, this should be enough prove to not use it but considering that we only have to make sure Lilith makes it through we can divert all attention to us to give her the chance to make a portal and to allow our army to warp passed the Barricades undisturbed with the Astral Plane's power."

"I thought we agreed not to expose Lilith too much in the war effort, much less expose her abilities to the army." Scarlet said. "Couldn't we just disrupt the barricade from the inside to blast our way in much easier."

"I thought of that at first but despite our promising numbers I rather not risk any large scale fights if it can be avoided, and Lilith has already agreed to the plan." Robin said.

"It does sound beneficial but risky all the same considering that this will drive the soldiers in the barricades to march after us now that we'll be behind them." Ryoma said expressing doubts.

"That is the biggest risk we'll be facing but luckily there is an alternative that could surely buy us more time while we march." Robin suggested.

"As always we have to be given time to think it over and put it into a vote but it is promising like the others." Ryoma said. "We may very well have more time to ourselves to continue trying to perfect this plan while also readying backups in case we decide not to use it."

"Of course." Robin replied neutrally as the group would continue to discuss more regarding other matters like the security of the camp.

"It's really starting to unnerve me how quiet this week has been with them remaining on standby." Corrin said concern.

"A classic tactic to fool the enemy into becoming either unfocused or confident into making a mistake, and it seems to have started taking effect with some of the soldiers." Robin said as he has noticed a few soldiers becoming restless from all the quiet.

"I've noticed much the same as well, if we don't move out soon, we'll run the risk of being in more trouble than we are already." Azura said.

"But every path left to take is more dangerous than the last." Sakura said, also joining the meeting to learn from her older siblings and contribute more. "Is this Cobra's Path really safe? Why is it even called that? Because the path is so curved?"

"No, it's called that because it's full of cobras." Robin revealed, getting odd looks from almost everyone.

"Cobras!" Takumi uttered, looking a bit frightened but none more than Sakura. "Seriously, I hate serpents, why the hell would someone like Princess Elise even go through that cave so frequently."

"Most people are afraid of snakes but Elise loves them." Corrin revealed.

"You're kidding." Sakura mumbled.

"I wish I were. She even has a King Cobra for a pet in her room. She named him Vicky." Corrin explained with a neutral expression.

"Of course she would." Takumi muttered. "Is the king cobra magically enchanted to be obedient?"

"No, she raised the cobra herself to be harmless."

"How?!"

"Have you seen Elise." Corrin countered.

"I don't think you understand the nature of predators."

"And I don't think you understand how unorthodox my foster family is."

"Point taken."

"She brought him to the fortress once to introduce me, I was scared of snakes myself at the time but after a while Vicky got me to see them in a new light." Corrin continued.

"So, then the rumor about Elise once being kidnapped because of a snake was true?" Kaze asked.

"Sadly yes, about three and a half years ago before Corrin and I met, a group of enemies of Nohr's Royal Family wanted to kidnap Elise for ransom and to prove a point to King Garon and they captured her by using a powerful tome that allows one to shapeshift into animals and one of their mages turn into a garden snake to sneak into a garden in Windmire that Elise often visits and everyone in the Capital knows that their youngest Princess adores snake so when she noticed the newly arrived snake that was unusually pretty she went to pet it and when she least expected it, the snake lured her to where she would be taken without anyone noticing and Effie and Arthur were asked to stay in Krakenburg to help with a new training regimen and the guards left to watch her were actually working for these fiends so it was an easy job." Robin explained one of the saddest tales in the Royal Family's recent history. "Elise would be rescued five days later but not by the Royals who were on their tale but three foreigners who learned of the crisis and reached her first, who are Odin, Laslow and Selena."

"Why was I never told of this?!" Corrin yelled in horror. She did find it strange how Elise hadn't visited her for seven days in that exact month and Gunter had also been absent during that time period but Elise didn't look the least bit traumatized when she saw her again and told her that she was merely helping Arete provide medical aid to a village that suffered another bandit attack. Why did they lie? That smile felt so real.

"The less you knew about what is going on in the outside world the less reason for you to want to storm out, I guess. Felicia, Flora, Lilith and I didn't learn about the incident until a year later from Zero." Jakob explained. "It explains why Xander, Leo and Camilla are so fond of the trio even though they are more trouble than they're worth. Elise seems particularly close to that blonde buffoon."

"Well if we're going with the sneaking in plan you can count me out of it. I ain't going to no serpent infested cave." Takumi declined.

"Oh no, brother, if we're really going to do it you're gonna have to come along." Hinoka said.

"What?! You've been all over my arse trying to keep me out of the battles so far and now that I want to back down you want me to come along. Make up your mind." Takumi protested.

"A task like this one requires all capable hands and you're our best bowman so if there's a trap we'll most certainly need your cover fire." Hinoka explained.

"I see very little flaws in that." Robin replied.

"You guys suck." Takumi protested.

"Will the possible fighting lead to a skirmish in the city?" Corrin asked.

"If we are unfortunate enough only the west edge of Macarath." Robin assured her.

"The only question is what should we come to expect of the ambush and where do we go if or when we do manage to cross?" Azura pointed out.

"I suggest the Woods of Forlorn. It's dangerous to be sure but the least guarded location in the Heartland of Nohr." Kaze stepped up.

"Dangerous is an understatement, it is a deathly forest to anyone venturing into with a canopy so thick, light cannot enter it." Jakob objected.

"Not to mention that there's also the Black Witch of the Forest to content to." Felicia added.

"The Black Witch is real?" Corrin asked. For years, she has heard stories about a powerful sorceress who lives in a secluded abandon mansion in Forlorn scaring off anyone who gets near. So powerful is her magic that King Garon forbade anyone from challenging her, not wanting to sacrifice any soldiers as many such as Gunter believes that the cost of apprehending the Black Witch would be too great, she pretty much owns all of Forlorn with many claiming that Garon submitted to the Witch's desire to be forever alone. Whenever Gunter would tell of a tale of his youth he would have a couple of things to say about the witch and would vaguely hint that he knew her personally but Corrin never caught on to his hints, though many more like Camilla and Arete expressed doubts that she even exist as no one ever claimed to have even seen her face.

"Yeah, she's real, I saw her once, vaguely, she was hiding in a fog made by her dark magic but I know it was her." Felicia claimed. "I know my way around that place pretty well. Flora and I used to camp in there in the summers. Between the two of us, we had every nook and cranny mapped out. We once got too close to the mansion where she lives to confirm if she's real or not even though my father warned us not to get any closer but we did so anyway and she spotted us and scared us off. She was really scary; it was like she wasn't even human. Oh… wait, what if she's really a demon like the Seven."

"She's not, she's just antisocial." Robin said, sounding like he knows her.

"You've seen and spoken with the Black Witch?" Felicia uttered.

"Yeah, investigated the forest in my travels trying to catch a glimpse of her darkness, saw through her demonic disguise and bravado after an unnecessary skirmish. Nyx is just a sad old lady that is in dire need of a family, or at least some friends but she's too ashamed of herself to come back to the world." Robin explained feeling sympathetic for the Witch.

"Why am I not surprised that you've conversed with the most infamous person in Nohr, barring Garon." Corrin sighed.

"I've told you I've been practically everywhere."

"Regardless, the woods would, in fact, make an excellent place to hide out but with so many soldiers at our disposal we can only stand to be there for a very short period." Ryoma said.

"That is unless we had more help, if you're acquainted enough with this Nyx lady, you think she be willing to help us in making our stay in Forlorn more secured and as long as we need to make up a better strategy." Corrin asked Robin.

"It's worth a shot but Nyx has been alone for far too long and is not one to accept change so swiftly if we do manage to gain her support we risk making her a target for Nohr as well." Robin said. "Plus, while she has nothing against Hoshido, she is not so fond of ''Light-Dwellers'' either."

"It's either Forlorn or we take our chances with Niflheim and that icy land will be very challenging." Saizo said. It will take a while before this meeting can be adjourned.

* * *

"Okay, this one will do nicely." Hayato said as he picks up an iron naginata off from the new long tent Azura and Ryoma left all the weapons and he is now dressed in the uniform meant for Basaras. Despite getting a very harsh but well-deserved scolding from his father about his actions, he was still allowed to enter the battlefield alongside the seven hundred Wind Tribe warriors chosen to partake in the war effort so long as he remains under their supervision, any act of insubordination or acting under his own accord and its back to Oldstrong, granted that may no longer be possible given how deep they are in enemy territory but Hayato is not holding his breath as his father always seems to have his way one way or another.

"Hayato." Hinata greeted as he and Hana pass by. "Haven't seen you for five days now, how you been?"

"Well, you know, aside from being partially house arrest, or in this case tent arrest and being constantly watched by my dad's men and pretty much doom to never have free will again until I'm old enough to marry, I am as good as I can be. At least I'm allowed to be part of the action." Hayato muttered, trying to stay positive over the amount of trouble he's in and will continue to be after he returns home.

"Well, that alone proves that Chief Fuga is the coolest dad ever. Whenever I got grounded my dad wouldn't even let me look into a window, much less try to escape my boredom by having a ball to throw at a wall to bounce back at me repeatedly." Hinata said. "Three hours of boredom was the key factor of my punishment."

"Mine wouldn't even let me hold on to my blade to stare at and keep me focus. Time flies a lot for me when I'm marveling at a gorgeous blade." Hana added.

"Speaking of gorgeous blades, I hear that you and that new sword have been inseparable ever since you got it." Hayato said, noting how Hana has Alondite with her at all times and has been using it ever since Robin gave it to her, never letting it out of her sight, she even sleeps with it beside her. Granted, Ryoma and Takumi do the same thing with their Sacred Treasures and Corrin had been doing it herself with Yato recently but the latter does it because she grows more and more nervous the longer she remains in Nohr as an enemy of her former home and that any moment her foster family or Dread Fighters sent by them is going to come and claim her head when she least expected it, while her brothers do it to avoid Holy Withdraws. Still don't know what that means.

"Oh, it's the best thing that I have ever been given. This sword is now my second greatest reason for living!" Hana replied with a glorified giddy, holding the Holy Sword with both hands upwards. "I can still hear the cries of our enemies as I unleash divine judgment upon them with the might of the greatest hero that ever existed and feel his radiance guiding me to endless victories. It's amazing!"

Undoubtedly, having both Ragnell and Alondite in their arsenal has done significant wonders for them, though Hana would be lying if she didn't have issues at first, after all, she'd never held a Storm Sword before in her life, being able to fire shockwaves, half empowered by the wielder's own physical strength is nothing short of stressful but the young swordswoman is nothing if not tenacious as she got the hang of it after a week of training with Robin who seems already well-versed with such weapons and before they knew it, Nohrians left and right were falling at her feet more so than they do by Ryoma and Raijinto.

"I'll show that stupid High Prince not to let me bathe in my birthright by outshining him with a real weapon of divine power." Hana smirked.

"And every night I swear that she's doing something else with it." Hinata mumbled in a whisper.

"You do realize that you're gonna have to return that back to Robin, right?" Hayato reminded her.

"Ignore him, precious, they're all just jealous of our love." Hana said, holding on to the blade more tightly.

"Anyways, what's with the spear and uniform, you're with the Basaras now?" Hinata asked.

"Pretty much."

"Then where's your black pegasus, you guys belong in the air?"

"Did you forget already that I can fly on my own without one." Hayato reminded again.

"Yeah, for about fifteen minutes at a time before you have to rest up for an hour, and since Black Pegasi are known to mostly reside in deserts and Oldstrong being the only place where they thrive in Horus, you Wind Tribalists hold the largest amount of warriors who are official Basaras who have mounts. Black bastards don't like to be mounted by people who have no talent for magic so it be wise to have one yourself." Hinata stated. "Did that sound racist? If so I apologize."

"Well, I never really learned how to ride one and animals and I don't get along if the constant snoring Rukia, Yuzu and Killua kept giving me were any indication." Hayato said.

"Well, that simply won't do, you should ask Subaki for training in the Astral Plane. We can't afford for any of our soldiers to have too many exploitable weaknesses." Hana suggested.

"I'll consider it, for now, I'll stick to magic and a few tricks with a spear." Hayato said as he has some skill for a spearman, helping Mozu with her training a bit. "Speaking of redheads in the sky, have you seen Hinoka, I caught a glimpse of her a few times with Corrin but whenever I got close she would try to distance herself. I get why she's behaving as such but it's still pretty bothersome."

"Well, duh, she's still holding a ton of self-loathing after what happened in your village, and even though the Wind Chieftain said that her punishment will be held off until the war ends, your people aren't making it easier for her to make up for her mistakes." Hinata reminded.

"True, I be lying if I said I still wasn't largely upset about it myself but I already have it carved into my head that the Nohrians messed with her mind but alas, forgive and forget seldom intertwine." Hayato noted.

"Well, I don't like it, it's upsetting the dynamic that this united army is supposed to represent, and Robin can't stress enough how this will put everyone in jeopardy if a crisis occurs where Lady Hinoka will find herself separated from her squad and the only ones left to help her are Wind Tribalists who are super uncooperative in surviving together and end up getting themselves killed because of it." Hana protested.

"Well, what do you expect me to do, my dad and I can't control how our people feel. We lost a lot of allies in that skirmish, regardless of the misunderstanding." Hayato said. "And let's be real if the situation were reverse your soldiers would be the ones unwilling to cooperate with us Wind Tribalists. It's all a matter of who shot first and the antagonism can begin. How else did you think nations become enemies in the first place besides greed and wrath being prime motivators."

"What a mess we have ourselves now. It's only been three weeks but it feels like a lot longer with all the tension alone." Hana muttered.

"Look at it this way, it's like my father loves to say, bonds are quickly forged when in the heat of battle and your will to live urges you to trust those at your side." Hayato advised.

"Funny, my dad used to say something similar, and Robin too, funnier enough." Hinata said.

* * *

"Oh gods…" Corrin mumbled as she walks her way through the Cobra's Path alongside her siblings and their retainers, minus for Robin who is absent and the cave lives up to its name as there are cobras everywhere, it's very unnerving even to those who aren't really afraid of snakes to be surrounded by so many, their menacing, predatory gazes constantly on them as well as crawling around everywhere. Seriously, how does someone like Elise stand to come here so often, she has a Warp Tome that can take her pretty much everywhere for Heaven's sake? Sakura, who's practically her counterpart in Corrin's eyes behaves accordingly and is visibly scared, holding on to Takumi for protection who himself is scared but is putting a lot of effort to be brave for her sake.

They had ultimately agreed to Robin's plan and will risk walking into the trap that no doubt awaits them to ensure Lilith is safely moved around Macarath, though there lies the problem as the Astral Dragon is nowhere with them.

"Stay strong Lady Sakura, Lord Takumi, serpents smell fear, it gives them the confidence to strike any time they wish so just stay calm and keep showing them you are armed and ready." Subaki advised.

"I am not scared! I am not a pussy." Takumi muttered, lying to himself while he extends his Fujin Yumi to show off to the serpents as the animals are actually keeping their distance from them, they seem to be able to sense the danger the Sacred Treasures represent and feel obviously threaten by them, so they may not attack, not that it's making Sakura and Felicia any comfortable.

"Yeah, guys, I am really starting to have second thoughts about this, what if the Nohrians decide to bombard this place with us in it?" Hinata suggested.

"If that were the case they would've done it by now, we didn't even try to be discreet about coming here, and that was intentional, though we have the means to escape immediately if that happens." Kaze said.

"Still, it is quite unnerving for things to be this smooth." Jakob noted.

"Guess the imminent death happens as soon as we exit this place. Kind of a poor taste for a change." Kagero said.

"It definitely won't be anything pleasant." Hinoka said.

"I just hope the others don't get ambushed while we are away, our location was compromised days ago." Ryoma said.

"Our defenses hold up strongly so I'm sure they'll be fine until we're done. It's Robin's part of the plan that has me concern." Corrin said. "Xander was spotted leading the barricade himself recently and I am not too big on letting those two fight again."

"I wasn't paying too much attention to that fight, being so preoccupied with Leo but from what little I've seen, Xander wasn't doing a whole lot of good against Robin, even when he was basically half-dead in the Opera House and only had the upper hand due to double-teaming with her stepmom." Takumi said.

"Indeed but Xander wasn't as cautious and disciplined as his famed fighting style demanded due to being under Wrath's influence to a degree, no doubt even our Tactician will still have a hard time against the Crown Prince of Darkness." Hinoka said.

"That is if he even has the time to tell what's real and whatnot." Ryoma scoffed, he clearly doesn't like talking about Xander.

"HOLD, Villains!" Just as they are nearing the exit, their path is now blocked by the Dark Swordsman Odin, his arms folded, a much more serious but still comical demeanor and on his right lies a sword impaled on the ground, probably a substitute since he no longer has Ragnell, though this one is also unlike any weapon of Nohr they have ever seen, just as unique and refine. "Your crimes shall not go unpunished anymore."

"Leo's fool. Perfect!" Takumi said with more enthusiasm since his archrival can't be far behind if his right-hand man is here, he even leaves Sakura behind to step up in the front despite her still shaken by the cobras, at least she'll always have Hana and Subaki.

"So you've come as it was foretold by the High Deliverer's all-wise and wrathful protégé. Then your defeat is also preordained!" Odin declared brazenly.

"High Deliverer?" Ryoma repeated. "That's what the Seven called Robin."

"What?" Corrin muttered.

"Whatever, you fool. Stand in our way or bring this whole cave down on us, I don't care. Just quit being such a thorn on our side." Takumi demanded.

"AHA! So the Wind God's Avatar returns to again try in vain to remove the stain on his honor brought upon him by the Dark Crusader. I admire your thirst for power." Odin challenged as he raises his new blade to point at his adversaries as it surges with identical dark-red aura Siegfried generates. "Though the Power of Radiance is lost to me, the might of Missiletainn will purge all evil that hides in the Light."

"No radiance for you, indeed, well let's see how you like it when the tables have turned, jester." Hana said next as she shows off Alondite, to Odin's immediate shock.

"ALONDITE! But how?!" Odin gasped.

"Wait, if he knows about the sword…" Corrin began.

"Would you get on with it already, Odin!" Zero shouted from behind Odin but the Rogue is nowhere in sight.

"Oh, right…" Odin uttered as he stabs Missiletainn on the ground, causing the dark magic it possesses to spread and begin to tear the cave apart.

"Called it!" Hinata shouted.

"Here goes nothing!" Corrin said as she and Ryoma use the power of their swords together to form a barrier around all their comrades and themselves that protects them from being crushed by the cave-in and with the Icarus Ring they speed out of there in time but only to find themselves surrounded by several Nohrians and Grimm as well, what's more, they are also trapped inside a magic seal dome like the one Iago used to trap them in Kyoto but not city-wide.

"You are more pathetically predictable than I dared imagine." Leo declared as he enters the field, leading this ambush, alongside his retainers.

"A Cloud of Icarus." Odin mumbled, as he recognizes the magic of that cloud and even catches a glimpse of the ring Corrin has on her finger.

"Well, it seems you're the one with the Devil's luck because this is just fantastic." Takumi declared.

"Indeed I do because this is a fine catch. I must admit, I respect fellow acting commanders who know the best way to lead their troops is to fight alongside them but you lots take it to a whole new level. The Hoshidan Royals all together with nearly all their best troops falling into my trap and ready to serve as my tickets to victory. This is truly the most abysmal thing I have ever witnessed, though considering who you keep with you, I can't really be surprised." Leo mocked, referring mostly to Corrin.

"Buzz off, Leo." Corrin hissed.

"I must commend you myself for trying to catch us all like this but we will not be held in chains on this day." Ryoma said.

"Don't be so sure, High Prince." Leo smirked as something happens as the Hoshidans besides Corrin and Sakura start to feel dizzy.

"I'm… feeling really hot…" Felicia uttered as the temperature in the vicinity feels like it's spicing up but Corrin feels no such heat.

"I feel like a deadman all a sudden but Robin is not here to make me feel as such." Jakob hissed.

"I think we're being poisoned with magic." Setsuna said.

"It must be this dome." Saizo cursed.

"Too little too late for that." Leo said. "Anyone who opposes Nohr will meet their just deaths within this magic dome. Think of it as a Dark Counterpart of your Queen's Barrier of Concord. Still a prototype, though. A little unwise to use it now since its still one of a kind but I decided it needed a field test."

"Now who's being pathetic, we've all been magically enchanted to be vastly resistant to poisons and dark magic to an extent." Takumi boasted.

"I'm aware but in spite of that there is only so much Anima-based power can hold up against the darkness, the longer you're all here the more your protections will be reduced to cinders. This newly made venom is flammable to the skin once it takes full effect." Leo added, making Felicia and Sakura more scared.

"My, someone's feeling a little spicy today." Azama laughed it off instead of feeling intimidated.

"Well, you might want to go back to the drawing board because I feel as cool as I was in the Blackgrace Forest." Corrin said, not being affected by the magical poison.

"Hmm. So your connection to Nohr hasn't been completely severed, I see… that is quite surprising. This only goes to show you were meant to side with us. You chose wrong, Sister. You chose the light and left those who love you most to rot in the dark, traitor!" Leo cursed with the previous venom he held before in Cheve towards her, on which Corrin makes no response to it and just holds her sword tightly, more ready for what comes next. "And thankfully, father has given me the all-clear to make you bleed, so there's no escape this time. All who dare challenge Nohr will drown in Darkness because I will it so. Hoshidans, who have spent all their days in the light, can't survive without… wait, where is she?" He uttered as he now realizes something.

"Lost your tongue for once?" Corrin asked with weak sarcasm.

"Don't play the bigger fool with me, Corrin? Where's Lilith? I know she's an Astral Dragon and of her power. The only reason why you would risk coming through this path with these exact people has to be to escort her safely pass our barricades to make sure she can open up a gateway for all your soldiers to get past us without a fight." Leo protested. "No way you could've flown her through the sky with how heavily defended it is either."

'Oh, good. He must not know about her shapeshifting ability. Not exactly a common power, too rare to even be talked about.' Corrin thought.

"Guess you're not as smart as I painted you out to be, Leo. You may have robbed us of our ability to warp and limit our aerial space but you can't strip us of all our opportunities." Corrin smirked back at him.

"You're the only imbecile here, Corrin. Just as you've always been. You know most armies would at least try to make a more convincing attempt to use a secret passage with something more basic." Leo lectured.

"You mean creating a diversion someplace else to bring less attention here? Again, you're not as smart as you think, Leo because we already knew that either you or Iago would be the ones to make sure this ambush would work out, leaving Xander to be the main defense for Macarath, as usual, because that's what you're really good at, letting Big Brother do all the real work." Corrin stepped up and mocks her younger foster brother back, getting a rise out of him.

"Oh, so the little princess has an actual bite to her after all, though your insults could use a bit more creativity and… wait a second." Zero tried to make a more insulting taunt towards Corrin before immediately realizing something.

"Well… this is embarrassing. The Royals were the real distraction, after all, to keep you and your brother separated from the real agenda." Odin mumbled.

"Well, well, my compliments to Robin for having a working brain in contrasts to yours, Corrin. Too bad he won't be able to see you again. A pity too, mother was just starting to overlook your previous adultery and be more accepting of him in your future. I'll miss the friendly rivalry." Leo said as he uses the power of Brynhildr, causing the ground around him to shake violently.

"OH! NOW you approve! Because you can finally kill us both! Real mature!" Corrin cried with indignity.

"Corrin, you idiot, MOVE!" Takumi shouted as the Nohrians and Grimm make their attack and the Hoshidans get into their defensive positions, Corrin and Jakob facing off against a Grimm she has never encountered before that resembles a large centipede coming out of the ground like a Creep and Void Traveler can, with a long, black segmented body. Each segment has a pair of clawed legs and is covered by a protective shell. The head has no eyes but possesses large jaws. Inside the jaws, it has four small claws.

"A Centinel. Watch the ground Milady." Jakob warned as they fight on the defensive.

"Sabyrs! Oh, I am not a cat person." Felicia muttered as she and Kaze have to confront large predatory cats resembling sabertooth cats, possessing large canines with which they can deliver a powerful bite. They possess small bone plates on their shoulders and hips, ribs on their sides and spines coming from their backs. Their black skin appears to be somewhat frozen and has white patches. They also have bony tails.

"Remain by my side!" Kaze pleaded as he supports her in fending them off.

"Round Three, Fool!" Hana challenged as she charges against Odin on her own with both their swords clashing.

"Seriously, what are you doing with Alondite?!" Odin questioned, still caught off by this shocking development.

"That's really none of your business, except that I'm totally going to beat you this time!" Hana declared as she pushes the Blonde Swordsman Mage back as they begin to clash some more with their blades, while she has gotten used to the weight of the Holy Sword rather quickly and can swing it almost as if it's an iron katana, but like in their previous fights, Odin remains able to keep up with slightly quicker swings. Harnessing power from Missiletainn, Odin releases a dark shockwave that blasts the Samurai off him, though Hana graciously backflips to safety and fights back with a shockwave of her own from Alondite that triggers an explosion from Odin's that brings harm to those around, and thankfully for Hana, it's none of her allies.

"Watch it, Odin!" Zero yelled as he gets knocked to the ground, luckier than the two Beowolves that were beside him.

"Oops, sorry there, Zero." Odin uttered, embarrass as he proceeds with his fight. "Arcwind!" He summons a powerful tornado towards Hana that she faces head-on and attempts to destroy it using Alondite that manages to do the trick, albeit partially as the spell is still operational with half-strength that still causes Hana trouble, sending her nearly crashing into a boulder but is able to slow herself by stabbing the sword on the floor to slow her crash.

"The tables have turned, Sorcerer! I'm the Swordmaster that'll purge your foul magic once and for all." Hana declared.

"Ah, I admire your warrior spirit. Perhaps you may prove to be a worthy wielder of a Blade of Radiance. Come and let me test your mantle. Though if you are only able to defeat me because of the blade than you are no Swordmaster. It's not the sword that makes the master after all." Odin challenged.

"Finally, something comes out of your mouth I can understand and agree with." Hana replied.

* * *

"You're Highness, Lord Leo has set the trap and captured the Hoshidans who snuck their way into the Cobra's Path." A Warlock called as he steps before Xander and Iago as the ones temporarily leading the barricade that stands between the Hoshidans and ever closer to the Dark Capital.

"As planned. Are there any Seers inside to allow us to see the battle going on in there?" Xander asked.

"I'm afraid not, sire, Lord Leo didn't bring any with him, mainly because the number of them has been decreasing day by day from our attempts to locate the Hoshidan base of operations."

"How troubling. In that case have the dome surrounded, on the off chance that Leo is somehow defeated and the barrier broken we'll have to fortify his defenses to ensure they can be captured." Iago instructed

"At once!" The Warlock bowed and began to give the order.

"Even though they have been caught, there is still the risk of them trying to barge their way through here, which begs the question, why haven't they at least send Light Soldiers here to cause a commotion?" Xander wondered as there is not a single trace of enemies insight from their position, the place is completely at peace and under control. "They surely wouldn't gamble everything on Lilith."

"We can ask them personally once Lord Leo apprehends Corrin. What's more, we've amassed the number of Grimm we need to capture and execute the enemy Hoshidans in their current camp. Void Travelers are in range, the only forces left that can still use their Warp Magic. We'll surround them with Apathies, leave them vulnerable to our swift assault finally, ending this pitiful game." Iago smirked, confident that things will work out this time.

"I wouldn't be so confident in this plan." Laslow said wanting to share his opinion on the matter.

"What's this. You question my strategy, boy?" Iago questioned.

"I don't mean to step out of line, Sir Iago, but your tactics, though effective have always relied on both deception and brute force. While you have earned us many victories when Nohr was locked in a stalemate with Hoshido prior to the War, things may not go over so well for us, after all, Hoshidans have always relied more on being overcautious, dragging things out until we are in their field of advantage and catch us off guard." Laslow explained. "As things stand, they've become largely accustomed and adapted to our brutality that they may not fall for nearly everything we throw at them as they have demonstrated."

"Well, isn't this lovely, the man who can't keep his pants up thinks he knows better about preparing for war." Iago said, visibly annoyed by Laslow's words, even if he does admit he holds some merit.

"I'm just saying that we need to think more outside the box for a change, step things up and be more unorthodox. Which is why I cannot fathom why Selena was transferred elsewhere when her expertise is more needed here." Laslow pointed out.

"No arguing, you two!" Xander raised his tone. "Your words shall not go unnoticed Laslow and I thank you for your contribution as always. Especially since I feel the same, Selena has proven invaluable in keeping a foothold thus far. I wish father wouldn't have sent her away at such short notice."

"Blame your sister for that, lately his Majesty has found it difficult to trust Lady Camilla to act accordingly and competently so both her retainers are to remain with her at all times to ensure she doesn't make any mistakes in guarding the border to Niflheim. Even though we kept them in check, Chief Kilma's rage and need for vengeance are becoming more unpleasant." Iago said. "With this in mind, Hoshido's growing presence will no doubt motivate them to restart their rebellion, foolish as it is given how we toppled their previous attempt."

"Do not remind me of Camilla's insecurities, Iago. I know she can still be trusted for Nohr's best interest, even if father will not." Xander said adamantly.

"Believe what you will but I for one…" Iago is left silent upon noticing a hawk come flying down and lands on a tree branch near them and strangely enough, the Dark Tactician finds himself caught off by it.

"You for one what, Iago?" Xander questioned over the tactician's sudden silence. The snake is never one to shy away from speaking his mind but Iago ignores him, focusing on the hawk as there is something about it that feels off. The Hawk in question spares him a quick glance before flying away and its eyes… they were the same as…

"STOP THAT BIRD!" Iago demanded as he fires a dark spell at the hawk to blast it down but the spell is shut down by a fireball coming from above, tearing it down and allowing the hawk to escape.

"Lord Xander! Above us!" A Soldier cried out as all forces raise their weapons up as they all see Robin flying above them alone, looking ready for a fight.

"He was not there before!" A Wyvern Knight said as he and a few others just came back down from scouting the sky.

"Forget him, follow that hawk and bring it to me." Iago instructed to a Sphinx near him that obeys and goes to fulfil his assignment and instructs two Nevermores to follow it.

'That was sloppy on her part but she'll be fine.' Robin thought before turning his attention to the Nohrians below, mainly Iago.

"One Tactician short out of three?" He said, not seeing Selena among them as he was informed by ninjas that managed to bring information that Camilla's redhead retainer was partaking in the war council for over a week now, her own talents for tactics helping both stalling and thwarting Hoshido's advance to an extent that Robin did not account for, which makes this all the easier. "That was a mistake."

"I wouldn't act so cocky if I were you!" Xander hissed, readying his sword for a second round with Robin.

"What, did you actually come here alone? Foolish! Regardless of how strong you are, you can't stand up to all our troops on your own." Iago boasted that their forces can apprehend or kill him, preferably capture him to blackmail at least Corrin into surrendering.

"Trust me, you're the ones who are foolish." Robin said as he quickly crash lands on his feet into the ground, the stump he causes produces a minor shockwave that intimidates the lot of them, in particularly Laslow. "You've all fallen into my trap."

"Trap, you say? Boast all you like, My men, including myself will stump out anything Hoshido throws at us. You will not be permitted to set one FOOT into our Capital ever again." Xander declared.

"If Hoshido can't hurt you, Xander, then I advise you to be very cautious, otherwise you'll be stepping into your own blades." Robin said before the ground surrounding him begins to shine in a luminous green light that courses with great power.

"What is he up to?" Iago cursed as he and the rest of the Nohrians prepare for the worse, though none are more alarmed than Xander.

"A Dragon Vein? You activated it?" Xander gasped, as Robin landed on a Dragon Vein that he just began to use for himself.

"Remember! Don't step on your own blades as you gaze into my nightmares." Robin warned as the skies that hardly had any clouds today like any rare day in Nohr started darkening by clouds that feel different from the ones the Nohrians are used to with purple lightning bolts sparkling everywhere.

"What… what have you…" Laslow uttered as the dark clouds are familiar to him. Ceasing the chance by all of them being distracted like this, Robin rushes them with all the speed he can muster, grabbing both Laslow and Iago and flying them away from the barricade and straight for Macarath.

"Laslow!" Xander cried out but cannot do anything to help him as they all become caught off by the loud thundering roar of a great beast.

"W-W-What… what is that?" Peri uttered in incredible horror as they all look up to the sky and gaze upon an impossibly large black monster hidden within the clouds, almost insectoid like a centipede with six raven-like wings though the head seems dragonic enough with massive horns and multiple sharp teeth, each almost the size of two-story houses and finally six intimidating red glowing eyes.

"What new devilry is this?" Xander cursed. And as the giant beast howls so loud that it should've caused all their ears to implode, they are then besieged by another army heading towards them that almost look like walking corpses wearing masks.

* * *

Robin makes it to Macarath still dragging Laslow and Iago along and is heading for the personal villa of Garon and Arete.

"Unhand me this instance, you Hoshidan Dog!" Iago demanded as he tries to cast a spell but is having difficulty with how fast they are going that it's a struggle just to hold on to his tome.

"You and I have a prior engagement. And as for you." Robin said turning to Laslow as he stops for a brief moment and throws the Retainer through a window and falls into a spa.

"Hey, you can't just…" Laslow began coming out of the water but halts upon hearing the shock screams of startled ladies and looks to see that he is surrounded by a lot of them in this spa.

"Oh, well hello ladies." He spoke up with his charming persona, suddenly forgetting that he has a job to go back to.

Robin throws Iago through another window and crashes into one of the corridors of the targeted villa. The Dark Tactician groans as he forces himself on his feet as he confronts Robin alone.

"So what, I was your target all along. I'm flattered." Iago smirked.

"You won't feel that way in a few moments." Robin said as he channels magic around himself. "The Seven, Iago. No use hiding your unholy allegiance to them anymore."

Iago laughs in response. "My, how bold you've become. And to think that you're the harmless maggot Corrin kept around in the fortress as her concubine, finally grew a spine." He mocked. Despite his talents with a blade while sparring with Corrin and assisting in hunting bandits, Robin never really seemed like anything special to the Nohrians until the Battle in Kurosaki where he revealed the magical prowess that he managed to keep hidden even from Leo, Arete and Iago whose own magical talents should've clued them in but Robin was completely under their radar and three steps ahead.

"You'd made a mockery of me for the last time and I will enjoy bathing in your suffering." Iago declared, unwilling to heed Robin's demands and get straight into the fighting. "What to do is the real question, do I tear you apart myself or do I finally get under the good grace of my King's true children by delivering them to you, we both know how badly Camilla wants to turn you into Wyvern food and it's not the first time she's done it with style so yours will be a special case, indeed."

"Your stubbornness is almost impressive, for an Acolyte of Evil but your machinations are no match for mine." Robin declared, not sounding prideful but boastful enough to annoy Iago.

"Oh, that's right, you're Hoshido's new Top Tactician as well as one of the two acting Major Generals of the army Hoshido send, alongside Prince Takumi. How desperate we have left them to actually consider seeking the help of a runaway princess's incubus." Iago continued to mock. "I only hope you'll be more entertaining than that four-eyed piece of garbage."

"Think of me what you will but at least I don't walk around hiding behind a mask to keep the scars of the past concealed forever." Robin talked back, seeking to hit a nerve as Iago's smirk loosens a bit.

"Oh?" He mused.

"Iago. I know about Shion." Robin confessed, but that didn't trigger anything from Iago since he did confess the reason for his actions back in Kyoto. "I know where you come from, I've seen what remains of your hometown, I know how you lost your family. Your reasoning is understandable. But this, collaborating with demons, putting that monster inside Corrin. How is destroying an entire nation supposed to make the pain go away, especially when the one who's actually responsible is already dead and you've practically given up your soul?"

"Well, isn't this just lovely. Gonna give me a moral pep talk on how revenge is a foolish desire and maybe lecture me how it won't bring my family back while you're add it." Iago hissed with annoyance. "Let's skip the childishness and talk like men already. I'm not going to burn Hoshido to ashes and leave nothing left of a single shred of their bloodlines because of some petty need for closure, or some ridiculous belief that it will bring them back! I'm doing this because I like it and I have nothing left to lose since, as you said, my soul doesn't belong to me anymore! It's all or nothing now." Iago declared as he prepares to fight Robin and cast his first spell.

"Have it your way?" Robin hissed as he prepares for this fight. It is better if he's the one to finish Iago off instead of Corrin anyway.

"Struggle as much as you like, it changes nothing, you will never reach Valla." Iago declared.

"Valla? Is that the name of the place the Seven are hiding?" Robin questioned. "Well, that's a start so it'll…" Robin cannot even process his next words as a huge thud is heard and felt within his body, something in him cracked. Quickly he falls to his knees, gasping for air and is now in a lot of pain.

"No… not now." He cursed as he's felt pain like this before but at the same time there's something else going on.

"Oh dear, that totally slipped my mouth, you weren't supposed to have said that out loud." Iago laughed sinisterly, referring to the word Valla that Robin concludes is the cause of this.

"What's happening?" Robin growled, struggling so hard to just stay on his knees and for a split second, his body turned invisible, while also covered by the same pinkish flames as the Veiled Warriors, causing Robin to gasps in horror.

"Oh dear, this is inconceivable. You're actually resisting the curse." Iago said looking perplexed but still compose enough. "I was warned that you would be a deadly foe but this is more than I dared imagine. No matter, not even a Dragon can live through the curse of a God."

"Iago!" Robin growled as he refuses to let this get the better of him, even as his body completely becomes like the minions of the Seven Deadly Sins.

"Now I see why Corrin has had so many wet dreams about you, you're just as irritating to put up with." Iago sighed, having enough of seeing his latest nemesis in such a pitiful state. "Fine, I'll send you to your new master myself. Your death will surely strip Corrin of what remains of her fighting spirit! Ginnungagap!"

In mere moments a mighty explosion bursts out of the beautiful villa where the Royal Family would come to on occasions and destroying a large chunk of it.

* * *

The three Grimm sent to capture the Hawk that caught Iago's eyes are in hot pursuit of the animal despite being surprisingly faster than any hawk reasonably should, undoubtedly being magical and are close to capturing it until the Sphinx gets decapitated by an unseen force that catches the attention of the Nevermores enough to cease their chase of the Hawk for a moment to find out what happened to their leader and in its place they see Scarlet on her Wyvern alongside Mozu who appear out of the blue.

"Oh, why did you have to do that, we were perfectly invisible." Mozu muttered.

"Not like I had a choice given how close they were to Lilith. But don't get all worked up little goddess. Nevermores aren't weak but they got Lancer-luck. We totally got this in the bag and she's far enough away." Scarlet smirked.

* * *

The fight going on for Corrin and her siblings against Leo is a brutal one as the Dark Prince's machinations have the Hoshidan Royals and Elites trap under his mercy, such as Ryoma who gets separated from Raijinto by a Beringel who sucker punches him and then pins him to a boulder with the High Prince/General left struggling at the Grimm's mercy until Kagero rushes in and tries to stab the beast in the face with a shuriken but at best the gash she gave it around its neck instead wasn't enough to kill it but just force it to release Ryoma and knock Kagero to the ground, causing her to be the demonic gorilla's next victim as he rushes to get a bite at her face but Saizo steps in, protecting his partner by using his right arm to get bitten instead. The Red Ninja groans in pain at the black beast's attempts to crush his bones while he stands his ground to keep it away with the armor around his forearm providing decent defense. Kagero, still under the Beringel's clutches, desperately reaches for a weapon but terribly realizes that her last shuriken was dropped far away when she got knocked down and can't reach it.

"Kagero!" Jakob yelled out to her as he throws her a knife for her to use that she graciously catches and quickly she thrusts the dagger deep into the Beringel's eye, causing the monster to cry out as it releases its hold on Saizo and backs away as he falls to his knees with his bleeding arm. This does not stop the stubborn monster as it tries to attack again, only to be cut down by a vengeful Ryoma who recovered his lightning blade in time.

"Dammit! We were warned that this would be the hardest part but he really should've been more specific when he said that dealing with Prince Leo was going to be our toughest challenge yet." Ryoma hissed as the unnatural venom this dome is producing is starting to get to him with his skin burning up.

"Hey, I'm not complaining." Hinoka argued as she cuts down two Great Knights at once.

"And I can still fight." Saizo declared as he forces himself to fight on, shurikens on both his good arm and injured one.

"And I think you're insane but I know that better than anyone." Kagero protested.

"Welcome to my Clan." Kaze half-joked.

"Could use a little help here!" Takumi shouted as he fires a powerful arrow at Leo who channels power from his tome to make a barrier strong enough to not only block it but also deflect it as the holy arrow goes towards Corrin as she finishes off a Centinel and notices the arrow on time and shields herself with Yato that absorbs the wind that forms it.

"Sorry!" Takumi muttered. Corrin makes no response and instead slams Yato on the ground and releases a ferocious whirlwind that looks to be more composed of Fujin Yumi's wind magic than the sword itself that goes straight for Leo that manages to destroy his barrier, knocking the Dark Crusader to the ground.

"Never mind, I stand justified." Takumi uttered, now proud.

"Oh, shut up, you idiot!" Leo growled, forcing himself back up. "Bring her down!"

In response to the order, Zero sneaks behind Corrin and shoots three poisonous arrows at her that Jakob stops by stepping between them on time and parries all three with one dagger in hand, however, Zero's quickdraw is almost abnormal, immediately firing one more arrow before the former Nohrian butler had time to counter and gets shot in the right shoulder and protruding to his back as Jakob groans and falls with a panicked Corrin holding on to him.

"Jakob!" She cried.

"Blast, I was aiming for his head, must be getting sloppy." Zero cursed himself despite having a satisfied grin, though his bad aim is the result of a bit of blood covering his remaining good eye since he has an open wound on his forehead that he did not have time to wash off with the rush he's in so it's fortunate he could hit anything intentionally at all.

"You asshole!" Corrin yelled as she fires a wind attack at Zero who cannot evade in time but doesn't have to as a Sabyr swoops in and drags him to safety. While at it, Zero takes the chance to try another lucky shot and fires an arrow through the wrist of Corrin's sword hand, dropping the Yato and both mistress and servant fall down with advanced venom quickly spreading through their veins.

"Never mind, I'm still pretty good." The Adventurer praised himself.

"Why do I suck at winning?" Corrin mumbled.

"Don't worry, Milady, the poison will be a minority for you in a sec." Jakob uttered, mustering all his strength to remove the poison from her with his staff.

"What about you…?"

"My condition is minuscule." He insisted with a very convincing face, one could argue that he is almost immune to at least regular poison and this advance one is just proving a challenge.

"I'm coming!" Felicia cried as she reaches the two and starts using her own magic while Kaze stands on guard from the incoming Grimm.

"Corrin!" Sakura cried as she rushes to her side but is caught by large vines of Leo's dark magic that also capture Subaki, Oboro and Setsuna, who are quickly saved by Ryoma swiftly cutting them, unfortunately, Leo makes more much quicker that still manage to snag Sakura and pull her to the Dark Crusader's side.

"This battle has gone on long enough!" Leo shouted as all the fighting temporarily ceases with the capture of the youngest princess.

"Dammit!" Takumi cursed as he attempts to try and free her.

"Put the bow down, or the girl gets it!" Leo warned menacingly, though to Corrin at least, his grip on Sakura isn't so tight as she could get away if she wasn't so scared and any of them succeed in distracting Leo, though knowing him this is likely intentional since he should already have a good understanding of Sakura's character so any restraints period is unnecessary.

"Hurt her and you DIE painfully." Ryoma threatened.

"Oh, like you weren't already planning on doing so regardless, you barbarian." Leo hissed. "I won't let Hoshido go near any of my cities. I'm ending this now!" He declared as he uses his magic to reinforce the dome trapping them all in to have the toxic air it generates to spread quicker with all of Hoshido's enemies with the exception of Corrin and strangely Sakura to overheat with their skins starting to show steam coming out, bringing them great pain.

"Lord Leo, stop! You mustn't force the Poison Flame to spread any quicker, the dome is still a prototype and will collapse if you continue and we need the Hoshidan Royals alive." Odin warned.

"I KNOW!" Leo snapped. "Reluctant as I am to endanger a newly forged spell from going extinct before it has a chance to bloom into the world, so to speak, these people will receive no quarter from us. For they have none left to give."

"Oh… get over yourself!" Takumi hissed, trying to muster the strength to keep fighting but if Ryoma can't then he sorely can't either.

"Leo…" Corrin growled, back on her feet and swearing to muster whatever she can to stop her former brother.

"Struggle all you want, for it matters not that you have the blessing of the Ancients you'll still fall all the same." Leo declared.

"We'll see." Corrin said as she attempts to fight in an unexpected way as she picks up a Silence Rod that Felicia was carrying and Jakob's Recover Staff as they start to glow with their magics activating at once.

"What?!" Leo gasped in shock. Corrin's never been able to use magic tools based on white magic before, she was trained to be a Ranger, not a Troubadour. A shining light sparks from both magic items that spread across the entire dome, from the Silence Rod, the dark replica of the Barrier of Concord is dispelled in its entirety and from the Recover Staff, she heals the burned skins of her siblings and comrades to a significant extent, not enough to heal them entirely but enough for them to keep on fighting, not that they should now that they are free.

"Amazing…" Sakura uttered in awe at Corrin's latest display of power.

"Impossible! No one can wield such magic with flying colors and even if you have started to train to use them, there hasn't been enough time for you to achieve such proficiency." Leo uttered.

"Well… I guess you could say I had big help." Corrin shrugged.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Corrin?!" Leo demanded.

"Whoa! Even you're swearing now. That's a first." Corrin gasped, genuinely shocked. "Guess I have some influence on you after all. Or was it that creep Zero? I don't even remember when I started swearing."

"Can we leave now? I'm sure that we bought Robin and Lilith the time they need." Sakura asked, and surprisingly without stuttering her sentence again. She's getting better.

"Yes, definitely." Ryoma said as he uses Raijinto to move at lightning speed, reaching Sakura and Leo in the blink of an eye, sucker punches Leo and takes his sister to safety.

"Why didn't you do that before?" Corrin questioned.

"Would you take any chances with a Dark Mage like Leo?" He countered.

"Touché."

"If you think you're getting out of this in one peace you have another thing coming." Leo hissed as his remaining soldiers surround the Hoshidans again and with the dome gone, the soldiers standing outside the dome enter the fight upon seeing it fade.

"Yeah, as we are now, fighting any longer will lead to our defeat but like Sakura said, our part of the plan is surely over with. Better luck next time, little brother." Corrin said as she stabs the Noble Yato on the ground and before anyone knew it a great gust of wind like a geyser erupts from the ground without really making a hole that covers up all the Hoshidans from the view of the Nohrians for two seconds and just like that they were gone.

"What…" Leo gasped.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Zero growled over their latest failure. Odin, on the other hand, is too preoccupied with something else to be as somber as everyone else over this seeming loss.

'One person using two magic conduits at once. Especially with tomes, such a thing shouldn't be possible. The only person I know who can perform such a feet is Morgan and last time I saw her she was the one with ownership of Alondite. So how did Robin and the Hoshidans get their hands on it.' He mused, trying to figure out this impossible mystery. 'What's more, the ring Corrin has with her is definitely an Icarus, Robin must've given it to her for her own protection but out of the two, I can't believe he would give her THAT one. He guards and holds on to it so tightly to his heart that he almost killed Vaike in a blind rage in front of everyone after he took it just to mess with him. Is he truly the uncle I know or just another version of him? No, he definitely knew me as the same Owain he fought alongside, so why?'

* * *

"There's too many of them!" A knight cried as Xander and his men continue to fight off the horde of undead Robin wrought upon them with no clear end to them.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Peri roared, stumping her way through any who dared get near her Prince, while said Prince effortlessly cuts down the foes himself but they have been at this for quite a while that even he is showing a small sign of fatigue.

"This can't go on any longer." Xander sighed as he notices how tired his soldiers are getting. He takes the chance to spare a glance at the hideous monster up above in the sky that has remained there, looking down upon them with disdain but that's about all it's been doing. "Why does it just lie there?"

"They're all over me!" A Berserker screamed in terror as he gets pin to the ground by four monsters.

"I… I can't." an Exhausted Sorceress falls to her knees.

"HEY! What is wrong with you bastards! HELP US!" Another soldier screamed in outraged at the Grimm who for the first time are doing nothing to help the Nohrians, and are just standing still, observing the carnage happening and those that do step up are acting just as strange and are actually getting between them from fighting the monsters and aren't really following orders.

"They're being disobedient, and the ones who are getting between both sides from fighting only behave this way when breaking up infighting." Xander surmised until realization dawns on him.

"**Remember! Don't step on your own blades as you gaze into my nightmares.**" Robin's words finally manage to sink into Xander's head.

"Nightmares…? Damn! Stand down! STAND DOWN! ALL OF YOU CEASE FIRE!" Xander commanded with great haste to his soldiers. "These monsters are not real! They are an illusion." The Crown Prince then begins to channel power from Siegfried with a red aura also generating from himself that is absorbed into the sword that he releases, firing a shockwave that causes all the monsters, including the giant one in the sky to vanish instantaneously and the sky returns to how it was before.

"Huh?!" Peri uttered in confusion.

"What the… where did they all go?"

"Was it all just an illusion?"

"They were never real. Robin cast a seemingly deathly spell to fool us all, it's why the Grimm behaved the way they did, they saw no enemies to fight against, all they saw was their wards aiming their weapons at either nothing or each other." Xander growled as he sees that plenty among them have been recently wounded and they were caused by Nohrian weapons and spells and there are some deaths among them. He then goes towards where the Dragon Vein Robin used and examines it. "This Vein is designed to amplify a Mage's magic power to a significant extent, enough for something like casting such a convincing illusion that even our seasoned warlocks would be fooled by such deception. However, Leo, Iago, Selena and perhaps Odin as well would've surely been able to see through it regardless."

"We've been played!" Peri cried in outraged

"DAMMIT!" Xander cursed as he punches the ground. "One Tactician short out of three. This was his true aim. To make sure the brains of this operation would not act in unison long enough for them to find another way passed us. But then where did Lilith go?"

* * *

The Strike Force that Iago mentioned would attack the current Hoshidan base of operation has already begun as numerous Void Travelers burst out from the ground, either outside of the camp or within and from them come out Nohrians and Grimm to surround them, aerial forces also come in with haste to make sure all attempts to escape are impossible. Among them are a fair amount of Apathies who immediately release their slothful screams to cause all their targets to become incapable of attacking, and the soldiers and beasts alike march in to strike at their enemies without mercy! Except… there are no enemies around.

"Where the hell is everyone?!" The Acting Commander demanded as there is literally no one in sight. No Hoshidans, no Chevians or Wind Tribalists.

"It's all clear here." A Soldier reported.

"All clear here as well." Another said.

"They're all gone. Not a single trace of them." A Warlock said after coming out of the tent where the war meetings took place with two Beowolves at his side.

"This is ridiculous! They couldn't have just warped out of here. Neither they nor we can use that magic since they set foot on our soil." The Commander said. "Where could they have gone unnoticed."

"The only place that they could've gone without us even remotely not noticing would be the road to Mount Garou." Someone else said.

"That's even more ludicrous. There are so many weapons lying around here, I just got back from a tent that serves as an armory and it's completely full, it doesn't seem like anything has been taken. The only things that seem to be missing are personal belongings and the food and water they eat."

"This region doesn't even have underground tunnels for them to use and their army is too large to travel anywhere without notice."

"Keep searching. There has to be a clue, anything that will lead us to their-" It happened in an instant that no one could've seen it coming as the entire camp erupted in a massive explosion, engulfing everyone caught in it and partially damaging those who were far away enough. The former camp of the Army of Light has been rigged to be destroyed once everyone has been evacuated and the Nohrians arrived, leaving no trace of where they could've escaped to.

* * *

"YAHOO! Those morons never even saw us coming!" Scarlet cheered as the mission was successful and they manage to get all their soldiers to safety and are now in the Woods of Forlorn, and Gods, this place is so awfully gloomy and ugly, dead trees, frightening atmosphere, scary swamps, everything looks like this place is solely used to dump bodies and other foul activities. Regardless, they are just grateful to have made it passed the barricades in one peace and that everything went even more smoothly than they expected.

"Hope the morons who showed up to ambush us enjoy Muspelheim Fire because there's plenty more where that came from in Hell." Rinkah smirked as the camp exploding was her doing. It's not often she gets a chance to make a bomb of what she considers hellfire of that scale but she had plenty of time to set it up for the unwelcome guests.

"You're the Queen of Hellfire, you crazy girl, you." Azama praised.

"I'm so relief everything turned out alright." Mozu sighed in relief.

"I know, I'm pretty sure my side were the only ones who received any real opposition." Corrin said as she and her group meet up with the others.

"Something that wretch totally did on purpose." Jakob hissed as Felicia finishes curing the poison in him.

"Oh, get over yourself, Jakob." Felicia lectured.

"Don't talk back to me!"

"How about you two? Any potential risks?" Ryoma asked Scarlet and Mozu who were the only ones assigned to guard Lilith while they were covered in an invisibility tome they stole from a Nohrian in a previous battle that hid them as well as suppressed the sounds Scarlet's Wyvern made. Though the spell seemed imperfect that only three living beings at a time could use it so Lilith had to travel via shapeshifting into a hawk.

"Only a Sphinx and two Nevermores but hardly an issue. They aren't weak but like I said Grimm just have Lancer-Luck." Scarlet shrugged as they didn't stand much of a chance against the two.

"Don't know what that means." Mozu said.

"It's a really old joke based on a Chevian folklore about a Spearman who was unnaturally strong for a man despite not hailing from the Earth Tribe and his use with a lance was unlike any Spear Master but had terrible luck and lost more times than he actually won a fight and it stayed that way until his death." Ryoma explained. "It's actually a hilarious tale. With great sadness of course, but hilarious nonetheless."

"Poor Cú Chulainn. At least he died preserving Cheve's honor, and our amusement." Scarlet chuckled.

"But we're using spears." Mozu pointed out about herself and Scarlet.

"Irrelevant." She shrugged.

"And didn't you once told me that Cú Chulainn is your ancestor?" Ryoma added.

"Aw, c'mon. Nothing's going to happen to me that'll be just as bad as him." She insisted.

"Please, turn that frown upside down, Hana, everything worked out spectacularly." Subaki insisted to his grumpy partner.

"No, things did not go spectacularly, Subaki! My fight ended in a draw! That's not a victory, that's Fate making fun of me and telling me I'm worthless!" Hana protested as her fight with Odin ended prematurely again. "I will not let this stand!"

"It's okay, Hana, I'm sure next time will be different." Sakura said, encouraging her retainer for a change.

"Hope the ride was worth it." Corrin said to Lilith.

"Yeah, Iago spotted me but it meant little in the grand scheme of Robin." Lilith assured her.

"Was it really necessary to leave all our equipment behind like that?" Azura asked.

"Why not, we can always make more in the Astral Plane, hence why I insisted you not bother with transferring all those weapons as you did." Lilith said. "But then again, you and Corrin have a bad habit of wanting to handle things yourselves more often when you do enough on the frontline."

"How is that a bad habit." Corrin and Azura questioned at once.

"I wouldn't complain, a mistress that can take care of herself sets my mind at ease more." Kaze smiled.

"Though I will admit, the fight against Leo would've gone a lot smoother if you had been there, Azura." Corrin said.

"Are you sure you want to hear my song again, I thought you wanted it out of your system." The Songstress said nonchalantly. She found out that Corrin and Robin don't like to hear Lost in Thoughts All Alone and she took it a little too personally because of the sentimental value it holds for her.

"Are we seriously going to bicker over something so stupid." Corrin muttered. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, you know."

"Hmph." Azura hissed a bit too harshly.

"You were amazing out there, sister." Sakura praised Corrin over what she did to stop Leo.

"I know, I've never seen anyone use two staves at a time before, much less use one so proficiently in such a short amount of time." Takumi said as Corrin has shown the new ability to use staves and rods before they made their march, a feat that surprised all of them and disappointed Mikoto since Corrin doesn't need the training she wanted to teach her between mother and daughter and according to Corrin herself it's nothing she developed overnight as she suspects that her new feats, such as her better use of Yato is because of Morgan as she did something to her while she was getting her out of the Shadow Realm as she blessed her with a new set of skills, a spell that Robin is familiar with and suspects that such magic was used on the Princess.

"Like I said, it has nothing to do with me being a prodigy but getting a huge help." Corrin said.

"And what a help it has been, our thanks to your shadowy savior." Ryoma smiled.

"Good, everything worked out as expected." Said the voice of their Tactician as Robin too arrives to meet up with everyone and looks like he's recovered from Iago's strange curse and bested the Dark Tactician.

"Rob, you made it back too." Corrin smiled with joy as she walks to him and when she's close enough she notes that he looks worn out. "Are you okay, I've never seen you look so tired before?" She asked while placing her hands on his face.

"Just tired, The illusion magic wasn't hard to pull off but messing with so many minds gave me a serious headache that it's hard to stand up straight." He lied but with how easy it is to notice that he can't keep his footing and needs to lie down to rest, Corrin believes him easily.

"That's what you get for being dumber than me, you idiot." Corrin scolded as she punches him in the shoulder, which really hurt this time. "Now lie down to be treated and don't start making excuses to keep working."

"Yes, ma'am." He complies as they all gather with their army and prepare to set up their new camp in this grimly forest.

Little does anyone realize that Robin is far from okay and without nobody noticing, his right arm is covered by pink flames again, though he manages to force it away, the pain it causes still lingers.

'This is different. Completely different.' He cursed as whatever this curse is, it's not done with him yet.

* * *

**Well, that's it for this chapter, the war is now taking place in Nohrian soil. We are nearing the end of this story finally. How many chapters left you may be wondering. Not a clue, I haven't thought that part thoroughly enough but I can promise that the climax will be enjoyable still. Hoshido draws closer to Windmire and Nohr's defeat is imminent now as well as with Robin's ties with the Awakening Trio. Also, Ryoma will be dressed up in the High Prince Class from Warriors, keep that in mind as well. I was disappointed that the Dark Fliers, or Raven Knights as I prefer to call them since they DON'T actually use dark magic like the inconsistent Dark Knights, were only DLC in Fates and from now on let's say that they and the Basaras are one and the same to even the fliers of both armies with a magical unit. I know that black pegasi don't blend too well with Hoshido's design, at least that's how I see it since they blend better with Nohr but let's add that to the reasons why hoshidan basaras "don't" really use them.**


	26. Chapter 26: Moments of Peace

**Chapter 26: Moments of Peace**

"Is this the place?" Corrin asked as she, Robin, Azura, Felicia and her siblings arrive at a seemingly abandoned mansion within The Woods of Forlorn where the Black Witch herself should reside in.

They now have come to meet the infamous Sorceress who lives in this dark place, with the hopes to have her consent to let their army stay here for the time being. Nohr will no doubt become more tenacious in their efforts to stump out the invaders and it's only a matter of time before they find them again, while these treacherous woods are big enough to hide their numbers it will be for a very limited amount of time but hopefully Nyx can help fix that with her magic.

"Yep, this is the place." Felicia affirmed, familiar with this area even though it's been years since she was last here with her family.

"Gee, this place is about as gloomy as the shallow end of Hi-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Hinoka warned Takumi as he was apparently going to make a comparison that would insult her.

"I wasn't going to make THAT comparison! Anyway, she must really like the Grimm, based on these sculptures, and they seem more renowned when compared to the real ones." Takumi noted, gazing upon several sculpted statues of Grimm located around the mansion, a few in the courtyard and front yard.

"They are perfect replicas of those monsters, did the Witch made them herself?" Ryoma asked.

"She wouldn't say much on them when I asked the first time but judging by a certain painting I caught a glimpse of during my first visit, of which I rather not disclose too much that looked recently made and incomplete, I can safely say that she is an artist of a sort with great talent, though magical in nature, I'm sure she made them herself." Robin said.

"They are indeed impressive but for the matter at hands, are we certain that she is even in here." Hinoka asked. Corrin discretely averts her gaze from the Grimm statues, feeling wary from seeing them.

"I'm sure, I can sense her darkness, it's really faint but I see her." Robin assured. "And she obviously knows we're here but the fact that she hasn't done anything like all those other times is most curious."

"So do we go in or wait for her to come?" Corrin asked.

"Neither is recommendable but the latter would slow things up so I better go and see her." Robin surmised.

"On your own? Yeah, that won't fly with me, if she's trouble you may need backup." Corrin objected.

"I assure you that Nyx is not as hostile as the rumors make her out to be, she just wants to be alone." Robin replied.

"Then there will be no harm done if it's just the two of us." Corrin countered.

"Just make sure to hurry it up, our men are already getting restless and understandably nervous the longer we stay here without more reassurance that we'll be safe." Ryoma said.

"You do well to relax yourself, this won't take long." Robin said as the White duo enter the mansion unopposed and the place looks even gloomier than it is outside with all the torches everywhere adding to its creep value with Corrin getting increasingly uncomfortable.

"This place feels bigger than on the outside so getting lost is highly probable, so best to stay together." Robin advised her.

"Yeah, no need to tell me twice." Corrin said remaining by his side as they walk the stairs up where Nyx is in and as they do so, Corrin gasps upon seeing an Apathy waiting for them standing by the right of the stairs and on reflexes, readies her holy blade to destroy it.

"Whoa! Whoa! Relax!" Robin stops her from causing a ruckus. "It's just another statue that looks more realistic and colorful than the ones outside." He assured her as said Apathy remains ever still and silent unlike the real deal and Robin convinces her more by touching it, briefly holding it by its long jaw.

Corrin sighs, trying to calm herself but Robin can see that she's still un edge.

"You always look so unfocused and troubled whenever you are near these creatures. I know that Grimm aren't exactly the most likable things in the world but out of everyone in Hoshido you have the least experience to detest them." Robin said, wanting to address this matter for a while, concern by how unedge she is ever since she first learned about the Grimm.

"It's nothing. I just don't like them is all, a sentiment as you said is shared by many." Corrin lied and turns away from him, only to feel more down once she sees a portrait on a wall that seems completely Nohrian, depicting an ancient Nohrian King, behind him are many of his knights and commoners and in front of him is an army of the Creatures of Grimm who seem to be bowing before their King with the exception of an Alpha Beowolf. The Nohrian King extends his arm to the Alpha, with the Beowolf's hand above his with both holding a purple orb that vaguely resembles the depiction of a soul that Izana once showed her. In the upper right corner of the portrait there is the large head of a Dark Dragon, no doubt Qliphoth, watching the event unfold with his blessing. Could this be a depiction of the day when the Dusk Dragon first bestowed upon his army to his human descendants to protect the Kingdom?

"It's easy to tell when you're feeling down, Cor. You carry the weight of your emotions on your shoulders for all to see even when you mask your face. It's best that you get a hold of yourself and not break anything from the powerful mage we are trying to get under her good grace." Robin said. "The Grimm attacking you the first time you saw them affected you more than you even realized.?"

"I…" Corrin uttered, taking a deep breath before speaking her mind. "We… during my long life trapped inside that fortress I found solace in many things, the history books and novels in my personal library, the company of my retainers who've always been more my friends than servants, Gunter who was more a father than Garon, but more so a grandfather to all, my… mother and siblings whenever they found the time to visit. But the one thing that I found myself really connecting with during my time there were the Books of Noble Shadows. For so long, the teachings of the God of Nohr have given me hope and clarity that no matter how bleak things got, I would always find my way through any obstacles without Light in my life. That I could find strength and conviction to overcome any hardship wherever I go. But when I laid eyes on those things and learned what they are, something in me just shattered." She muttered. "I didn't even know they even existed until I was forced into Hoshido and now all this."

"I know it's silly for those who walk in the Light for someone to look at the Darkness with anything but contempt, the Dusk Dragon is a force of destruction, as is the nature of Dragons but for those who truly look, they know that Qliphoth is ultimately Just. Even though I am not of Nohrian heritage, I was their Princess for a long time, I swore on the Oath to the Throne of Shadows, to the Dark Lord that everything I did from that point forward would be all for the good of Nohr. That Oath is broken now but even before that they attacked me. I was their Princess… and they tried to kill me." She uttered as the events of that day have really affected her. "Why… what was it about me that they found disloyal. I prayed every day and night. I strove to be the best Nohrian Champion I could be. What was I doing wrong that made them deem me a threat before I even left in the first place?"

"Corrin." Robin whispered not sure what to say but hold her close as they hug one another for comfort for a few moments. She doesn't shed a tear like he thought she would but the sadness is undeniable.

"I don't have any of the answers you desire so much but what I do know for sure is the here and now. And that is that you are still loved and are surrounded by those who want what's best for you." He said wanting to keep her at ease.

"I don't mean to sound cliché but I speak the truth, I understand if this doesn't make you any better but I just want to be perfectly clear that as bad as things are and are going to get, you won't be alone." He said with more confirmation.

"Robin…" Corrin whispered.

"Now, I may not be devout like you but I know that you still hold the noble teachings of the Dusk Dragon to heart, so look at it like this, Qliphoth's ideals are not so different from that of the Dawn Dragon and you originally belong to Hoshido and if the Brothers still hold compassion for one another than I don't really think that Qliphoth would want to see the Kingdom he created bring carnage upon his brother's so…" Robin took a few seconds of contemplation before saying his next words because he really needs to tread carefully, religion was never his subject of expertise and he doesn't want to come off as manipulative. "… What if the attack was a sign."

"A Sign?" Corrin questioned weakly, trying to process what Robin may be suggesting. "The Dark Lord wanted me to fight for the Bright Lord?"

"Now, I know it sounds insane but…"

"Makes perfect sense to me. What an interesting pair you two are." The pair turn around to where the source of this new voice is and find themselves facing the Apathy statue, with the head turning by itself to face them and the eyes emanate a purple glow. "If I didn't know any better I say I'm gazing upon real life versions of Romeo & Juliet. Makes me wonder if things will end the same way."

"The Witch?" Corrin questioned.

"Nyx. Possessing and using inanimate objects as Familiars is a fine trick as usual." Robin said, knowing this is the one they've come seeking for help.

"Robin. It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow soul enslaved by the cruel hands of Destiny, but my, you look deader than last time. The Light must really disagree with you." Nyx spoke from the statue and notices something off about him. Her voice is clearly feminine, though it's echoing with every word that makes her sound demonic, ironically even more demonic than the voices of the Seven, which does wonders for her ability to intimidate, made even more so that she is using the imitation of an Apathy to speak. "I'm surprise that I got the chance to see you again, I thought for sure you were long gone when you said you were heading to Mount Garou to get that accursed thing. However, you brought more company this time."

"I'm sorry, Nyx, I would've never have come here if I had any other options." Robin said apologetically.

"Clearly. I see that you have switched allegiance, like the rumors have said, which means that this is the Mistress you spoke of that you serve. The Wayward Daughter of Sephiroth who knows the Darkness better. Or did, anyway." Nyx said, turning her gaze at Corrin before returning to Robin. "Why did you come? Surely it's not to drag me into your war. Because if so, then you both will be leaving with only half of yourselves still intact."

"We… we did not come to make any foolish requests, Old One. We seek only a temporary shelter while we make preparations to find a better temporary haven to move forward to Windmire." Corrin said next, all the while never letting go of Robin for two key reasons, the main one is because she covets his embrace and the other is because she really can't stand the sight of the Apathy above all other Grimm and feels the most intimidated by it.

"How annoying, you're Hoshidan alright." Nyx hissed, clearly harboring a level of disdain than Robin previously assured her before, though then again she may have simply not have been as open by her hostility when they first met, and why would she, Robin's not from Horus. "You Light-Dwellers never learn, for all you're talks about peace and staying self-contain you sure take more than you need. Why should I care if your Kingdom drowns in Darkness?" She asked as she turns away from them while also waving them off with the statue's unnerving long arm.

'Why does everyone keep saying that?' Corrin uttered.

"All we're asking is for time. Let our army stay here long enough to come up with a plan and a new location to seek shelter." Robin proposed. "Three days tops."

"For a Deadman you carry far too many lives on your shoulder, I'm feeling a little tempted to show empathy, but too little gets us nowhere, does it?" Nyx replied with an obvious reluctance to help.

"Please, Nyx, we just want this war to end. And if we are stopped from reaching Garon than it may end in what may very well be the worst outcome." Corrin pleaded.

"The worst outcome for whom, pray tell, I'm curious." Nyx asked rhetorically. "I no longer have any love for Nohr but there's nothing in it for me to aid Hoshido. Both sibling nations are parasites that plague the rest of the world, consumed by old traditions and hypocritical notions of right and wrong, wasting lives for ultimately nothing and cowering from their Destinies. Longing for fantasies and bygone days and endlessly tarnishing the name of their Founder Deities while using their names to justify their crimes. Like the rest of the pointless race of humanity that have infested Solheim since the beginning."

"And what Destiny pray tell are they supposed to follow if you seem to know better despite hiding alone and behind the rundown walls of an old house in the middle of a swamp?" Corrin questioned, feeling agitated by her, despite deeming her words as truth.

"As usual, so short sighted and cursed to never rise above it." Nyx sighed with more annoyance, though she then next turns back to the white duo and walks closer, particularly Corrin, and having something with the face of the skull creature tempts Corrin to break the thing but Robin picks up on it and eases her nerves enough not to make an affront against Nyx. "How odd, despite opposing him, you remind me of him in many ways."

"Garon?" Corrin asked but the Witch makes no response and walks away, standing in the same spot the statue previously was.

"Three days, no more. I already have a barrier prepared to cover off the entirety of the Woods of Forlorn that will keep all Nohrians and other unwelcome nuisances away. If you're not gone by then, I'll finish you off myself." Nyx made up her mind on giving them this but this seems more like a whim than kindness. "And your army better not set foot on my home, much less be near me again."

"Thank you, Nyx." Robin smiled but the Witch made no more responses as her magic on the statue has vanished.

"She was interesting, and in a strange way she sounded like a little girl." Corrin noted.

"You'd be surprised by how odd immortals actually are." Robin half-joked as they head back outside to meet up with the others.

"Well?" Ryoma asked.

"She's agreed to let us stay long enough to find another path to tread." Robin explained. "Provided that we stay away from her, she's even erected a powerful barrier that will keep the Nohrians away to prevent conflict in her property."

"Will she be able to hold such punishment if they realize we're here?" Azura asked.

"I'm sure, her magic is the result of centuries of studying the dark arts, Nohr will need a lot of Anti-Magic to penetrate her craft and because of our spell by the time they amass enough to do so we'll be long gone. We best set up camp now." Robin assured them.

"Good then." Ryoma nodding satisfied as the royals go to meet up with the others. He then notices Corrin's look of contemplation. "Something on your mind, Corrin?"

"A lot of things, as you should know, but being inside that mansion brought up a lot of dark thoughts that have been bugging me for weeks, though right now I'm curious about something else Nyx briefly mentioned. Something called Solheim."

"Solheim? That's a name I have not heard in a long time. It is what our continent used to be called before it was renamed Horus." Ryoma explained.

"Really, this is the second time I hear the name and the first time I hear of its meaning." Corrin said intrigued.

"That's not surprising, not many remember that when these lands were under the constant presence of the Gods that the Dawn Dragon dubbed their Divine Territory Solheim but when the Precursor War happened and the Heroes of Old were forced to stand against their corrupted lords, humanity was granted sovereignty of Solheim which was later renamed after your Predecessor, the first wielder of Yato." Azura explained.

"Really, sounds like he was egotistical, Hydra did call him a hypocritical fool, so I think it makes sense." Corrin said intrigued by this knowledge.

"Hydra?" Takumi asked.

"That's what the Rainbow Sage called himself." Corrin revealed.

"Oh, so he does have a name. Sounds aquatic." Hinoka noted.

"Yeah." Corrin nodded in agreement.

"When exactly was the first time that you heard the name of Solheim?" Sakura asked curious.

"In the Shadow Realm. My… darker half brought it up while she was blowing a tantrum and beating me up. But if she really was the part of me that I've been repressing then how could any part of me know the name?" She wondered.

"Perhaps it has something to do with your dragonic-self. Regardless of the true reason on why you have this power, there's no denying that your true strength is connected to the Precursors so maybe your true form has a consciousness and knowledge of its own that spans centuries." Ryoma suggested.

"Lilith brought up a similar theory about how I have no recollection on how things went down when father was killed but it's all speculation unless we find a way for me to remember." Corrin said.

"Right now I'm more interested in getting ourselves comfortable because there is much to do." Ryoma said.

"I don't know how are we supposed to do that, I mean look at this place, it's all one big fat disgusting dump." Takumi uttered as they walk around the Forlorn Woods, and it is truly difficult to work around here. The trees formed such a dense canopy that even in the high afternoon sun, the shadows cast it into perpetual twilight, they can barely see more than fifty meters in front of them. Gnarled roots and bumpy ridges keep stalling their process to an agonizing crawl, and the constant feeling that they are being watched kept everyone's nerves on high alert.

Regardless, as soon as they began, it ultimately took them a couple of hours to set up camp, using their magics they cut a path to give them a more open field for Lilith to create more tents and equipment to relax and they could still create light to shine enough of their path but even still, no amount of measurements they make seems to be enough to keep everyone calm, the insidious appearance of these woods feel like they can sicken the soul.

"Honestly, many of the forests and landscapes we've scoured around Nohr aren't winning any environment contests anytime but the amount of pain I get from just seeing all this is just damaging to the eye." Azama complained.

"Yeah, for once I'm with the douchebag, the place is already dead so why not just burn it all to the ground already." Oboro said.

"Well, now you know why it's called Forlorn." Jakob stated.

"Believe it or not, Forlorn is sacred ground to the Dusk Faithful because this ugly place is where the body of the Dusk Dragon was left behind when Qliphoth ascended as a pure heavenly spirit, kind of like how the Land of the Kitsunes are sacred to Hoshido because that place is where the Dawn Dragon did the same thing after the Great War ended." Corrin explained. "Though, like you guys, the worshippers don't really come here to offer prayers."

"Well, yeah, because the Kitsune Hamlet is inhabited by Kitsunes who last time I check like humans coming into their territory about as much as Wolfskins do, which creates a lot of conflict because since it was OUR ancestors who buried the God of Light's physical remains and made the place holy grounds to begin with and yet those miserable beasts are constantly denying us our rights to be there!" Takumi protested. "I get that every religion and cult has their own interpretation of what is divine and holy but the Dusk Faithful is a legit religion that works intertwined with the other sections of the Church with no piece of evidence of any of them being considered a cults if you ignore the damn fanatics and yet this ugly place has all the telltale signs of cultists. And you're telling us that the physical remains of the God of Darkness was buried here?"

"Geez, at least the remains of Sephiroth's magic in his corpse made the Kitsune's home eternally lushes and beautiful." Subaki noted. "Whatever happened to Kaden anyway after the Opera House."

"Good question, really hope he made it back home safely." Hinoka said.

"Oh yeah, he is, I was curious and concern for his wellbeing so Robin and I went to Kitsune's Hamlet to see if he was okay way before we made this march." Corrin said. "It was nice to see Kaden again and that he was okay and he seemed happy to see us too, though we didn't really have a chance to apologize about taking advantage of him or catch up when he out of the blue gave us a very friendly head start about leaving before the other Kitsunes swarmed over us for trespassing and wishing us luck on bringing peace back to the rest of the continent. Man those guys are crazy but heavens, they're gorgeous to gaze upon."

"Yeah, they are beautiful, especially baby kitsunes." Sakura smiled blushing, reminiscing the time she caught a family of Kitsunes having what she believes is a picnic in a cherry blossom forest that she and Hinoka were passing by once and she couldn't help but marble at the younger ones but Hinoka did pull her away because it was rude to stare and did not want to risk starting a possible fight.

"Well, the Beast Clans are all unique, it is kind of sad that only two types of them exist in Horus." Robin said.

"I say it was good on their part because places like Canta are much more befitting of their lifestyles. The Wolves and the Foxes stay because they've been here since Nohr and Hoshido began and Horus still went by Solheim." Ryoma said.

"Gods, I wish they've kept that name. Hearing it is just so awe inspiring." Corrin said, feeling giddy just hearing that name.

"Don't we all. But in all seriousness, where exactly are we supposed to go from here? Three days isn't exactly a good amount of time to find a new place to go to." Takumi asked. "We're close to Demon's Falls, the only thing left keeping us from reaching Windmire."

"Oh yeah, the Demon's Falls, the most notorious volcano in Horus, among the lot of them in my region that are noisy and spewing magma constantly, that one has always earn a bad rap." Rinkah said. "My Grandpa said that that one is a bad omen personified."

"Yeah, Xander told me about it once, before the Precursor War began, the Dusk Dragon hid himself within it back when it was mistaken for a mountain since it isn't common knowledge what volcanoes, let alone lava actually is and when it finally erupted, the wise God had truly ''fallen to darkness'' and the War began." Corrin said, contemplating about the volcano. "It was so frightening when I saw it the first time, a waterfall that actually spews fire, I can only imagine how terrified the ancestors of Nohr reacted upon seeing it the first time because no one in those times actually set foot on Muspelheim due to the terrible relationship Qliphoth has with his two nephews, though I imagine that everyone has a similar reaction upon seeing it for the first time."

"It certainly left me speechless when I visited Muspelheim for the first time, a land actually made of fire. I was a little embarrass by how clueless I was about volcanoes and I still cannot fathom how anyone could hope to live there without the blessing of the God of Fire." Ryoma said recalling the day he first met Rinkah and her family when he tried to enlist their aid in the inevitable war.

"I can't really give you lots any sound advice on that since I was born in such heat that I don't even feel so much as a sting when I take a dip on magma." Rinkah said as those with the magic of Iblis are completely invulnerable to the heat of magma that they can actually swim on it.

"People normally avoid the fire waterfall, or… rather lava-fall and burning river and head further west towards the end of the river where there is a safe passage to the Capital and the other nations in the West of Horus." Felicia said. "Though recently a great bridge was created over the river that is immune to the heat and allows a safe and quicker passage to Windmire."

"Both sides are always heavily guarded, even before the War started and now that we're so close they'll be nigh-impenetrable for us to make it to the Capital." Kaze noted.

"I know but there is one solution left that I'm positive they won't be able to account for without Iago in the state I left him." Robin said. He told them about his confrontation with the Dark Tactician but obviously not everything and how their fight destroyed Garon's villa, though he is not sure himself that he's dead, he did left him buried under all the rubble. The look in Corrin's eye when she heard this was a mixture of relief that the perpetrator of her suffering may finally be gone but also resentment that she could not be the one to kill him but Robin was adamant that she should not had faced him and later Ryoma agreed with the notion.

"How can you be so sure that Leo and Selena won't be able to see us coming again?" Takumi asked.

"For one, Leo's father is Garon, who last time I check is not one to greet failure with a warm embrace so I imagine that Leo and even Xander will be put under a lot of pressure that they'll overlook some things that will benefit us." Robin said, noticing the sadness in Corrin's face upon mentioning that but presses onward. "And Selena, who I am more concern about will be busy babysitting Camilla. Where else could she be if not in Macarath where she could've jeopardized everything."

"Music to my ears." Hinoka smirked satisfied. "So short sighted that even her own father can't trust her to act on her own anymore. You think it would've taken us a whole month or more to make it this far but it feels like Nohr is becoming more divided the more we march forward."

"Exactly how we predicted they would react with their precious demons being overpowered at every turn. Winning feels ever closer but is still too far away to celebrate." Kaze said, having higher hopes for their campaign like the rest. "Right now we should-"

Everyone is then caught by surprise as they hear a loud thud a few yards away that sounds like the ringing sound of a bell imploding and crashing violently into the ground and a bright white light showing them the location that is west of the camp and they rush there as quickly as possible and find several of their men knocked on the floor and hurt with others going to help them.

"What happened?! Are we under attack? Have the Nohrians managed to get in!" Ryoma asked in high alert.

"Terribly sorry General, there is no enemy around we were just having issues with this demon statue." Scarlet said trying to defuse the situation and pointing to the source of the problem, which is a large statue of a dark dragon that looks really old and rusty, probably centuries old.

"That's not a demon, that's an ancient and authentic interpretation of the Dusk Dragon built to honor him after he ascended." Corrin corrected.

"Which has all the designs that the blasted thing belongs in Hell because that creepy extra face and mouth with sharp teeth on its chest is really freaking us out so we contemplated about smashing it, which we decided to do but then it… I don't know, I guess it fought back or something." Scarlet said.

"And I told you to leave it alone, the statue has been magically enchanted to absorb and rebound all damage inflicted to it, that feels like the Black Witch's magic, hence it belongs to her now." Lilith said, also present and gave them a fair warning not to touch it the first time. "We are intruders here that have only now been promoted to her guess, we cannot afford to go around messing with her stuff."

"Gods, you almost gave me a heart attack." Ryoma sighed. "You heard the lady everyone. I know how you all feel about anything related to Nohr, I share your distaste but our camp is far enough away that this thing shouldn't even so much as prove to be a nuisance so let's all pretend it doesn't exist and focus on ourselves some more until we finally get out of here."

Everyone agreed and headed back to camp, though Corrin stayed behind with the statue with just her retainers beside her.

"Nuisance, he says." Corrin hissed at Ryoma's words while pouting a bit and focuses her attention on the statue of the god she still reveres.

"Well, in all fairness, Lady Corrin, this dragon does look, well… ''hellish''." Kaze said kindly.

"Hmph." Corrin scoffed at his words and not bothering to look at the Ninja.

"This is the only time I am ever going to give you a ''friendly'' advise if you want to call it that." Jakob said.

"We would never call it that." Kaze, Robin, Felicia and Lilith replied at once.

"But Lady Corrin is a devout follower and you do not want to mess with a princess and her faith who knows her way with a sword and skinning a man alive." Jakob gave a fair warning.

"Aww, Jakob, don't go making it sound like I'm some craze fanatic." Corrin whined.

"I wouldn't think of it as an insult you're Highness, I think it is awe inspiring how devoted you are to everything you hold dear in your heart." Jakob insisted.

"I appreciated it more if you had some of my favorite tea before spewing what others would consider nonsense." Corrin pouted.

"Right away, you're Grace." Jakob smiled, and like the wind he is off to prepare tea for his mistress.

"One day, I'm going to get the drop on him and see how much of his childishness will drive him to his own grave." Robin swore.

"Yeah, if you don't end up in your own grave first." Corrin retorted.

"You're hilarious." Robin rolled his eyes as the rest of them head back as well.

Hours later, they confirm that the Black Witch did indeed erected a protection massive enough to block off anyone from coming in and is sturdy enough to keep the Nohrians from coming in with brute force and is also invisible, helping everyone relax more.

As the evening arrives with the sun soon setting, Corrin returns to the sighting where the Qliphoth statue lies and for the most part she is all alone. While everyone is still feeling unsafe enough to leave sentinels everywhere, this area is all but forgotten for the time being, which is good for Corrin as she really wants to be alone right now, her thoughts returning to the conversation she previously had with Robin about her feelings towards the Grimm and what was done to her faith that has been damaged and yet Corrin cannot bring herself to let go.

She stares at the statue of the Dark God, and to an outsider, it looks like nothing more than a monster, an abomination against humanity but to those who pay attention and look for the truth it is a different kind of hope, a hope that the Forsaken Princess has held on to for so long that she cannot accept it to all be a lie. All those years in the fortress, trapped, forbidden to ever leave, even as she was met with a kind response with no malice as she was denied again and again, whenever her family and friends weren't enough to sooth her frustrations and sadness, she found solace in the face of this Dragon, this God that just by reading the books of ''his word'' she found no fear in darkness but euphoria, to the point that she seemed to be more devoted than the Royal Family that are supposed to be his human descendants, and ever since that day when she first laid eyes on the monsters her god created to protect the nation he founded all she can asked herself is Why.

Why was her faith not strong enough to be accepted by the Darkness? Was it because she strongly disapprove of the decision to invade Hoshido for resources? That can't be, Garon's actions to invade other nations is a violations to the tenets of Faith the Dusk Faithful have stood for centuries. Gunter even mentioned that Garon and the Bishop of the Dusk Faithful have been in conflict with each other because of his warmongering but because of how hungry everyone is these debates went on deaf ears for good reason and from what she's learned the Grimm are even more protective of the truly devout. If so why was she the exception?

Corrin gets closer to the statue and gets on her knees before the Dusk Dragon. She closes her eyes and has a deep sigh before finally speaking.

"To see a world in a grain of sand and Heaven in a wild flower, hold in Infinity in the palm of your hand and Eternity in an hour." She speaks a quote of her favorite poems before then opening her eyes and residing the words of the Faithful's prayers. "In a World without Light, cursed not the Darkness but embrace it. Even with no end in sight, Despair holds no sway upon us. For Qliphoth is always there. Knows all. Sees all. We are connected by our vices and desires not to do evil but to learn and be more than what we originally were. To remain bind to those we love even in Death. To remain strong when we have no inner strength left to move on from past failures. And as Darkness consumes us, the Dusk will guide us. The Dusk protect us so that we may protect others, and we shall rise to meet the Light again, with new fire in our hearts. Burning and free to forge our own future without exemption or regret."

Her sadness becomes visible as she stares intently at the Dusk Dragon's eyes. "I know I have no right to stand before your presence after what I've done. I've spilled blood on your soil not for Nohr's benefit but to contribute to its further ruin. I made up my mind and I will take on the path the Rainbow Sage has set out for me, the destiny I trust now is mine to tread. I will dethrone Garon." She confessed, releasing all the courage she can muster to fulfill her duty, however there is still great sadness in her. "The Rainbow Sage spoke about the Infinite Cycle between Peace and Chaos and that no matter what we do, wars are forever and we just have to deal with it and fight to assert Peace's dominance but yet still I ask myself, why me? Why do I have to be a part of any of this. Why must I fight my family?"

"The answer is supposed to be simple but there's no one that can help me." She muttered as she lowers her head again to stare at the floor. "We've done our best to avoid any and all Nohrian cities from getting involved in our crossfires, stood to the landscapes and grassy fields, or lack thereof, but I heard the whispers, kept an eye on for any and all signs of the consequences the fights may have on the people, and we've made the whole thing even worse. In just the first day of the march we've caused the commoners to become hungrier with much more food and investments going to the armies, and the more we move forward the more the blade goes to their human forces for not being as competent as your monsters that there's been a lot of infighting and bickering among themselves for their efforts not bearing any fruit and if what Robin said is true, Xander and the others are being put through so much pressure from Garon to put a stop to us already. But what's really getting to me is what people are saying about me."

"Something that was always on the back of my head that I didn't want to be true turned out to be the case, that up until I made my choice, nobody in Nohr knew I existed. I was another Princess that they had no idea they had, I'm thankful that I don't know yet what their initial reaction to my revelation was but what they're saying about me is crawling over my flesh like fire ants. A Scourge? Is that all I really am to them? Does no one sympathize with my plight? What was done to me, what Garon wanted me to do? Are you the same?" She asked as she again stares up at her God.

"That day, I had no idea what I was even saying but I know that whatever my feelings drove me to this was because how they… how you made me feel." She more or less accused the Dusk Dragon. "Why did they attack me? I was their Princess, your soldier and they cast me aside. Why? Was it because I gave Mikoto a chance to prove themselves, the Light reached out and I grabbed it. Was that why I was deemed a traitor. Or was Robin right, was this your plan all along, that I should fight on behalf of Sephiroth? I mean, it makes some sense but why would you want Nohr to lose? The Kingdom has been falling apart ever since your Divine Trees were destroyed, Nohr's entire environment revolves around as little sunlight as possible but without your magic there's no food to grow and the other nations can't seem to get it through their heads that this is the way it has to be. Relying on the strength of others to survive and now that it's come to war, they lose, everyone is doomed. How could you want that?"

As usual there was no response but the Princess continues.

"If Garon is the one who's really in the wrong then why did YOU allow the Grimm to return to this world? To terrorize Hoshido when their purpose is just to protect Nohr from invaders. Maybe I'm just more naive than I realized, I haven't put much thought into what Leo has told me in Cheve about them knowing what the Commoners are going through. I'm acting out from my own limited experience of poverty, which wasn't much, all those days I went hungry in the fort were so short-lived I don't really know at all what they were going through, what even Elise was going through, and yet she would always smile like nothing was wrong, as if I was the little sister being sheltered from the truth."

"I'm not Nohrian anymore, just another… "Scourge" on their lives that won't stop tormenting them. But it won't stay like this forever. Like the Rainbow Sage said, if Hoshido wins then Nohr has to submit to our demands, we can provide them with food again to keep the Kingdom from falling apart. My mother can be reasoned with and coming here has caused a change in Ryoma and Hinoka at least that won't bring too many arguments, I've seen it. It'll be a long and arduous task but it's better than this, all the slaughter, depriving so many of their friends and loved ones." She argued. "It's pointless, coming to you after all this time, begging for your forgiveness when I can have none of it, but at the very least, I beg for your understanding. Give me that at least."

Again, there was no response.

* * *

In the Dining Tent, Robin starts to cough violently after taking a bite out of a rice ball and sputters it on the floor.

"Huh?" Felicia uttered in confusion and sadness since that was her rice ball Robin ate.

"Th-there was a lump of salt in the middle, Felicia." Robin shuttered as he quickly drinks a glass of water.

"Huh? Aren't you supposed to put salt in salted rice balls?" She cried.

"No, I think you've got the wrong idea. You're just supposed to sprinkle it on the outside." Ryoma explained as he was going to eat another rice ball Felicia made but thankfully Robin ate one first so he immediately puts it back on its plate.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry. I've failed for a second time." She sobbed.

"No, don't worry. It's the thought that counts. Everyone makes mistakes." Ryoma said trying to defuse the situation.

"That's what he said last week when she had the "ingenious" idea to mix chocolate with rice and practically poisoned him." Saizo hissed, sitting on a table behind Ryoma.

"Funny coincidence that it was a rice ball that started his own distaste for chocolate." Kagero said.

"Oh, of all the nonsense in the world, Felicia, cease your experiments with foreign dishes and focus on Nohrian cuisines, just because you're not an ideal maid doesn't mean you don't have your moments." Jakob lectured irritated at her partner's latest failure.

"Okay." Felicia mumbled.

"You think you would've learned your lesson after your first attempt. Rice balls mixed with chocolate! Seriously, I thought it was another of Robin's abominations until I learn that Lord Ryoma wasn't dead after the first bite." Jakob continued to scold.

"How about for my next recipe I pour antivenom in the soup for you. Maybe that'll finally wash off the cobra stuck in your throat." Robin scoffed at the butler.

"It died when you forced me to eat your wretched carrot stew!" Jakob spatted.

"I'm starting to question how Corrin's stayed alive with you three for her aids, but then I remember that she also has Kaze so I'm at peace again." Ryoma mused.

"It's been a bumpy couple of days." Kaze smiled while sitting next to Felicia.

"Did someone ask for carrot stew?" Mozu asked as she comes in with carrot stew to put on the table.

"Finally, someone who understands the importance of a perfectly good meal." Jakob praised. "Lady Sakura continues to sing your praises."

"Shut up, Jakob." Robin hissed. "Anyway, Kaze you still up for the thing tomorrow."

"Of course, anything to make Lady Corrin's day all the smoother." Kaze said as the two agreed to help Corrin with some errands that she wanted to do herself for the army but she really has no skills for them so they'll do it themselves before she even tries. She won't be happy but she rarely is these days.

"It had better be spotless, if it's for Lady Corrin's sake then you fools better not make any mistakes." Jakob demanded.

"How are we supposed to be spotless in any way, we're surrounded by swamps?" Robin protested.

"You're utterly hopeless." The Butler scoffed.

"Well, at least you four aren't my retainers, because you actually do things right!" Hinoka again protested at her two lazy retainers who are strangely nowhere in sight. "Speaking of which, has anyone seen Setsuna?"

"I believe she volunteered for the current shift to guard the east side of the camp." Robin explained.

"What?! But that's where we found those pits, she'll blindly walk right into any of them!" Hinoka protested.

"Well, that represents a problem but I'm sure the other sentries can help her back up." Takumi said.

"We should sent someone else just to be sure." Oboro suggested, and for the most part they all agree.

"Well, I'm not going, I'm already tired as is with everything else that needs to be done so one of you can go fetch her." Hinoka humped, leaving everyone in silent contemplation on who should go check on the feckless archer.

"Not it!" Robin declined rapidly.

"Not it!" Followed by Kaze.

"Not it!" Followed by Felicia.

"Not it!" Followed by Mozu.

"Not it!" Followed by Takumi, Oboro and Hinata at once.

"Not it!" Followed by Hayato and Rinkah at once.

"Not it!" Followed by Ryoma.

"Not it!" Followed by Saizo and Kagero at once.

"You're it!" All of them said at once, pointing at Jakob who was the only one not quick to respond.

"You all can just go straight to Hell!" Jakob yelled.

"Quit complaining and go Joker. Cor likes Setsuna and would be devastated to hear that anything bad happened to her. We, as her faithful servants can't have that now, can we." Robin taunted the Butler, who groan with fury but ultimately relented and went to see Setsuna.

"Is it wrong that I don't feel bad for him." Kaze mused.

"Kaze! You actually wish someone misfortune, the nerve of you." Hinoka teased, which got a chuckle from everyone. "Guess Corrin is rubbing off on you."

"Maybe a little." He noted.

Everyone soon dispersed after eating for each of their tasks or anything else they please, such as Ryoma who plans to have a short stroll around camp before having some training and then resting up for the night. That is if he can actually tell time with how much darkness there is around them in spite of the Light Soldiers providing a clear path for everyone. He stops upon noticing Azura walking by and judging by the stare she's giving him, is heading right for him.

"Hello, Azura." Ryoma greeted and decides to continue where they left off. They haven't really spoken after she practically ran off on him. "Do you have a minute?"

"Yes. Actually, I've been looking for you." She replied.

"Oh? You took our conversation to heart? So what can I help you with?" He smiled, happy to have this chance.

"Nothing! I just heard that you've been talking about me behind my back." Azura accused, not really looking upset, since she's always showing a neutral expression that it's really hard to tell.

"Did you?" He said, now feeling awkward because she made it sound worse than it really is. "Uh… well, that was a bit of a misunderstanding."

"Was it?! Are you saying that you weren't talking about me?" She questioned and Ryoma clears his throat before responding.

"Well, I WAS talking about you, but not like that." Ryoma tried to clarify.

"All right, Ryoma! Which is it?"

"The truth is, I was asking our friends for some advice. I want us to be closer. I thought my fellow soldiers might have some suggestions on approaching you." Ryoma confessed as he really doesn't know how to really approach his sort of, kind of adoptive sister. They have conversed many times but she either comes to him or someone starts a conversation and either of them get involve but as he started to realize a while back, he never once reached out to talk to her first before, heck he didn't even know what her hobbies were besides that she likes to sing until he asked Sakura, Hinoka and Takumi about it.

It stung how little he actually knows her considering how long they've lived together. Corrin spent less time with her and yet she already knows a lot about Azura and he has noticed that she seems to be more comfortable around Robin than she's ever shown to anyone to the point that many among the army is starting to think there's something going on between them.

There really better not be, he already has enough to deal with and Mikoto does not need to add more fuel to fantasize about a flame war.

"Oh, my. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you such a hard time." Azura said now looking apologetic.

"That's all right. I should've come to you instead." He sighed, blaming himself for this dilemma. "Please, forgive me."

"There's no need to apologize. You can make it up to me by doing me a favor." She declared.

"Of course! Anything you ask!" Ryoma said, hoping to fix things with her finally.

"Will you stop fussing over me?" She asked, which really caught Ryoma off guard. "Corrin should be your priority now!"

"What does Corrin have to do with this?" He asked confused.

"Though it wasn't always the case, you have long treated me like I belonged in Hoshido. But we both know I was never supposed to be there with all of you. Corrin is your family!"

"You can't be serious, Azura! There's room enough for both you and Corrin." Ryoma argued, not able to believe what he's hearing.

"I truly did find happiness with all of you. You and Queen Mikoto made sure of that. But now you should focus on making Corrin feel welcome instead, at least when this is all over because like me when I first arrived, she's still struggling feeling at home there." Azura said sadly as she walks away from her "brother".

"Azura, wait!" Ryoma wanted to walk after her but he's so lost in thought now that he doesn't even know where to begin to make her realize that she's wrong to think this way. "Is this why she's been avoiding me? damn, I should've done more and realized the problem sooner."

As Azura continue to walk, not wanting to let what just happened get to her, she notices Robin head to the latest tent for the War Council and decides to follow him.

"Hey, Azura, you okay, you seem more down than you're typically stoic demeanor?" Robin asked, noticing her following him.

"I'll tell you later." She shrugged as they enter the tent.

This did not leave a good impact on Ryoma who just snaps.

"Gods dammit!" Ryoma shouted as he grabs a nearby box and angrily throws it on the floor, smashing it to bits with the contexts lying on the ground, startling all nearby to see the usually composed and powerful High General lash out all the sudden.

"Whoa, there, Ryo. You okay? You look like someone crossed you for the last time." Scarlet said as she steps forward to check on the Prince. "And since neither Saizo nor Kagero are around that's an even worse sign than it already is."

"You are more or less spot on the current issue I am facing but it's more close to home that it doesn't really need to resort to actually cleaving someone over it." Ryoma sighed, trying to calm himself.

"If you got hit close to home than someone deserves to be split in two." Scarlet countered.

"Not while he's still useful." Ryoma groaned. "I have to go, there's one last card left to play before I really let this get to me at the worst possible moment."

"Okay, now you're definitely scaring me." Scarlet muttered.

"Pray I can fix this in time." Ryoma mumbled as he goes to the one person he didn't think he would ever visit for advise on anything.

"First Corrin and now Azura turning to Robin for support instead of me has been aching at my soul for far too long and I can't afford to be victimize by the Sin of Envy like poor Takumi went through. That's why you're my only hope now." Ryoma abandoned all matter of dignity he has as a man and prince to do this but here he is, in the tent of Azama of all people with the hope that he can find the right way to reach out to Azura.

"My, oh my. This is a pleasant surprise." Azama chuckled, enjoying this more than he should. "Shall we begin."

All the while Saizo and Kagero arrive at the nick of time, their heads visible from the tent's entrance, worry and dread in their faces.

"I can't believe our Lord has come to him of all scums for moral support?" Kagero muttered, vastly worried, rushing here as soon as they learned of Ryoma's sudden outburst.

"Dammit, I can't believe how useless I am right now." Saizo cursed his incompetence.

* * *

"I've fallen into a pit… again." Setsuna sighed as she DID get herself trapped in one of the pits and is now lying down there not sure how to get out.

"Hah, it looks like you're having fun in there, Setsuna." Jakob said as he arrives to find her just as he expected.

"Hi, Jakob… Does this really look that fun to you? I wasn't sure. But if you think so…" She asked clueless as ever on what to think of her typical predicament.

"From where I'm standing, it's plenty funny, anyway." Jakob said amused by watching the royal archer like this.

"Funny things are entertaining… Entertainment is fun… As I think about it, I feel like I'm starting to enjoy myself." She smiled, somehow finding this as funny as Jakob, with said man giving her a shook of his head as he continues to chuckle.

Honestly, how did this fool ever become a retainer to such a great princess? Her questionable prowess that rivals Takumi aside, her presence is no more than another example of the futility of nepotism that nobles worldwide continue to do instead of selecting actual people that know how to do their jobs, the cycle of incompetence continues ever more. At least Hinoka's siblings turned out more fortunate.

"Hah. You should stay in that hole, then. No one is going to make you get out." Jakob insisted as he really doesn't want to help her.

"Ah, that sounds nice. I think I will stay." She happily complied.

"Listen, give a shout if you think you're going to starve to death or something. Someone other than me will come along and rescue you." He instructed.

"OK…"

"So long, Setsuna."

"Bye, Jakob."

With that Jakob leaves Setsuna alone as the airhead is left humming to keep herself entertain. Though Jakob doesn't go far as he is caught off by an annoyed Corrin.

"Ah, Lady Corrin, an honor as always to see you, shall I go and fetch you dinner. I'm pretty sure the sun will actually be setting now." He asked with the usual hospitality that he gives only to her.

"Jakob, go fetch a rope, we're not leaving her down there." She ordered.

"Yes, I know." He sighed. He really should've seen this coming. "But wait, you can fly now, you can just use dumbass's cloud to pick her up."

"You mean Robin?" Corrin asked.

"Dumbass!" Jakob corrected.

"Whatever, you left her down there, you get her out." Corrin demanded.

"Yes, Highness." Jakob sighed, even he can't deny that he has this coming as he goes for a rope.

"Hang in there a little longer Setsuna, we'll get you out." Corrin called to her and will be staying to keep her company.

"Oh, thank you, Lady Corrin. I'm starting to think that being stuck in a pit might not be as fun as I thought." Setsuna smiled gratefully.

"Yeah, I think I speak with absolute certainty that only creeps like holes." Corrin rolled her eyes.

"They most certainly like to dig them." Setsuna replied, thinking she's referring to the Grimm Creeps.

* * *

"Hey Wrath! Where are you?!" Yelled out the Sin of Greed as she walks through a large corridor that indeed belongs to a castle that once held great tranquility and beauty that now lies in ruins as she searches for her malicious brother for a bothersome five minutes now but he's hard to find despite being such a loudmouth with explosive tendencies. "Where the fuck is he? How hard can it be to find a half-naked molten hunk of walking horse shit, or at least I think that's what his gross skin is made of."

Eventually she reaches another corridor with the temperature rapidly heating up unlike the rest of the castle that's colder.

"Finally!" She hissed as she heads for the door that feels the hottest that could easily melt human skin like butter but she's a demon so this level of heat is nothing to her and she kicks the door open, making it fly inside the room that instantaneously turns to ash once it hits Wrath, sleeping on a bed that's on fire. In fact the whole room is on fire because of the fire demon's heat but strangely, it does not spread beyond said room.

"Unbelievable, what right do you have to call Sloth lazy when you've been the most Anti-Warmongering as of late." Greed growled as she enters the hellish room, unopposed by the flames. "Wake up, Wrath!" She demanded as she punches him in the chest with enough force that should wake him up and make him groan in pain, or rather more than that as her punch creates a shockwave that makes all the flames extinguish from the room and the bed to crumble apart but still Wrath remains soundly asleep.

"Oh, Satan give me strength. I'm surrounded by useless babies." Greed groaned as she gets on her knees to try and wake him again. "Wake up Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath!" She repeated with each punch she delivered to him but nothing works.

"Anger! Anger! Anger! Anger! Anger! Rage! Rage! Rage! Rage!" She continues now comically with his other aliases. "Piss! Piss! Piss! Wrathy! Wrathy! Wrathy! Wrathy! Wra-"

"WHAT?!" The Evil Demon finally awakes and explodes with anger and rage, literally as Greed is blown out of the room, the entirety of the corridor now destroyed and she now lies under the burned wreckage of another room. The volatile Demon walks towards his sister, now completely, well… wrathful and covered in fire.

"What do you want, you infernal woman! Can't even a Devil have a chance to rest in peace!" Wrath demanded, moments away from reducing his own sister to cinders.

"I just came to let you know how are things going in the war above." Greed groaned annoyed but used to her brother's tantrums.

"You made such a big fuzz over something like that?!" Wrath hissed.

"I'm doing what you asked me to do! You specifically told me to come find you and notify you immediately if anything worth our attention would pop up in the Twilight War!" Greed shouted. "Because of Hydra's protection we can't trace them naturally, much less corrupt those who've been near Corrin for now so we have to resort to my other methods."

"Well maybe I don't remember that!" Wrath said and turned away from her.

"You little brat! Don't forget that Pride put me in charge of all of you while he's away searching for Lust." Greed warned.

"Lust is still missing? Damn what poor soul have they gotten themselves this time." Wrath said very confuse and extremely curious regarding the absence of his missing sibling. "Any who, what is it you really got from me?"

"You're little pet, the human you made a pact with screwed up big time and got himself bested by the Hoshidans." Greed informed.

"Iago? How can this be?" He asked, honestly startled by this news.

"He got stupidly cocky and ended up facing Robin alone and we all know how that was always going to turn out. He's still alive but he's buried under debris and he doesn't have much time left before he dies of his injuries." Greed continued.

"I see, how unexpected. I honestly thought he be more cautious than this." Wrath said disappointed.

"I can't believe you actually had any faith in that freak. He's just as unbalanced, if not worse than his psycho sister, his magic is typical for a Sorcerer and his tactics always have enough holes that can be exploited. Frankly, I'm starstruck that he lasted this long." Greed scoffed. "There's more, Iago managed to easily trick Robin into speaking Valla outside the borders and was struck by the curse but get this, it didn't work, he managed to fight it off."

"Preposterous! The curse of this world is absolute, all in Solheim who lack Vallite blood that dares speak the name of the Forgotten Kingdom are doom to eternal servitude after death. That is the twisted law that mad beast spent years perfecting when he enchanted the continent." Wrath protested.

"I know how the dark spell works as well as you do but I know what I saw, but it doesn't seem he escaped unscathed, his magic power remains superb but his soul has been further damaged. If he wasn't at risk of dying before he's certainly at risk now." Greed informed. "However this is likely more to do with the fact that the curse has grown weaker over the centuries, if the information we gathered is accurate it used to be that merely knowing this place exists would also cause those who are not blood descendant from here to succumb to his madness but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore."

"Again he manages to impress, as expected of one who achieved so much to be acknowledged and respected not just by the Divine Dragon Clan but even Alfaðör himself." Wrath said most pleased.

"If there was ever any doubt it's all affirmed now, we always knew Nohr was finally going to lose the moment Corrin and Robin stood against them, and your methods have been a waste of time as expected." Greed stated.

"No, no, not yet, I still have one last card to play. Nohr losing like this is not satisfying enough for me. Anankos's child must truly suffer if she's to win this war." Wrath said plotting another comeback.

"You've fried your brain cells again? Literally, I might add. Pride was very strict that we are not to meddle with Horus affairs again." Greed lectured.

"He SAID that we are not to interfere directly with the humans, he never said to try and spread our influence to one or two at a time to shift things to our liking." Wrath corrected smugly.

"You of all people know the consequences of exploiting loopholes in Pride's words, especially when we make them up." Greed lectured.

"Whatever, now listen up there's another warlock in Nohr who I've had my eye on for a while that has acquired information that can benefit us." Wrath began. "But he's a coward with delusions of grandeur, so I need you to persuade him to be more avaricious with his ambitions and help get what he needs."

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" Greed snapped in outrage at the nerve Wrath has. "I'm in charge of what goes on here in Gyges! The position of leader is finally mine! MINE! MINE! MINE! MIINNNEEEE!"

"Do what I say or I'm telling everyone that it's actually you're fault and not Envy that Ike learned of our existence in the first place during the Great War!" Wrath threatened, getting his sister to change her tone.

"You wouldn't!" She gasped in horror. "How could you have known?"

"Oh, I've known for millennia, I simply chose to keep it in my pocket for when I needed to blackmail you." Wrath smirked sinisterly. "You done goofed and ruined us, dear sister, and framing poor Envy to get the heat off you. For shame."

"But… it was an accident. I didn't know who he was at the time and thought he was just some mercenary who was lucky enough to be entrusted with two Sacred Treasures." Greed mumbled apologetic about exposing them but not about framing her twin to avoid being punished severely and getting constantly looked down upon as the black sheep of the family.

"Well, this is your chance to make up for it by making sure the descendants of our previous enemies get the injustice they deserve. ALL of them!" Wrath sneered with pure malice now in his tone.

* * *

With great fury and strength, Garon roars and cleaves a table in two with his axe. Garon and Arete had just been informed by Xander and Leo who communicate with them via a Seer of what had transpired, that the Hoshidan Army have managed to breach the barricade guarding Macarath and are growing ever closer to Windmire and Iago being nowhere to be found and is presumably taken by the enemy.

"This is UNACCEPTABLE!" Garon howled unable to accept this recent failure. "You two had your orders and you could not even accomplish something so simple! And you don't even know where they could've escaped."

"The magic they have at their disposal is more unpredictable than we suspected. There's no way we could've prepared for their trickery." Xander tried to explained the situation more clearly but that is in of itself pointless. He and Leo try to stay focus while delivering the news to their father and king, which compared to last time is significantly better but it is likely more to do with the fact that they are not standing beside Garon at this very moment, a significant change to be sure. Beside the two Princes only Peri and Zero are with them with Laslow and Odin elsewhere for whatever reason.

"With an army their size, that has ludicrously and hardly decreased in numbers mind you, could not have simply just vanished out of nowhere, especially since both sides have stripped one another of such magics and, there's nowhere that they can hide in with so many men. Find them and overlook nothing." Garon commanded. "Send several scouts to investigate the Woods of Forlorn."

"The Witch's territory?" Xander questioned. "That place is too dangerous, no men or Grimm alike we sent to retake it has ever been successful. The Witch has ceased total control of the ancient power that dwells deep within that land, enabling her near-limitless magic. Going there would be a death sentence."

"Exactly, and where better to look. If they only managed to make it pass Macarath then that is the logical next path to take and if so then they need time to plan their next path." Garon stated. "They could backtrack to Niflheim and gain an easy alliance with the Ice Tribe or they could go for Demon's Falls in a risky but beneficial course of action given their strength."

"We've already come up with these conclusions but even still…" Leo said.

"… Have you now?" Garon sternly interrupted his youngest son. "And yet both of you come here and instead of results you give me more excuses and headaches. Is that what I assigned you to do because I remember my orders differently."

"No, that's not…" Leo began again.

"Silence!" Garon commanded, with both sons complying. "Since we have no idea where Iago might be, we can only assume that he was apprehended by the Hoshidans and knowing him and his toxic mouth he no doubt got himself killed by Corrin's hands."

"Shocker." Arete muttered nonchalantly, not concern about that.

"Them backtracking is exactly what we need them to do, take advantage of Corrin's foolish friendship with Kilma's daughters." Garon declared.

"W-Wait, hold on. You can't be serious about this." Xander protested, knowing where he is going with this.

"I am. Send word to Camilla, all forces guarding the Niflheim border are to attack in two days time. We will set the Chiefdom of Ice ablaze and before we do we will try to make contact with the Hoshidans to make sure they catch wind of this first and when they head out and they WILL try to protect the Ice Tribe, they will be crush by both our might and that of Nestra who are finally ready and now mobilize to our aid and wreak vengeance on Hoshido."

"We will do no such thing, Father!" Xander countered in defiance. "This war is between us and the Hoshidans and those who have already chosen to involve themselves in the bloodshed. There is no need to drag anyone el…"

Garon would hear no more of this but he won't let his words make a point anymore. As he turns his right hand into a fist it surges with darkness, the Seers response to this as the King gives it a mental command to lift two of its tentacles and quickly extends them towards Peri and Zero before the Princes could react and wraps them around the necks of the retainers, strangling them hard enough to restrain but not to suffocate them.

"Zero!" Leo gasped.

"PERI!" Xander yelled, ready to use Siegfried to free them.

"My sons." Garon called to them again but with a calmer and dare anyone say at this moment, fatherly tone that easily did the trick as the Crown Prince stops himself from helping his comrades but he does so begrudgingly, his hand still holding his sword, arms shaking from the stress of his own inaction and helplessly watching as his retainer and friend is forced to her knees, same with Zero as the Seer tightens its grips on them. Leo is even worse as he quickly drops Brynhildr the moment his father started using that accursed tone that always gets to them.

"Even when you were younger than Elise you've both shown great promise as two of royal blood, especially you, Xander. No, you have shown that you could be more than the petty ideals and hypocrisy of nobility, and when you ascended to be a commander of your own army, a spark came to all our people, a spark that has not been seen in Nohr for many, many years. As if it is not just any Prince they are seeing riding on a great steed leading them to battle but a god in human flesh." Garon said, stating a common rumor among the masses regarding their future king. "They probably will never realize it but there is some truth to this nonsense, after all, you were the one who was blessed with the power to summon the Grimm back into this world when you failed to rescue Azura from the Hoshidans."

Xander makes no response to these previous factors.

"There is no doubt that you will grow to be a superior king than I and will be remembered across the rest of time as the Ruler who recreated the Golden Age of Qliphoth for Nohr." Garon continued. "And despite your defeats, they still cling to the hope you've created with adamant faith, something few kings can manage to pull off when in the face of imminent danger. However, what you revel in as a Knight of Nohr and Prince of Darkness makes you ignorant still. You are lacking one important factor that is needed in order to be the True King. Do you know what that is yet?"

"No father." Xander answered bluntly but not necessarily being disrespectful but the fact that he does not bother to turn around to face his father brings Garon irritation.

"Would you like me to teach you finally." He asked as he makes the Seer tighten its grip on the retainers.

"That's enough." Arete had enough as she steps forward and places her hand on top of the Seer before them, taking control of the other one, forcing it to release Peri and Zero. The Two retainer start coughing and try to breathe again with Xander and Leo finally mustering the will to go to them and try helping.

"Xander, you're all out of options to make more excuses and we no longer have the moral high ground, if we ever had it to begin with. Cease your poor habit to hold back and do as your father tells you. You know what's at stake if we lose." Arete warned.

"Yes, mother." Xander complied, no longer willing to argue.

"You two are expected to be there as well to aid your sister. Enemies deserve no quarter. Kill them all, and let the Darkness consume all." Garon said before their image vanishes from the Seer, ending the communication.

Silence comes to the tent with not one of the four within sure on what to say except try to work out the new frustrations that they now have, with Leo being the first to snap as he attacks the Grimm before him in outrage, releasing a low growl from his lungs and fires a shockwave to destroy the small servant.

"Asshole." Zero cursed under a low breath.

* * *

"Fearmongering our troops has never yielded promising results, let alone applying so much pressure on children." Arete scolded Garon for his behavior upon their sons.

"Fat lot of good your cuddling has done for them to bring results in this war." Garon scoffed as they begin to argue over pretty much everything going on.

"Right, because rubbing their past shortcomings in their faces in front of their faithful subordinates while suffocating them was doing them wonders." Arete argued. "All you're doing is scaring them and all this pressure is only going to cause them to make more mistakes and fail."

"They're already failing!" Garon snapped at her. "I entrusted them with the burden that this family has been charged with doing since the Kingdom's foundation and in every time our enemies dared to cross us we've toppled them like the useless fools they truly are and now all of that is being tarnished! So many of our finest have been burned to the ground and those vermin have tainted our soils for too long already."

"If losing our winning streak bothers you so damn much I suggest you quit sending ''dogs'' to do your dirty work and stain your own hands. Not like you ever bothered to wash the blood." Arete hissed.

"Hmph. I go out there, I won't hesitate to cut down that runaway lizard. You can't accept that." Garon shrugged, referring to having no hesitation about killing Corrin. After that he burst out of the room they are in, heading off elsewhere, Arete doing the same but walks off in the opposite direction, equally frustrated.

Unbeknownst to both Majesties, Elise was eavesdropping from the door outside as soon as she heard her father break something again while she was passing by and manage to back away just before her father slammed the door open and could hit her.

"Why…" She sobbed, the stress that seems to be happening everywhere is getting to her as well with her heart no longer able to bear it. "Why Corrin… how could you let this happen to us?"

"Oh boy, this is a fine mess." Elise sad thoughts shift to her left as she notices a small man hiding behind a suit of armor and by how close he is, he likely overheard the argument. "As things stand now I can't afford to wait."

"The weird guy that Leo and Iago are always bullying." Elise noted as she has seen this Warlock before. Zola, she thinks his name is. There is something off about him as his eyes are gleaming with a dark green glow and a sinister smirk forms on his face.

"With Iago gone, it seems it's up to me to set things right but first I have to get my hands on Odin, Laslow and Selena." Zola declared while talking to himself out loud that Elise could hear him and he walks away, apparently never noticing that Elise was even nearby.

"What… what's he up to." Elise wondered, not liking what he could mean due to everything else.

"**Follow him**." A dark voice whispers in her ears that nearly startled her but a dark sensation began to course through her with her eyes briefly glowing red and instinctively, she does follow Zola.

* * *

"Iago is gone?" Camilla repeated as she has just been informed of what has transpired in Macarath and the failure of her brothers to stop the Hoshidans from advancing.

"Yes, Milady, your brothers are alright as expected but one can only imagine how the King will react to this." A Wyvern Knight who is delivering this information said and he looks just as unnerve as anyone would regarding King Garon's rage. "With the loss of another General, I'm not liking our odds in this war."

"You're worrying too much, darling. Iago was a snake who overstated his welcome, we can still turn things around as long as we have Leo." Camilla said, not too concern over Iago's demise, as she never liked the Sorcerer despite never questioning his loyalty to her family and commitment to Nohr. Even if he'd never been so cold to Corrin there was so much about him that made her want to cleave his head open with her axe.

"Even still, this whole thing is a right mess. I can't believe I was forced all the way here when I was needed in the barricade." Selena hissed as she was not happy about her new orders to guard the Niflheim borders with Camilla and Beruka. "I totally could've stop them right in their tracks."

"Oh, I love your vote of confidence, dearie but I would very much prefer you remain at my side. You feel the same way, don't you?" Camilla said in her usual motherly but seductive tone, making Selena startle a bit, not really wanting to answer that with how awkward she always makes her feel but knows that it's worse to decline answering or saying something offensive.

"W-Well… of course, Milady, you know I detest being away from you." Selena stated with honesty that hides nervousness and somewhat of the contrary. "But you also know I love being a part of the action and not being able to do much of anything and being stuck here guarding a frozen land is just so boring. You agree, don't you, Beruka?"

"No targets to eliminate on sight? Yes, boring." The stoic Rider replied with pure apathy that its difficult to discern if she's being sarcastic or serious.

"I hate how you make me wish I was stuck with Odin more and more." Selena hissed.

"Now, now, dearies, I'm sure we'll have more things to do soon enough, given how things seem to be heating up that not even the Ice of a Goddess can keep us from burning." Camilla said, just as eager as her more tenacious soldiers for the coming battles to come.

"You might get you're wish, Milady." Another Knight shows up and gives a quick bow to the Princess. "We just received word from the Crown Prince."

"Called it." Camilla smiled. "What is it now?"

"You'll have to speak with him yourself for further detail but to summarize it a bit. The King has given direct orders that all forces guarding the Niflheim border are to attack the Ice Tribe to bait the Hoshidan forces into ceasing their march upon the Capital."

That order gave pause to Camilla and her redhead retainer, trying to better process it.

"You're kidding, right?" Selena protested. "That's suicide. Those frozen junkies are masters of ice magic and their territory is an icy wasteland, we can't fight them at their homefield in a full on assault, at least not with our current forces who are equip only to keep them inside Niflheim."

"It seems Corrin has forced Father's hand." Camilla frowned. "Naughtier and naughtier with each passing day, dear sister. It's what I get for letting that Incubus seduce you for so long but no matter. Flora's head placed on my wall will help you see the truth at last."

* * *

"Ryoma, may I ask why you are blocking the way out of the tent?" Azura asked as she returned to her tent to pick up a souvenir Takumi left here by mistake when he and Hinoka paid a visit to help her set things up and when she realized he left it she went to get it for him but then Ryoma came in, knowing what she was doing unannounced seconds later and is standing tall, blocking her path outside. "May I get by?"

"No, I'm afraid I will not be moving. At least, not until you hear me out." Ryoma said firmly.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"You know exactly why; I could hardly sleep at all last night after what you said yesterday and I won't let things stand as you left them. We are talking this out once and for all." Ryoma demanded.

"I told you not to waste your time on me. You've found Corrin."

"Why don't you understand? You've always been your own person! You may be here because Corrin was kidnapped, but you're not a replacement. If you'll give me a chance, I'd like to be close with Corrin and you." Ryoma insisted.

"Really?" Azura muttered.

"I know that…" Ryoma began trying to find the correct words to say as his thoughts return to last night and the advice he got from Azama.

"**Well since I have permission to be blunt about it, I'll say it as it is. Your problem, you're Highness is that you've spent so long molding yourself into the perfect warrior and war veteran to fight off the Kingdom's enemies that you've lost touch with people. Sure, sure, you have a way with words to charm others under your authority, everyone respects their Warrior Prince and next King but no one really knows the man swinging the holy sword. You say you want to protect those you love and be a beacon of hope and safety to all Hoshidans, words that hold truth, even I can't make fun of that and find admiration but humans can't be nurtured and protected by a man who has a way with words as well as know how to use a sword but by a fellow human who speaks with the heart, which is completely different from inner strength**."

"**Think of it this way, you've known about Takumi's insecurities for about long enough to consult him about it and reach and understanding through the meanings of strength, camaraderie and duty as Princes and brothers but instead you chose to surround him with subordinates of unwavering loyalty to look after him and help him feel good about himself and amass a popularity of his own with the masses while you focus on supervising the army with the other generals and finding the sister who for a long time now we thought was either dead from suffering so long or was molded into our enemy. Your situation was understandable but ultimately, you've only made yourself the fool as you had no idea how much everyone else was affected by your actions and not just Corrin's loss and never actually tried to reach out to the siblings you still had at your side. Takumi ultimately brought his misfortunes upon himself but you have been against him long enough no matter what he did, and that says little about how rocky your relation with the "sibling" in question really is because even Takumi who was the most hostile towards her has had a good relationship with her for four years now. Interesting story, those two have**."

"… When you first came into our lives it was under undesirables circumstances, Yukimura was out of line when he made that course of action, Hinoka and I didn't even acknowledged you're existence and Takumi was always struggling not to make a scene against you, mother alone was the only one keeping you safe but that couldn't make up for how scared and alone you've felt for so long." Ryoma confessed. "In time everyone began to open up to you and they all truly meant it when they said you belong with us, and I have seen how happy you became because of it but even though I truly felt ashamed of what you've been going through, I realized too late that I never really made the same real effort everyone else did and because of that I am truly sorry, Azura."

"Ryoma…" Azura mumbled, shaking a bit from his words.

"I know that now of all times is not the time to connect like this but I just want to make it clear, that I'm your brother too and that I'm here for you… always."

"Oh… I…" Azura mumbled, overwhelmed by his words, her trembling becoming more noticeable and tears shed from her eyes, though she quickly brushed them off her face to maintain her composure. "I'm so relieved! I'm afraid I've grown pretty attached to all of you."

"Good. I hope you'll continue to lean on us a little more… well, especially me." Ryoma said with a very sincere smile. "The less you spent with him the better."

"What was that last part?" She asked as he whispered those last words.

"That I just remembered I have to go see Takumi later but he can wait a little while longer." Ryoma lied but also spoke truth as he really does plan on seeing Takumi next.

"If you insist." She bought it.

"No. I want you to promise me that you'll ask for help when you need it." Ryoma stated.

"I'm guessing you're going to stand there blocking the exit until I say yes." She sighed while keeping her smile.

"**You should stand still like a statue to block her path until she says yes. You're used to it given you're poor hobbies**." Azama's words again pop into his head.

"I don't really want to but it's not a bad idea." Ryoma replied.

"All right. Yes. When I need something, I'll come find you. I promise." Azura assured him.

"Excellent. I'll be waiting." Ryoma sighed with relief. "And not to push my luck or overstep here but I hope I'm your first option and not anyone else."

"Is there something else I should know about?" She asked now confused.

"I admit I may be a bit desperate to make up for lost time, all these struggles and pain have made me realized how short our lives truly are is all." He totally lied. Granted, he meant the words he said but he realized this years ago and found a way to cope with these thoughts. He really can't believe Robin is still bothering him this much, he's the one who asked him to continue to look after Corrin and aid his other siblings in the first place.

"**Lastly, and I know this is going to rile you up the most, which I'm looking forward to, you need to accept the fact that Corrin is a woman now and her hormones are going to make the decisions more often than not. Let her be young, go stupid and crazy and if she gets pregnant too soon, well that's on her, at least you might have better luck as an uncle than a big brother. And about Azura's own attachment to the new guy**…"

'THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!' Ryoma seethed in his thoughts.

'Guess it's a good thing I let Robin talk me into giving Ryoma a chance. I bet it was him who tipped him off on where I am and doing.' Azura mused with delight.

"Is it possible to die of suspense? Because I feel like this is one of those moments." Saizo groaned, as he and Kagero are hiding in the tent next door, alongside them are also Robin, Hinoka and Kaze.

"It's just your concerns, Saizo, deep breaths." Kagero insisted, more relief that Ryoma got all this off his chest.

"Figures, despite all that bravado, our future King is just a softy more concern with family matters." Robin mused as he had a feeling things would turn out this way and did good on his part to convince Azura to not torment herself on such negative thoughts.

"His heart is one of gold forced to harden to fulfil his calling but even he needs time to relax and be a person." Kaze smiled.

"No kidding, Ryoma can be such a hypocrite that he ends up biting off more than he can chew. I had a feeling he would eventually do something completely asinine like turning to Azama for help." Hinoka said relief that her siblings are finally connecting.

"Oh, but you kept him around all these years not just because he was a master with a spear?" Robin noted.

"He's better than people realize. Anyway, thanks for your part in this, Robin. I know we've been asking way too much lately." Hinoka said with gratitude.

"Don't sweat it, I'm just doing what I was asked to and keeping everyone together." Robin shrugged, no stranger to this kind of work.

Soon enough, the person who this tent belongs to arrives to relax after fulfilling his tasks and is startled by the people in here.

"What are you people doing here?!"

* * *

"So let me get this straight, you were walking in a straight line to your new post in the north side of camp, when you happen to stumble upon another pit, deeper than the one you fell into yesterday but instead of moving passed it, you decided that… whatever and walk straight to it and fell anyway?" Jakob asked as he and Corrin were informed by Sakura that Setsuna fell into another hole and once they got her out she tells them what happened.

"Well, when you say it like that it sounds kind of dumb." Setsuna said with pure naiveté.

"That's because it is dumb, you absolute baboon!" Jakob lectured not able to process how this woman functions, she is the epidemy of airheadedness, and he is sure he made that word up.

"Based on how you describe it and how Sakura saw it, it looked like you fell there on purpose." Corrin said concern.

"Maybe, staying stuck in a pit isn't so good but falling down into one has a pretty nice feeling to it." Setsuna said.

"I wish you'd stop doing that, you're always making Hinoka worry." Sakura pleaded with the airhead to be more careful.

"Why are there even so many pits in this forest, did someone actually believe they could find treasure here?" Corrin questioned.

"I think the real question is what are we to do with this useless excuse of a retainer, she's wasting precious time as is even when there is no real cause for concern." Jakob stated.

"Yeah, you're right on that. Listen Setsuna, I think it's best for everyone and yourself that you no longer work on sentry duty from now on and just stay with the others within the camp, it would keep all of us at ease and spare Hinoka more headaches." Corrin insisted to the Archer.

"Okay…" Setsuna complied but she almost look disappointed as she walks away back to camp.

"Geez, Hinoka was right, having such a silver plated life has made her unable to appreciate anything that she's so desperate for excitement she has little qualms about endangering herself." Corrin muttered.

"So that's her problem. At least she's certainly interesting to a degree." Jakob noted.

"Well, she'll be safer until we finally head out tomorrow." Corrin sighed. "You mind checking out the others for me, Jakob, I already have enough to do as is."

"But of course, Milady, and if you would allow it, I would take care of all tasks in your stead." Jakob insisted.

"As much as I would like to relax some more I would rather do anything to get my mind off of what awaits us when we leave this place, even if it's just for a short while." Corrin bemused. Jakob bows and goes to do as he was asked while Corrin goes elsewhere with Sakura following. "Any idea where the others are, I haven't seen Ryoma or Hinoka today yet."

"Can't say that I have, all I know is that Ryoma has been upset about something since yesterday but I'm sure he's all better now. He never stays upset for too long." Sakura explained.

"Good for him." Corrin said as they continue walking until she gives Sakura another glance and notes that she looks to be contemplating about something. "Something on your mind, Sakura?"

"Oh… m-me? No, I-I… I'm alright." She insisted but Corrin knows she's lying. As awful as this war is, it's made a sliver of improvement for the youngest princess who's been stuttering less and less, as she's been pushing herself to be braver to help everyone and has certainly showed new resolve, none are prouder than Hana and Subaki, with the former actually shedding tears of joy by her new valorous attitude. She even frightened Azama a bit when he was bullying her and got angry enough to break a rod in two with her bare hands, healing items aren't made of weak material that would make them breakable by such puny and delicate hands, otherwise they would never work. She only goes back to her shy nature when she makes a comment she didn't mean to say or is lying about something.

"I know it's not my place to pry in anything to do with others and you have your reasons as well as two dutiful retainers that can do that for you but you know that I can be of some use, if only a minuscule." Corrin insisted, wanting to show support for her youngest sister, just like she used to do for Elise whenever she got the chance, though she never really needed her for anything either and that always bothered Corrin. Hopefully things will be different with Sakura.

"It's just that… actually, I've had something on my mind that I can't quite make sense of and well… you're really the only person I can talk about it." Sakura confessed.

"Really?" Corrin replied, actually glad to hear it but does her best to contain the joy she feels from it. Got to keep some level of decorum when assisting her minors when they need help, as Xander, and even Garon would tell her.

"I… wanted to talk to you about someone, it's Prince Leo." Sakura said, making her big sister widen her eyes at this sudden development.

"Leo? Why the sudden interest in the enemy royalty you know next to nothing about?" She asked, deeply confused.

"He's been an enigma to me ever since we made that risky attack in the Opera House. I've always heard the tales of the Nohrian Royalty; how the Crown Prince Xander is so strong, kind and majestic, as if people are staring at a god. The beautiful but vicious Princess Camilla who soars through the sky with the wrath of a true dragon. The young prodigy of combat, Prince Leo, who has no equal in the dark arts and has the brain to manipulate nearly any battle to shift into his favor. And the innocent and brave Princess Elise who purges all malice with her smile and can heal any wound." Sakura monologued a bit. "All of them are much loved by their people and held on pedestals with grace and compassion but to their enemies, they're archfiends, who won't hesitate to crush all who stand in their way and their own notion of justice. Never letting any opportunity to win slip their grasps ever."

"And you don't think that's the case now?" Corrin wondered.

"Do you recall what happened in the final moments of that battle when we escaped the Opera House?" Sakura asked nervously.

"All I remember was the rage and pain I felt when we were forced to leave Robin and Azura behind." Corrin commented bitterly on that hateful night. "Though I eventually learned from Xander that during my rampage I cause Leo to fall into some hole I created."

"Well, what you clearly don't know is that it's also because of me that Leo fell." Sakura revealed. "When you lost control you made a mighty shockwave that created a large hole in the pool that sucked all the water and boats in it, and Princess Elise and I were the only ones alive unlucky enough to be sucked into the current while everyone tried to reach us, Leo made it first and he managed to save his sister and threw her into the graceful hands of Odin for her safety but while he was add it, he also saved me and allowed himself to fall while he was without his Sacred Treasure at the time."

"He did?" Corrin uttered, genuinely surprised by this revelation.

"I know he is the most outspoken about hating Hoshido based on the rumors, and that he was the one who made you attack our healers during the Battle at Kurosaki when you transformed for the first time. His determination to improve Nohr's livelihood will not deter him from getting results no matter how vicious he has to be and yet, he still saved me when he could've taken me hostage then and along with Azura, putting all of you in more turmoil. Sure Robin would've gotten me out of it but still." Sakura said now looking confuse by this. "And when we fought him again using ourselves as bait during the previous battle, I wasn't affected by his new dark magic, my body was fine and kind of cold as the temperature was rather low and we both know it's not because of the same reason you weren't affected, he must've decided to spare me from the effects, and when he took me hostage his restraint on me was very loose that I could've walked away if I wanted, I was just to scare to move. Why am I receiving his mercy."

"I'm just as confuse as you are. Sure, Leo is not an awful person that he would let innocence die but you're a Princess of an enemy nation his is fighting against, and I am annoyingly aware of his animosity towards Hoshido, I swear at times he was the only one in my Nohrian Family who actually hates Hoshido, while the others, even Garon seemed barely just aggravated by us at best." Corrin said. "You should be the last person he would be swayed not to show his hostility towards but I guess I don't know my little brother as well as I thought I did. Nothing makes sense anymore but in spite of that, I can't help but feel happy to learn about this. It must mean that Garon's bad influence isn't absolute and maybe there is hope yet."

"For you and them, you mean?" Sakura asked.

"No, I know better than anyone now that there's no fixing what I've damaged, there's nowhere in Nohr where I am welcomed anymore, my hopes here are all shattered by my own hands." Corrin said bitterly again. "Regardless, I still want to make life better here, the safest way to avoid fighting all together is with a compromise between both sibling nations. I know that the others will see it as silly, petty even but extinction can't be the answer, and I know that in some way you feel the same way, as does Ryoma and mother."

"If that is what you want, I promise to support you in any way I can. I confess that I don't like Nohr either, not to the same extent as Takumi but enough to not forgive them for the pain they've caused, and… for father but if they too are capable of showing compassion like Queen Arete and mercy like Prince Leo then maybe there is a way for both kingdoms to understand each other." Sakura smiled.

"You continue to surprise me Sakura. To call Arete compassionate after what you witnessed in the Attack on Suzanoh and what she did to mother." Corrin said, caught off.

"It was horrifying what she did but when I looked at the Queen of Nohr in the eye, I didn't see a monster but a woman who's been through a lot of pain and never found the chance to actually express herself, the same bitterness mother would have whenever your birthday came around and you weren't around to celebrate it." Sakura explained. "What we did to Azura was wrong and I know she was more hurt than I was when she saw her mother behaved like that."

"Sakura… thank you. It means the world to me to hear you say that." Corrin smiled with so much relief in her blooming inside finally. "Forgiveness is never easy but understanding is always the most important step to take that everyone always seems to skip more often than not. What awaits us will be unfriendly days but I know we can overcome them if we can just try to see the point of view of others and perhaps that might be enough to make the next dawn all the brighter."

"Yes, sister, I promise to make that possible, for you." Sakura said with more enthusiasm that makes Corrin sigh.

'And here I was hoping to help her out with something and she ends up being the one doing the helping. Some big sister I turned out to be in the end.'

* * *

Robin sighs as he is back in the war tent making preparations for the next march and is at a limb here on what to do next. Of course he would hit a roadblock so close to the final destination; Windmire. He examine the terrain between Demon's Falls and the Capital before for tactical purpose during his travels, mostly for the fun of it and he has a good enough understanding on the dangers and safety paths to tread but up until this war started, hardly anyone would want to be stationed anywhere near a lake of magma but it is now and with them drawing closer actually made things worse with improving upon the already fortify defenses, as such there is only one way they can make it to Windmire with all their lives intact.

"So many options, too little time to decide with one thing that won't stop coming into the surface of my thoughts." Robin whispered to himself as he ultimately comes up with what he deems to be the best course of action. "Better call the others in, it's gonna take some real mojo for what comes nex-what the hell!" He uttered as he feels a sudden presence behind him that's not friendly, quickly calling forth a Levin Sword from Morgenstern and swings it down on this enigma, now pointing his blade right at the nose of the unflinching Warlock Zola.

"Hello again, Robin." The Dark Mage greeted with a sickening snicker.

"Zola!" The Tactician uttered, familiar with this lowly subordinate of Iago but never engaged in conversation until now. How did he even get here? Robin then moves his sword further into Zola's face and as he expected, it phase right through him like a mist.

"Obviously I'm not really here, what you see is just an illusion." Zola said.

"I figured as much but how you manage to get your magic through Nyx's barrier is what really has me curious." Robin said.

"Oh, his Majesty concluded that this would be the best place for you lots to be after he was told Lord Xander and Lord Leo couldn't find you, and as for how I was able to temporary bypass the Witch's superior magic? Well let's just say we all have our toys." Zola chuckled.

"If that is the case then what purpose do you serve coming here to greet me, we both know neither Garon nor Arete even know you exist and your superior officer is dead." Robin concluded.

"Simple, I've come here to accept you're surrender." Zola smirked, looking triumphant, like he's already won, while Robin can only look at him incredulously, not able to process his words, even with his brilliant intellect.

"Okay, I'll play along. Or else what?" He asked, knowing he won't like the answer.

"Oh, I am most delighted that you would ask me. I'll show you." Zola said as he reveals an item he carries in his hand, which looks like a really ancient looking black lantern made of iron, perhaps, it has several markings carved into it that look like pentagrams and other occult symbols that serve as holes for the light to come out of it but there doesn't seem to be anything within it that would create light until light does come out of it, proving that it's a magic item that illuminates the whole tent.

Robin then finds himself in another location that happens to be Demon's Falls and now stands in the great large bridge built six years ago.

"A Magic Tool that enables Thought Projection to this magnitude, how fascinating. So this is where you really are." Robin said, examining his surroundings and it's as heavily fortified as he expected with armed guards everywhere.

"Yep, though I wasn't assigned to guard the bridge, I came here of my own volition." Zola said.

"Which means this visit is unsanctioned and no one important knows you're here." Robin concluded. "You can't possibly believe that you stand a chance of gaining anything on your own without some serious trump card off your sleeves."

"Funny you should say so because I happen to have THREE trump cards off my sleeves." Zola chuckled with emphasis on three with six guards stepping forward behind Robin as he turns to face them and becomes shock to see who they are holding captive. Laslow, Odin and Selena, on their knees and in chains.

"What is this? I don't appreciate any sick games, Zola?" Robin demanded, though careful not to express the overwhelming fear he is feeling right now.

"Like you, these three are guilty of committing high treason against the Throne of Shadows and the Royal Family who have placed great trust in them to serve our great nation, and as such they will be dealt with accordingly." Zola said as he walks towards the trio.

"Treason? Surely you jest, these three earned the trust of the royals better than I have and are even hailed as heroes for rescuing Princess Elise from certain danger and even if that's true why bring them here and not Garon to be judged?" Robin questioned, fainting indifference for the plight they are going through.

"Oh, you know the answer better than me, Uncle Robin." Zola smirked, relishing in watching Robin no longer able to hide his façade.

"Oh no…"

"Oh yes. These three know everything about you yet refused to disclose anything to their masters who yearn for your head. They aren't much for conversation while in chains, especially blondie here of all people but against my magic, their thoughts are very unwilling to lie. Isn't that right, Inigo? Owain? And how could we forget your favorite, Severa?" Zola chuckled as he places his hand on top of the redhead and a knife around her neck. The fact that he knows their real names proves that he knows the truth, or at least enough of it to suddenly become the biggest threat yet to Robin.

"Wait! Zola!" Robin cried, while the Warlock laughs with delight.

"Oh, yes! Finally! Recognition! How I have waited for a moment like this, to think I would have the opportunity to have someone so feared and hated as you in all of Nohr to be left to beg before me." Zola sneered. "My moment of success is near. Now listen carefully, if you want to save these children you have to give up the two Princesses you're keeping to yourself to me at the top of the volcano where I'll be waiting. I won't bother with you bringing the other royals since I imagine it's going to take a lot of effort to fight this entire army just to escape with Corrin and Azura. And you have until tomorrow to get here. I here you're really fast."

"Zola, you…" Robin growled as the composure he's held for so long ever since coming to Horus is finally gone, and only rage and resentment now remain on his face against the wretched dark mage.

"Hey now… don't go showing such a sad look there, my friend. It's unbecoming of you to show such negativity." Laslow insisted, still finding the energy to be so smooth even in a situation like this.

"Indeed, it is the duty of all true heroes to maintain a smile among the masses to keep hope alive, and you yet again have been charged with such a responsibility." Odin boasted, thinking almost the same as his longtime friend.

"Inigo, Owain." Robin muttered, at a loss after so long on what to do.

"Don't even think of submitting to the demands of this freak, you hear me. I'll never forgive you and kick your ass if you do." Selena said next, at first scuffing at him in a manner he is too familiar with before she gives him a sincere and familial smile, to assure him that they'll be okay.

"Hey, you three be quiet! Don't you dare make a mockery out of me or I'll leave you with a few scars!" Zola warned, agitated, putting the knife closer to Selena, though she simply rolls her eyes in annoyance, not taking him seriously at all. "I only need you three alive so it doesn't matter either way if I decide to make an example of you."

"SEVERA!" Robin cried out to her but by then Zola's spell faded and he found himself again in the war tent alone, his thought bursting with emotion on what to do next. And it only gets worse as Corrin comes barging in, looking terrified herself.

"Robin! Things just took a turn for the worse." She cried with dread in her eyes.

"What is it?" He asked worried.

"An envoy of Garon showed up outside Nyx's barrier. They know where we are and has issued a warning. They're going after Niflheim. Flora's in danger!"

* * *

"**Iago… Iago… Awaken already**." The sinister voice of Wrath whispers into the ear of the wounded Tactician who lies badly wounded and defeated after his battle with Robin. There he lies buried under the rubble of Palace Macarath that was left in utter ruin by the brutal fight. His golden mask that covered half of his face is gone now, revealing that horrid burned mark covering his face and leaves him with only one eye that was likely wrought upon him by the great fire that destroyed Shion.

He thought he had Robin beaten but he was caught off guard by his resilience to the curse he became afflicted with and did not hold back. He's lucky to have survived this long, using all his magic power to close his wounds and stop the bleeding, he's been out cold too long, a miraculous feat in its own right to say the least but ultimately serves to stall death long enough for help to arrive but because of all the commotion and confusion, none of his allies have arrived to help until now.

"**My, what a pitiful state you have been left in**. **It's what you get for being cocky but that's what I like about you, and why I simply can't let you die just yet. We still have so much fun left to enjoy**." Wrath chuckled, as he can't wait for what comes next. "**So get up and let's welcome chaos. Let your rage fuel your desire to live and the flames that'll burn this world give you knew power!**"

With that command, the Dark Tactician awakens with the same demonic eye as the Seven.

* * *

**And… Cliffhanger! The gig is up and Robin has been backed into a corner with no clear way in sight yet. Iago is still alive with Wrath at it again. What to do, what to do? Ryoma's supports with Azura is one of my favorites in Fates, granted I think all her supports are fantastic but that's just me and I have been waiting to use them for this scene. I really love this chapter and I hope you all feel the same, though the next one will be even better. I hope I think you may know why.**

**Well that's it for this month, also bear in mind that I may start to rewrite a few chapters since my latest chapters has pretty much been retconning the lore I initially established for this story. I really think things through starting out, especially in regards to how I will reveal Robin's backstory. I'm thinking of making a prequel story. Could be more fun with how better my writing has gotten.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Ice Age, Hellfire and a very, very, very Angry Dragon Girlfriend?**

How long has it been since he's felt like this? His lungs burning up by how heavy he's breathing, face sweating due to nervousness that even clouds his thoughts, one incomplete solution after another with no promise of success, legs about to give out despite being in no way exhausted, it's all in his head as there is great fear overtaking him. The worse kind of fear that is not born from one's inevitable death but the death of someone who means a great deal to you and you could've saved them but failed in the end. Everyone has their perspective of what makes fear awful, Robin has experienced fear in many forms, and the inability to protect anyone has always been his greatest fear, but not the only one. Another of his greatest fears is the Sin of Betrayal, a vice that surpasses the Seven Deadly Sins in his heart and is personally lucky that that particular vice doesn't seem to have a supernatural conscious, as far as he knows. But ever since coming to Horus and living with the Nohrians, and later the Hoshidans, these two great fears have not even come close to plaguing his thoughts, for the first time in so long he found a semblance of peace, until his other great fear returned.

War! War had returned and once again Robin was forced into the battlefield. The anarchy, the hate, the anger, the bloodshed, the carnage, the deaths, the conquests, the lust for power. It all came back to force him to suffer under their chains. Forced to lead soldiers into battle as they fight for what they deem to be right and just at the expense of all the lives of their enemies, and the ''heroes'' they can become by it. They are all murderers in truth, who sugarcoat their misdeeds by claiming it's for the sake of their great nation when there are always interior motives. There is no such thing as Saints in his eyes. The biggest example is himself. A ''Master'' Tactician who wins by ceasing control of the battle by controlling his comrades like chest pieces with threads all over them, telling them where they need to go, where to put the enemy in, who lives and who dies. Snipers are often treated as Subhuman for their ability to have a clean shot at their targets despite being so far away and when they shoot to kill, it's like they were judge, jury, and executioner, playing god, and in his experience, a Tactician can be the Devil. He certainly felt like one after a while. It got so bad until he was no longer able to appreciate his efforts, the lives he's saved are always overshadowed by the lives he's taken, and before he even knew it, he realized that he never once prided himself for his craft, his cunning and achievements. It all felt so wasteful and empty inside.

Why did he even start this path in the first place? What was it he wanted to gain from having these skills? These powers? On that, he truly doesn't remember anymore. All he wanted to do when he learned that war was again inevitable was to run away and leave the two nations who he harbors a personal contempt towards to rot and reap what they've sowed but alas, he just couldn't go through with it and abandon his new friend to deal with this nightmare alone.

Corrin. So sweet, so innocent, so fragile, so naïve, unspoiled by the true, ugly nature of the world that is no different from the one he left behind. That emotion he felt when he woke up in those plains, the nostalgia that forced itself into his thoughts but different at the same time when he met Chrom, Lissa and Frederick. She meant something that day; he couldn't put his finger at it in the beginning but eventually he realized what she represented. A chance, a real chance to start anew. The Shepherds were the greatest people he had ever known but they were never his family, he tried, they tried, but he just didn't belong with them. He didn't want to belong in Nohr, nor Hoshido but he had to pick a side for her, so he stayed, he fought, he shielded, he bled, he sowed, he sacrificed, it's nothing new to him, by now the hardship doesn't really phase him, not even a little.

He was at first so disappointed when he woke up in a grassy field again because deep down he knew that the cycle would repeat itself one way or another. He wanted to stay dead. He never wanted to live again. He never wanted to fight again. And yet here he is, searching for a new calling and reason to live again.

Why?

No good came from leaving his heart wide open to be embraced, his greatest rewards were hate-filled eyes and a blade through his heart and the blood of someone precious in his arms.

None of that matters now, nor will anything else if he fails.

'Severa. Owain. Inigo. I won't let you die!' Robin swore as his mind is racing with no clear end on sight, his options more limited than ever in the wake of this new crisis.

An Envoy of King Garon came in an hour ago, escorted by members of the Royal Guard, standing outside of Nyx's barrier with a message for the leaders of the Army of Light, in particular, the ''Scourge of Nohr'' and made sure to be taken seriously by announcing to the sentries who spotted them that Niflheim would be destroyed. It was only after all the army's leaders were gathered that he delivered his message in full to them about how far they have truly pushed Garon by coming this far and so close to the Capital and boy, was he pretty standoffish about it.

"**Listen well for I am only going to say this once, you Hoshidan Dogs! His eminence, the King of Nohr, is displeased with your continued stubbornness and inability to see reason in the futility of these struggles and surrender to preserve your meaningless lives, as such we are forced to take true drastic measures, though his Majesty still found some semblance of mercy, where others could not to tell you this. Starting tomorrow, the people of Niflheim, who too stand as an inconvenience to the Glory of Nohr shall be punished and their villages burned asunder and all traces of resistance permanently silenced! Unless the traitors responsible for starting this uprising in power are to surrender and delivered on to his Majesty. Do this and submit victory on to Nohr and you may still leave with your lives intact. If not, then you will all die and the blood of the Niflheimians will be on YOUR HANDS!**"

"Sons of bitches! SONS OF BITCHES!" Takumi snapped in outraged as he slams his fists on the table in the war tent as all the leaders have gathered, alongside them is Felicia due to her involvement in the crisis since her father is the Chief of Niflheim and she technically a princess so her place in this is valid. "How did we not see this coming! This is exactly the kind of crap they would be more than willing to pull off!"

"It's not that we didn't account for it but more that we were too focus on everything else to worry about the inevitable ultimatums that we would be forced to make." Scarlet hissed, gritting her teeth with rage.

"Xander wouldn't allow this but there's no way he could stand up to Garon without risking infighting." Corrin whispered to herself, completely lost by this horror. 'This is insane. Nohr is dutybound to protect the Ice Tribe, not enslave or destroy it. Niflheim's Goddess is Qliphoth's daughter.'

"What do we do?!" Felicia asked with fear and dread all too visible in her over what can they possibly do about this disaster. She wants them to go and save her home and family but they be putting all their lives at risk for an obvious trap. She's not sure if it's selflessness or cowardice that prevents her from demanding that they go save her tribe.

"Not panic for one, this is exactly what they want from us. To make a move based on brash decisions compromised by emotion without thinking anything through at all." Ryoma declared.

"Indeed, such crude tactics have been used many times across history, taking advantage of the enemy's morals and pull them right into their clutches when they are at their most vulnerable that has proven effective many times." Fuga said most trouble by this declaration and the dark consequences. "Still, I question if rather or not Garon is truly willing to go through with this."

"It's honestly hard to say, Niflheim has always been Nohr's top providers with their famine for centuries, the sudden conflict between them baffled pretty much everyone over how out of control things became that the mere thought that they would go this far shouldn't have surprised us as it does." Reina mused.

"Well, obviously there's more to it than that, the only reason why they would warn us is that this is all just a trap." Hinoka said.

"Yeah, I mean the Niffs are unstoppable with their home-field advantage, with the Grimm, Nohr may be able to match them but never to the point that they can conquer the Iceland." Rinkah said. "They've already tried to conquer Muspelheim and the results ended for the same reason, everywhere they fought, there was just too much firepower for them to resist and Dark Mages aren't exactly good in using ice magic. Well, the Nohrian ones at least."

"The key to this working in their favor has to be because of the Nestrian Army and their own march that must've begun by now. They must be using Niflheim to catch us between their army as well as their own." Corrin concluded.

"Yes, that must be it! It's been difficult to receive any messages to help us understand what is going on elsewhere so we were never going to realize the other threat we faced in time." Ryoma concluded.

"So now what? We go to Niflheim we'll be putting us all in danger." Takumi questioned.

"We go straight to Demon's Falls, we take on the full fury of Nohr and while we do so, Nestra will still be gunning for us and may end up striking us when we are at our most vulnerable." Scarlet countered.

"We knew that the risks for coming this far would be enormous and that we would need to make heavy sacrifices. There was never a way we would be able to save everyone, that in of itself was always a losing battle." Ryoma said, frustration and sadness painfully visible.

"So what, are you saying we should just let this go?!" Corrin protested.

"We mustn't allow ourselves to waltz right into their clutches, Corrin, there's too much riding on us winning this damn war." Ryoma affirmed.

"But we're talking about over fifty thousand people being used as lived bait, Ryoma!" Corrin objected.

"We cannot risk the lives of our troops by walking into a danger that we can avoid, Corrin. When it comes to something like this it's not simply about right and wrong." Ryoma argued.

"But if we can just stop this, we can enlist the tribe's aid. All of Horus can have a real chance if we-"

"I KNOW!" Ryoma interrupted her more harshly than he intended. "I don't want to do this either, Corrin but it's not about protecting everyone anymore, it's about protecting those that we can and right now those we must protect are the men and women we have been fighting alongside thus far, we can't just throw them away either."

"I'm afraid your brother is right, Princess Corrin. It pains me to even consider this but we stand a much better chance going through with Demon's Falls and bringing the fight to Windmire than to help my brethren of the Frost." Fuga said equally disturbed by this crossroad they are now stuck in. The tent is left in silence with everything getting too stressful too quickly, made even worse with Felicia's struggle not to shed a tear over what her friends are saying about leaving Niflheim behind.

"Wait, hold on…" Corrin uttered, trying to find a solution, a way out of this, and it's under the newfound stress that she remembered she doesn't have to, as bad as that sounds. "Robin! C'mon! You already have a way out of this, right?!"

The Tactician in question has been silent ever since they met with the envoy, said nothing even as both sides exchange foul words in frustration and getting on one another's nerves and even now, he's just been sitting there, his eyes glued to the map of Horus, his face largely covered by his hands, contemplation all over him. Surely this crisis isn't a match for him?

"Robin…?" Corrin muttered.

"I… I don't…" His lack of response was the last straw. He's never shown a lack of response before, one way or the other, he always finds a way out of situations and pulls them all through.

"No! No! No! Nonononononooo! NO! You do not get to stutter!" Corrin all but loses it again, rushing to his side, pulls him up his feet and slaps him twice. "You're not the guy who gets to give up, man!"

"I… Demon's Falls. I have to-" Robin continued to ramble on without really knowing what he's saying.

"WHAT?! You're going along with what they're saying!" She cried in shock over this, and everyone else is also surprised. This is the first time he ever agreed to do something that demanded they risk lives as all his tactics heavily focus on winning with fewer casualties and martyrs as possible.

"No! That's not it! This is just too sudden. And you know I can't always come up with something right off the bat." He muttered, looking more defeated than her, which is largely concerning. Sure, there's the fact that their friend Flora is also in danger but he and her were never really close for him to want to stick his neck out for her like Corrin does, but it hardly matters since he does seem to possess a sort of hero complex so it's not like he would let that technicality stop him from doing the right thing.

"Well, you have to come up with something quick, otherwise we'll lose Niflheim!" Corrin demanded.

"I KNOW, CORRIN!" Robin snapped back at her with an uncharacteristic outburst that once again silenced everyone, leaving Corrin especially speechless, this is the first time he'd ever really talked back to her.

"I need to clear my head. Don't follow me!" He demanded, specifically to her as he storms out of the tent.

"What the bloody hell just happened? Did our prize tactician just chickened out?" Scarlet protested.

"It's not that at all, it seems something else had caught the young man's ire. I've only ever seen that kind of reaction on someone who's been burden with information that others need to know but can't bring himself to say it." Fuga surmised.

"It can't be anything related to our war effort otherwise there be no reason for him to behave this way." Hinoka said worriedly. "Whatever the case he needs to clear his head fast before things get even worse."

"Leave that to me. I don't care that he doesn't like my song, he's going to hear it." Azura said, staying quiet until now and goes after the Tactician.

All the while Corrin's become numb as his outburst affected her, so much so that she vaguely collapses and slams her face on the table.

"Sounds like someone is not used to be talked back by her servant." Takumi somewhat mocked.

"Shut up, Takumi." She sobbed.

* * *

Robin sighs exasperatedly with frustration while lying down on a rock big enough to sit on away enough from the camp to be alone, staring at the floor, his mind might as well be on fire at this point. It's been so long since he snapped like that, it wasn't by far his worst outburst but one he should've avoided. He needed too, everyone is so on edge that emotions are constantly exploding, he needed to contribute as much as possible by being a voice of reason and keep a cool head always just like he's always practiced but he can't anymore, not when his heart is focused on something just as urgent to him.

"I'll get you three out of this mess, I know I will." He swore.

"So that's what has you all worked up." Azura wondered as she approaches the tactician.

"Not now, Azura, my issues are too personal for any of you to actually help me." Robin shrugged.

"I would've made a similar argument weeks ago and yet I still found solace with you as my confidant, why shouldn't it work both ways?" She countered. "You especially out of everyone has been trying hard to keep a level headed attitude for the sake of everyone's wellbeing, Corrin most of all. Your high tolerance for insubordination and persuasiveness to keep them in line does well to hide how much this all bothers you."

She has been keeping an eye on everyone's psyche. She's no expert on such a delicate subject but with her magic she has been able to keep everyone relax, they more than anyone know the risks of succumbing to negative thoughts but alas, it is unavoidable for them so they simply have to be there for each other some more and do what they can.

"Well, I've finally reached my limit. I can't go much farther on my own now." Robin muttered, unwilling to betray Corrin or Azura, not even for them but is so desperate to do so.

"You won't feel that way in a few moments." Azura smiled as she places a hand on his head and holds the Dragonstone in the other, about to sing her song to rejuvenate him.

"~You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore just out of reach~" As she sang, a water dome manifested that entraps both of them in it. "~Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time, The path is yours to climb~"

"~In the white light, a hand reaches through a double-edged blade cuts your heart in two waking dreams fade away, Embrace the brand-new day. Sing with me a song of birthrights and love the light scatters to the sky above Dawn breaks through the gloom, white as a bone. Lost in thoughts all alone~"

The magic did the trick as usual with Robin finally starting to calm down, his thoughts emptying from all the stress and struggle he's been enduring but something goes off. The pinkish flames start to manifest again as well as the pain they bring but the water is helping to dull it and remove them and his body doesn't go invisible this time. Azura doesn't notice as she has her eyes closed, she once told him that it helps her concentrate when she uses this power so he's grateful for that and she doesn't seem to feel the cold sensation they emit, something else to do with her magic perhaps. Soon enough they go away and he starts to feel all better again.

"There, that wasn't so hard now, was it." Azura sighed heavily as she finishes her song, taking a few deep breaths as that was exhausting with sweat all over her face that Robin puts his hands on her to help her lie down.

"Not really, thank you Azura, I needed this." Robin smiled compassionately.

"Don't sweat it. You've been there enough times for me, this was the least I could do." She smiled back.

"Right, well once you're all better, let's gather the others, the ones that have been with us since this all started, what comes next I want them to be the first to hear."

Soon enough, the two gather all the comrades they hold the deepest connection in this army, except for Orochi who volunteered to stay behind in Hoshido to defend Mikoto, and called them to assemble in the Astral Realm, all 23 of them.

"Alright everyone, listen up. I would like to begin by apologizing for my outburst earlier. It was unprofessional and did nothing to help anyone, I can't stress that enough but I'm all calm now and I have a solution to all this." Robin said with confidence.

"About time." Corrin smiled with joy.

"The plan is this, we do go to Niflheim but not just to save the nation, that's the ultimate price but there is a consolation." He began. "From Niflheim, we can move ever closer to Windmire and take them from behind."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Hayato asked intrigued.

"By warping of course. The cancel spell we cast to even the plain field only works within Nohrian territory, Niflheim may be under Garon's clutches but they haven't been annexed yet, we were very thorough about that delicate detail so it'll work again once we're there." Robin explained.

"You sure about that?" Jakob questioned.

"Very." Robin said with confidence. "And according to Lilith, there exists a Deeprealm Gate within Niflheim that we can access to get there easily and once all is set and done we can pour our power into one warp strong enough that will take Lilith back to Nohr and the rest will be history."

"I don't know about this, I don't think we'll be able to warp our way into Windmire, the Capital has to be the most heavily guarded and warded place in Nohr." Lilith said concern.

"We won't be sending you to the Capital, where you're going and where we'll be able to resume our counterattack not even Garon will ever see coming." Robin declared.

"Where is that?" Corrin asked, regaining her hope.

"Before we proceed, there's something else that needs to be said." Robin shrugged. "The reason why I acted the way I did before was not because of the current danger. Far from it. It was because someone struck me close to home."

"Close to home?" Corrin repeated.

"Robin, what are you doing?" Azura asked, getting a good idea of what the real reason he called them all here is.

"What needs to be said. If I am to do what I must, you all need to know why." Robin said solemnly.

"What you must? Don't tell me you have something that could ever be considered more important than maintaining your oath to Lady Corrin?!" Jakob demanded with a low growl.

"That is entirely up to your opinion." Robin replied with melancholy, getting different reactions from his new friends but none yet hostile.

"Robin… what are you saying? What is going on?" Corrin pleaded with him to speak sense as she is growing scared. Is this it? Has the day she feared actually come? Is he leaving her?

"I have to go to Demon's Falls. One of Nohr's more crude mages has taken three of my friends. To Hoshido, they're just three more enemies to add to the slaughter but to me, they are most precious." He confessed.

"Who are they?" Corrin wanted to say more like how he should've realized by now that any friend of his is a friend of hers and she be more than willing to find a way to help, they literally have all the time in the world but the look on his eyes told her that he wants to say what more is on his mind.

"Well… for starters, one of them just so happens to be my goddaughter." He revealed.

"God… d-da… goddaughter?"

Robin came clean to them about everything. That he lied to Corrin from the start, he never had amnesia, he made it up to not explain his true situation and that he's from nowhere near Horus, of Canta, or Fódlan, or from this world but is actually from the Outrealms, an entirely different world that does not mirrors theirs at all and came here by a freak accident and he's not even supposed to be here, in fact, he's supposed to be dead and has no intention of staying here. And that Xander's retainer Laslow, Leo's retainer Odin and Camilla's retainer Selena are also from the same world and he's Selena's godfather, and that the dark mage Zola has kidnapped them and unless he delivered Corrin and Azura to him, they will die.

But that's not the biggest kicker, the one that crossed the line for Corrin is that Morgan, the girl that saved her from the Shadow Realm is an actuality his DAUGHTER!

And to add insult to injury, Azura was aware of the truth ever since the attack in the Opera House, rather it was because he trusted the Songstress more than her or because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time and overheard what she shouldn't have did not matter.

If there were a way to describe just how truly empty inside Corrin feels at this very moment as she loses all touch with reality with everything around her darkening until there is no one left but herself and she is incapable of hearing anything except what she believes to be her heart shattering into a billion, tiny little pieces like glass. The correct words would be "I don't want to live anymore"

She felt sick now. She can't breathe. Her whole body is shaking beyond her control. It's as if she's experiencing something just as bad or possibly worse than when she was forced to choose between two families. One thing only made sense though, that she will not stand to feel this way, if there is anything that she would rather consume her at this very moment it's not sadness, not despair, not hate. But rage. Pure, nondemonic (at least not literal) enviable, broken love RAGE!

"You… YOU… **YOU**… **YOU BASTARD**!" Without warning, Corrin roared with the fury of a thousand dragons screaming in her lungs, sucker punching Robin with her monstrous arm, sending him crashing into Lilith's temple and the impact demolishes half of it.

"MY TEMPLE!" Lilith cried in horror and falls to her knees. "Rebuilding that is always a heartache!"

"Not like we didn't see It coming, though." Takumi muttered.

"I'LL KILL YOU! **I'LL KILL YOU**!" Corrin screamed, going practically mad and charges after him but Lilith stops her by summoning four astral arms that grab her by all four limbs and lifts her into the air.

"NO! Bad master! BAD! You need to chill." Lilith cried.

"Let me at him! LET GO! LET THE FUCK GO!" Corrin demanded, struggling to free herself but cannot as Lilith is not holding back on the restraints.

"No, Corrin, you're not going to do any more harm to the Outrealmer! This is more of a big deal than any of you realize." Lilith scolded.

"Well, he hurt me worse than anyone!" Corrin cried in outraged, all teary-eyed again, glaring down on Robin who recovers from the sucker punch.

"You know if you truly felt betrayed by me your punch would've been far more lethal than that." Robin muttered walking back to them, causing the Dragon Princess to howl at him like a mad dog.

"You're just lashing out, sis, take it from me, especially me when I say that you have got to relax." Takumi pleaded with her.

"Sound advice from Takumi, that's how deep and serious he is about this." Sakura added.

"What?"

"Corrin! Corrin! I get why you would be mad about him lying but really, this isn't as bad as it sounds." Hinoka said next. "Now that I say it out loud I feel ridiculous but I still stand by it."

"NOT AS BAD AS IT SOUNDS?! I've been HAD! I've been TRICKED! and quite frankly, I've been BAMBOOZLED!" Corrin snapped.

"None of those things are accurate." Azura added.

"AND YOU!" Corrin growled like a beast, turning her glare at Azura who yelp at the frightening sight.

"Corrin, no! Be mad at your boyfriend and physically abuse him all you like but under no circumstances are you to direct your ire at Azura, nor anyone else for that matter." Ryoma warned as he pulls the Songstress behind him.

"They are not a thing!" Jakob snapped.

"You stay out of this!" Kaze demanded.

"He told you the truth instead of me! ME!" She roared.

"It was mere happenstance; I was just in the right place at the right time." Azura clarified. "Even then I couldn't just spill the beans, there was never a time to spread more doubt than there already was towards him. We all need him."

"Coming from her, that's a really good point." Rinkah said.

"And we wouldn't have come this far without him so Lady Azura made a good call." Saizo added.

"Holy shit, even Saizo is backing him up." Hinata gasped. "That's a sign, right, Highness?"

"I cannot possibly argue with that. Corrin, you have a right to feel this way but now is not the time for infighting, we must all remain together, if not for him than for Felicia's sister." Ryoma advised.

At the mention of Flora, Corrin begrudgingly calms herself and ceases her struggle, causing Lilith to gently lower her back down and release her and they all stay silent for a few seconds.

"Cor…" Robin tried to talk but couldn't bring himself to continue.

"First things first, we rescue Flora and your little friends." Is all Corrin could say to him without looking him in the eye. That was a good sign as getting hit so hard of the rift that now stands between them, not that he didn't see it coming.

"Right…" He muttered.

"Okay, and exactly how are we supposed to do this, Niflheim on one side on Demon's Falls and the other, even you can't be in two places at once?" Azura asked.

"Nyx has a powerful relic that can help us survive this mess and it may very much help us for the remainder of this war." Robin explained.

"Would she surrender it willingly?" She asked.

"I'm afraid we can't ask for permission." Robin replied.

"Okay, that's a clear sign that we need to get to Niflheim right now." Lilith sighed.

Soon enough, the army is briefed on the plan and naturally, there is much debate on the soldiers on what the right course of action is with many arguing that they shouldn't go risking their necks out when they know it's a trap while a shorter variety supports the idea to protect Niflheim, either way, the plan is clear now. They can only hope that they are not committing everything for something that will ultimately amount to nothing in the end just to satisfy Corrin's own need to hold on to what good is left of what there was of her childhood in Nohr, not like anyone doesn't already know how she feels.

"I certainly hope that you know what you're doing, Lord Ryoma." Fuga said as he and the High General watch their men and women making preparations to leave as Lilith finish marking the way to Niflheim. "This clearly will be riskier than anything else we have attempted so far."

"I know. I'd kill myself before I allow those under my authority to waltz right into danger when it can be avoided, believe me." Ryoma muttered.

"Like father like son. Then let us do what is needed so that none of our troops fall in this mission." Fuga said.

"Alright, I'm back." Lilith said as she arrives from the Deeprealms with a new portal ready to take them to Niflheim. "And as Robin said, we should go in few numbers first, meet with Chief Kilma and let him know of our aid, and of course we have to make time for Felicia to be with her sister and father."

"Right, and I'm sure Corrin would like to see this Flora again as well, what better way to assure the Ice Tribe that we got their backs by sending Nohr's treacherous Princess as Hoshido's envoy." Rinkah said.

"Please don't say it like that, Rinkah. Lady Corrin is going through a rough time as is with Robin's revelation." Kaze sighed.

"Well, at least he was honest about the whole being blackmailed into delivering her to this sick bastard." Oboro noted.

"How is the Princess, last we saw her she ran to her treehouse in the Astral Plane." Hayato asked.

"Heartbroken and brooding way too much. It's been eight minutes since we last saw her and we figured that many hours would be enough for her to calm down but…" Hinoka muttered as they visited Corrin seconds ago, hearing her sob constantly and sulking on her bed and when they approach her and try to engage in conversation she responded with a violent "GO AWAY!" and went back to crying and they had to keep their distance. "… I'll give her another go."

Hinoka went back to the Astral Plane to check on her sister and came back two seconds later, again disappointed but also looking very grossed out by something she wishes she could unsee.

"Let's give her ten more minutes."

"I swear, princes and princesses are their own unique species when it comes to romance because they make it more of a big deal than it really is." Hinata sighed. "And I'm not saying love isn't complicated, but whenever someone of the upper echelon gets their heart broken they always go overboard."

"I'd slap you for that but Corrin just proved you right." Takumi muttered. "Still, even with everything we've come to learned and experienced, was he telling the full truth, Lilith?"

"I had a feeling there was something off about Robin when I first laid eyes on him but I just wasn't sure. Way off. His mere presence alone gave all my senses the chills, he's human, no doubt about that but at the same time it was as if I was trying to figure out a dark beast or some kind of fallen angel. But then the fight in Kyoto happened and I siphoned some of his magic power to escape Iago's trap, that's when I was sure of what he has affirmed but did not know how to confront him about it." Lilith explained. "Those strange flames of his that amplify his power, Ignis, I believed it's what he calls it, they look like a type of fire magic meant to increase one's prowess but are actually a unique form of dark magic."

"Yeah, I figured that out myself, using dark magic while harnessing Anima energy to gain more power is nothing new so I never approached him about it. It's a fancy technique used by the Dark Mages allowed to live in Muspelheim and I hear Warlocks in Niflheim use similar tricks with their ice magic." Rinkah explained.

"That's true, however, Robin is different. If you recall I was feeling ill after I drew power from him and collapsed from sickness after dispelling Iago's dome for almost an hour and have been unable to use my magics for some time, it was after a week of rest that I finally started to get better. Dark Magic used by humans shouldn't be capable of making dragons sick in any way unless they are directly based on the power of Aether." Lilith explained.

"Aether? Never heard that before." Hinoka said.

"I have, I read about it in the older versions of the Cosmogony books that speak the origins of our world and how it was created." Hayato said. "Aether is wildly believed to be the spiritual life force of the universe, while others believe it's the name of the Supreme God that created the Universe itself."

"Neither of those statements is wrong but there's no longer any evidence to explain the origin of the true God of Creation, regardless, Aether is essentially the great source where all Magic came from and what gave birth to everything we've come to know and beyond, but none more so than the Dragons and other entities who could harness its power and it's what allows anything to be considered godlike in any way. Rare humans like Robin can harness Aether themselves but to a lesser extent, making them authentic Demigods, though there have been many who have wielded this power, few could actually use it to the same way Robin has mastered it. There's also the Man of Miracles, Ike who was known to have possessed a power that ancient Solheimians described as blue flames ''brighter than a thousand suns'', which perfectly describes Aether in its purest form." Lilith explained.

"Fascinating. But how does Robin somehow having access to a fraction of the ultimate power make him from this Outrealm you mentioned a couple of times?" Takumi asked.

"Well you see, Aether is the key reason why Dragons suffer from Degeneration. While it is the parent of all elements, Aether is extremely dependent on a perfect balance between Primordial Light and Primordial Darkness, should either of these elements become the dominate half, the Dragons lose all cohesion, even if the Light takes over, and become the demons the legends spoke off who caused the Old War, aside from the Seven Deadly Sins. When I harnessed Robin's power, I realized immediately that this Ignis is actually the Dark Side of Aether, that's why I couldn't see his soul before, so much Darkness can conceal all, even from the Light of Sephiroth but there's more to it than that. Almost four years ago, roughly before Corrin found Robin, a god was slain by human hands." Lilith began, earning everyone's full attention more than before.

"What are you saying, Lilith?" Ryoma questioned.

"When a godlike being is killed, his life force can be felt fading away across the cosmos, especially by astrals like myself. This god was from another world, his name was the Fell Dragon Grima, a psychopathic God of Death prophesied by my father to be the youngest but strongest Dark God in the long history of all Divinity, destined to bring about an Apocalypse that can never be averted and replace the Humans of his world with a new race under his dominion and once his masterplan was completed he would invade other worlds with humans and do the same to them, with ours as his next victims but Fate was defiled. A Paradox that made even the Astral Dragon Moro quake from shock erupted and ensured that Grima would be defeated when he was supposed to win and died by the hands of a human who used his own power against him, and supposedly at the cost of his own life. But this Hero did not die, instead, he took Grima's power for his own and became something more, yet human still. And he is known as the High Deliverer."

"That's one of the aliases the Seven Deadly Sins called Robin." Hinoka gasped.

"Odin also mentioned that name before when he, Leo and Zero led that ambush." Takumi muttered.

"Robin… slew a god." Felicia uttered awestruck.

"You have got to be fucking with me…" Jakob mumbled in complete horror.

"I don't understand Grima, nor his abilities but I do know that he was a master of Dark Aether far superior to even the Dusk Dragon and the chaos inside Robin is identical to what I sensed when he died so I'm sure he's the same Godslayer who changed Fate as well as saved our future." Lilith continued.

"Azura, did he mentioned something like this to you?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, he told me that before meeting Corrin he and his former friends were engaged in a war against a rampaging Death Dragon across his world and would've been defeated if not for twelve children who warned them of the danger before the Beast arrived and gave them a fighting chance but he never mentioned how he overcame such odds, nor that he was the one who slew it." Azura said with concern over this revelation.

"And when were you going to tell us that you two were thicker than thieves when even Corrin was kept in the dark?" Azama asked.

"Don't make me break your nose again, Azama. It was not my secret to tell and when I was in distress about what happened in the Opera House and later the Second Attack on Suzanoh, Robin helped me through it and cope with the bad hand I've been dealt with." Azura protested, not noticing the bothered reactions her Hoshidan siblings got from hearing that.

"Sure, confide in the new guy and not the people that have watched your back throughout your time in Hoshido, that makes total sense." Takumi bemused.

"Unless you want to be a demon's meatsuit again, I suggest you drop it already." Azura demanded angrily while blushing. "As I said, it was by mere chance that I learned the truth when Robin and I confronted Laslow and Odin. He was always trapped in a roadblock; it was only now that he chose to seek our help for real and he had to come clean."

"Well, did you also know that Robin's a father?" Sakura asked and even before the Songstress could reply, a brand new frown on her face said it all first.

"No, I did not." She hissed.

"I do not like the way you responded to that question." Ryoma cursed.

"Get over yourself, Ryoma!"

"And what are we to do about Demon's Fall? Those three Retainers are the toughest foes the Nohrian Royals have at their disposal. Their loss could be a huge boom for us." Saizo said.

"But a major blow for Robin's morale as well, he said so himself that he thinks of those three as his kids, as odd as that sounded since there isn't much of an age gap between him and them but that just means there's still more he's still keeping from us but I guess a Demigod works in mysterious ways." Rinkah mused.

"Clearly but that's not important right now." Azura insisted.

"Let's just get to Niflheim and we'll discuss things from there, that is as soon as Corrin snaps out of it and Robin gets what he needs from the Witch." Ryoma said.

"There's still one thing that doesn't add up, Robin's mentioned before that he needs to go to Mount Garou to go home due to instructions given to him by the Rainbow Sage. Is there something there that can accomplish this like a portal to move across Outrealms?" Kaze asked.

"Now that you mentioned it, there does exist a Gateway that can take him to the worlds farther beyond ours but the flaw in Mount Garou is that the Outrealm Gate isn't with the Lycans." Lilith said.

"It isn't?" Felicia said.

"No, the only Outrealm Gate of this world is located someplace far removed from the eyes of humans and beasts alike, a place I assumed for years that only the Rainbow Sage might know of its whereabouts but perhaps I was wrong because there's nothing of real value there." Lilith explained. "Unless the Gate is not what Robin was instructed to find."

"The infinite mystery that is Robin has irked my thoughts for the last time." Jakob cursed.

* * *

Robin arrives back in Nyx's home, about to ask her for more help when she made it clear that she does not want to be involved in any way with this war but has no choice to seek her power, or more accurately a powerful spell that can help him with his desperate plight.

"Back for more I see." Nyx spoke from nowhere and everywhere at once. "You really are a Deadman; you just keep coming for more."

"I'm told I'm glutton for punishment, no pun intended." Robin half-mused.

"Charming?" Nyx replied sarcastically. "What is it this time?"

"I am in need of an item you carry with you. Friends of mine are in danger and I must save them but I can't get the army involved because we must go to Niflheim and I can't be in two places at once." Robin explained his situation.

"Oh, right, the Multiplex. Forgot I had that." Nyx said with sarcasm but there's more humor in her tone this time.

"We're about to leave a little earlier than we agreed and no one's going to be caught in what happens next, so if I have to fight you to get that relic, I will." Robin said with burning determination, getting the Witch to chuckle.

"Oh really, you're willing to brawl with me, how lovely, at least you have the decency to confront me up front, I'll give you that." Nyx smirked, sounding ready for what's coming. "Cool down the firmness, little man, there's no point in two Cursed Bloods to fight one another."

"Does that mean you're going to give it to me willingly?" Robin questioned, a little baffled.

"Consider it a gesture of good will. I'd been keeping an eye on you ever since our first meeting and in many ways we are kindred spirits. I can't seem to recall a time where I felt any sort of bond for anyone. These passing centuries feel more like eons." Nyx said with a hint of longing in her voice that made Robin sad to hear her with this tone. "That girl, Corrin. You've gone through a great many lengths to protect and secure her future for no reason that could ever be considered logical, even when all you want is to hide in the shadows. You have the same look as me, of one who's seen the worst of humanity more so than their best and has had enough of their hypocrisies, their lies, excuses and individualities that breed only famine, pestilence, war and death."

"I did not join this war for anyone's ridiculous notion of justice, yes." Robin confessed. "But she's worth enduring all this strife one last time before I finally make it to the finish line."

"I see. Then I hope for your sake that this Princess you love snaps you out of your shell before it's too late. I've seen enough children meet their untimely demise and their futures ruined for a thousand lifetimes."

* * *

"Where are they?" Leo demanded with a lot of frustration as he has not seen Odin for almost four hours and now of all times he should be beside him as they go to Niflheim. But it's not just him, Laslow has also been conspicuously absent as well. Though he is a shameless flirt who would never miss an opportunity to go after anything with a skirt, he is dutiful with his commitment to Xander, he always seems to know when exactly he needs to be by his lord's side, same with Odin.

"Lord Xander, I can't find Laslow anywhere." Peri sobbed as she and Zero return to the two Princes empty handed as they left to find their respective partners with help from other soldiers but found neither.

"Same here. What a drag." Zero hissed.

"This is not like those two to head out without letting anyone know first. Could something have happened?" Xander wondered with a lot of worry for the two servants and friends.

"Dammit. I'm afraid we can't go fetch them ourselves like usual, we're burning daylight and we have to make sure everything is ready." Leo said turning to two soldiers beside him. "Continue the search for those two."

"Very well." Xander said reluctant to go without searching for his retainer first but they mustn't allow themselves to be delayed much longer. "Let us be off then." As he said so, a Void Traveler makes his way towards them and opens its mouth, revealing the portal within.

"Seriously. You know, its common knowledge that the mouth of a beast is the place people try to avoid the most." Zero muttered reluctant to go in.

"Don't really have much of a choice since it's our final means of fast travel, so quit your whining." Leo ordered as they enter the portal and in mere seconds they exit through another Void Traveler and find themselves in the border of the snowy region where there lies the Ice Tribe where Camilla, Beruka and several soldiers are waiting.

"Greetings, Camilla. Is everything efficiently on this end?" Xander greeted his sister.

"As good as everything can be when the world has fallen apart and only continues to do so." Camilla replied but with little to no enthusiasm, in fact she looks too somber for Xander's liking, and it's not like she's ever had issues carrying out their father's more bloodier orders. Not that Camilla is a heartless killer, that's not it at all but more so that she tries to stay positive as a way to cope with tough situations and get things over with as quickly as possible.

"What troubles you, sister? You seem on edge." Xander asked.

"Oh, is it that obvious?" She asked, her sadness more visible now. "It…it's Selena. I can't seem to find her anywhere, it's not like her to wonder off without letting me know first."

"Wait, she's also missing?" Xander asked, his worries skyrocketing, same as Leo, Zero and Peri.

"Also missing?" Camilla repeated, growing more worried as even Beruka is caught off by this. "Don't tell me something's happened to them also?"

"Unbelievable. If she's also ran off without letting you know then something is most certainly wrong here." Leo uttered, now getting worried himself.

"We both know they wouldn't leave without letting us know first, and those three are no cowards either." Xander said.

"Not even the Whispers seem to have much luck in finding her, that shouldn't be possible, Selena's scent is easy even for me to snuff out." Camilla said addressing the Grimm Beetles, like the one sitting on her right shoulder.

"That sounded wrong." Zero noted. "Tell me more."

"They couldn't have used the Void Travelers, even us Royals are prohibited from going anywhere without notifying the other officers of our chosen subsequent destinations for security measures." Xander said trying to come up with an answer. Those three join the Royal Guard together as part of their reward for rescuing Elise and when not on duty they're seen pretty much always together, even when it seems that Selena prefers to be as far away from the boys. If something big is up that either of them want to do, and when they need help they first think of one another for assistance and when they want to go at it alone, they almost always let one another know first. Even when they're away from each other they're inseparable so whatever has happened, what is certain is that they are together but rather this is good or bad is the true question." Camilla muttered.

"Peri, Zero, Beruka, prepare a search party to find them." Xander instructed.

"You really think they've gotten themselves in a situation that requires a rescue search?" Leo questioned.

"What else could've happened? I know Laslow. I trust him with both your safeties as well as Elise should anything happen to me, and while you have issues with him, Leo, I know you trust Odin as well." Xander declared. "The three of us will be able to lead our forces to confront the Hoshidans, Chevians, Wind and Ice Tribalists just fine until the Nestrians arrive to aid us. How long do we have left before they arrive?"

"In about nineteen more hours, your Highness." A Ranger confirmed.

"Will that be enough for you to breach Niflheim's defenses, Leo?" Xander asked.

"Of course." Leo affirmed.

"Then I leave the wellbeing of your respective partners in your capable hands." The Crown Prince instructed to the three remaining retainers.

"Of course, we'll find something that will lead us to those idiots." Zero complied as the three are on the case.

"Oh, I truly hope nothing bad has happened." Camilla said somberly.

"As do I but sadly we cannot dwell on this matter right now." Xander said as he hardens himself to focus on the coming battle.

* * *

"Huh, second time we end up in a volcano, where treacherous danger awaits and again it was due to a comrade's own machinations." Odin mused to himself as he, Laslow and Selena have been dragged by Zola and his men into the very volcano called Demon's Falls, tied to a wall in chains, close enough to an edge to be thrown into the magma at any moment as the chains can be loosen with magic but neither Odin nor Selena can use magic at the moment as said shackles that bind their wrists are Anti-Magic.

"I would hardly call this pipsqueak a comrade, we didn't even know he even existed until he caught us off guard with that odd shadow spell and dragged us here." Selena scoffed. "At least things were to our liking at Demon's Ingle, that is if you count the issue that Morgan was the one spearheading the fight against poor Yen'fay."

"I faintly recall you being largely enthusiastic about being allowed the chance to be more active in the front lines in that fight." Laslow noted with a smile.

"Well, yeah, up until that point the old geezers were too strict and overbearing about us being too involved in the war but the second falling out in a roll between Robin and dad put the army in a tight spot where more open minds were needed." Selena reminded.

"What are you talking about, we were allowed to join plenty of battles in Valm." Odin countered.

"I remember things differently." Selena huffed. "So, let's put in a few votes, what are our chances of getting out of this?"

"Laughably high, seeing who Zola has chosen to pick a fight with, you would know better than us." Laslow stated.

"I know but considering his new commitments, he's clearly not having a good time at the moment because of us." Selena said.

"Due true. I confess that I still had my doubts but when we saw him again and the look of fear in his eyes when he saw us in a position that brings the most fiendish of shame upon generations of our noble ancestors I knew for a fact that man was indeed the Robin we've proudly call our uncle." Odin declared.

"No shit, ya dingo. Tell me something I don't actually know for once and can genuinely understand." Selena protested, her sharp tongue never fading.

"Come now, lovely Selena, you must learn to smile some more, moments like this demand a certain optimism." Laslow insisted with a smirk.

"If I wanted sound advice from you of all people, I be upfront about it." The rough redhead continued.

"But he speaks truth. That goes especially for you and me, cuzo. After all…"

"Would you three shut up!" Demanded Zola standing up above them from another narrow path. "I get enough troubles as is, I do not need you three whining on and on about whatever! So can it or you fall down!" He warned.

"Not really a threat you can live up to since we're your bargaining chips after you blackmailed the most dangerous man in the continent." Selena hissed, incapable of taking the tiny dark mage seriously, even though he did manage to subdue all three of them and put them in a tight spot as this. "You've read our memories so you know what you've gotten yourself into."

"Yes I have. I dare say this is still a lot to process. Other worlds exist. Gods exist. People coming back from the dead exist. Freaking Time Travel is an actual thing! These are the discoveries of the century." Zola said, contemplating what he's learned. "You little brats have been lucky thus far but all good things come to an end eventually."

"Has that been your life experience, because you look like you know a lot on the subject?" Selena insulted.

"Go ahead and continue to be clever, ''Princess'' Severa. Just know that if I finally snap it's your cousin who will pay the prize for having a bigger mouth than Prince Leo. Gods, you two spoiled brats were made for each other." Zola warned as he takes his leave, having quite enough of Severa's rudeness and unbeknownst to the trio, she actually did get to him as he sheds tears from her insults.

"Poor guy, I kept telling Lord Leo that he needs to be more soft to our comrades in arms, especially those who underperform to raise they're self-esteem." Odin said having sympathy for Zola rather than animosity for kidnapping them.

"Well, that is certainly bitting at us now, still, I can't help but wonder how that little man actually managed to get the drop on us, more importantly how did we get here so fast without a Void Traveler?" Laslow wondered.

"The latter is more important than being humiliated and sucker punched by that loser?" Selena questioned as she is harboring suppress rage from the humiliation she is feeling over being caught by such a fragile man.

"It must be because of that magical lantern he's carrying. It appears to possess surreal powers over illusion and thought manipulation and doubtlessly carries more tricks if he's so confident that he can get away with fighting off Robin and fulfill his avaricious desires." Odin surmised.

"Has to be, I've never seen anything like it. Whatever it is, I'd rather not still be in chains when the fight that's coming begins." Selena growled. "But with these shackles on, I can't even summon Morgenstern. What about you, Las, surely Morgan's toy is still operational."

"You know it." Laslow said as a beautiful silver dagger manifests into his right hand for Selena and Odin to see before it vanishes. "I can still summon one of my many toys from Archangel that can get us out of this mess but there are too many eyes on us that I'm not sure we'll get the chance."

"All I need is one of these shackles gone and I know I can get us out." Selena insisted.

"As much as it pains me to say this but we champions of Fate must endure this humiliation a while longer and wait for the perfect moment to strike." Odin said regrettably.

"I am not a patient woman, you know." Selena hissed.

"And it's because of that why I question how Robin ever took you as his apprentice." Laslow joked.

"Fuck you!" Selena cursed, while getting her two companions to chuckle with delight.

* * *

"Oh my, what a grave crossroad you have found yourselves this time, though not unexpected given Nohr's machinations." Mikoto said as she is being briefed on the current situation again using Lilith's Astral Projections. Even while far away they've still managed to stay in contact.

"Yes but if Robin is right about this, and he usually is then this could be largely beneficial for us, even if the Ice Tribe decides not to join us for the final battle." Azura explained to the Queen.

"I hope everything yields great results, and I'm glad you're all resolving to take this course of action. Allowing Niflheim to fall is too high a call to make just to advance further into enemy line." Mikoto said, pleased with what she's learned.

"You sound just like Corrin." Ryoma mused.

"No duh." Mikoto smiled. "But in all seriousness, how are you Ryoma, I know you've been forced to make too many tough decisions as of late, deciding to rather or not help the tribe is surely another heartache."

"That's an understatement and I am not yet sure which is the right call." Ryoma said doubtful of himself.

"Just remember that you're not alone in this and everything will be fine, for the most part." His mother advised.

"Of course." He replied. "How are things back home?"

"As steady as they can be, and as you can see I'm still alive but even if Nohr does somehow manage to launch another assassination and kill me it pretty much seems pointless since you're all so close to their Capital and you six will still stand so I feel safe in being overconfident for a change." Mikoto said.

"You're never overconfident about anything." Sakura said a little surprised.

"And neither are you and look how much you've grown." Mikoto cheered, causing Sakura to blush not so maddening like usual. "At any rate, Orochi and I have things handled over here so focus only on yourselves and your troops from here on out."

"Easier said than done." Hinoka said as she and the others cannot stop themselves from worrying about what goes on at home.

"I know, dear, homesickness is the worst thing ever. Take it from me who has no idea where she came from and how I long to regain what is lost." Mikoto stated.

"Yeah, that reminds me, when were we ever going to bring up that subject in all family discussions?" Takumi questioned.

"Right, that…"

"Or that Corrin isn't our sister by blood even though that's not really going to stop us from loving her?" Hinoka added.

"Yes, about that…"

"Or the real reason why Uncle Yamamoto was locked away in the chasm." Sakura added herself.

"Well, if you would just give me a chance to answer…" Mikoto muttered.

"Now that it's been brought up, there's a lot of things that need to be addressed but always ignored for one reason or another, even in peace time." Azura realized.

"Yes, we do that too unhealthily often that it's a miracle we get anything done at all." Ryoma said very upset, causing Mikoto to sniff.

"You know… words hurt, you five, and the way you say it is no different than a dagger through the heart."

"I'll tell you what hurts, the exasperation I feel by hearing this. I always knew you all would take forever to actually discuss topics that would naturally be considered too serious for any family at the worse time ever, and I was right, and Orochi owes me 10,000 gold coins." Reina declared.

"Dammit! I hate not being able to see the future." Orochi mumbled as she arrives at the conversation.

"You two took bets on this?" Mikoto uttered.

"You're a wonderful mother, queen and friend, Milady but you got some serious issues that makes you a bit of a loser that gambling is in order for whatever else you do or don't. And I say that fully accepting being beheaded for stepping out of line." Reina mused.

"You two are the worst Retainers, I swear." Mikoto cried.

"Oh, good, a way to lighten the mood, we actually needed this after Corrin's latest volcanic eruption." Takumi laughed with delight.

"Did Cor and Rob get into another fight again? I swear, those two are in desperate need for the best couple counseling in Horus because abusive relationships just won't do, and if the bride is the abuser in the relationship then you know there's something abnormal going on." Mikoto pouted.

"Mother for the last time, they are not a thing!" Ryoma protested.

"YOU ARE NOT THE PATRIARCH OF THIS FAMILY JUST YET! I'm the one in charge and I WANT MY GRANDCHILD!" Mikoto screamed comically at her stepson.

"You can't force Corrin to have a kid just so you can find an excuse to make up for the lost time between you two, mother! It's not right!" Ryoma argued against her, also becoming comical, while everyone else watching are left flabbergasted by what they are witnessing.

"It's not like she's against it. She's already expecting a proposal. Heck she even stole Azura's ring to overcompensate." Mikoto stated.

"That's none of your business!" Ryoma snapped.

"That's none of YOUR BUSINESS!" She snapped back.

"I'M HER BIG BROTHER!"

"AND I'M HER MOTHER! And I want a refund for my stolen time!"

"THAT IS NOT HOW THIS WORKS!"

"Now I remember why we never get anything done right. We always end up bickering against one another over something completely off topic and stupid." Hinoka muttered.

"Yep…" Takumi uttered.

"At least it's not anything awful." Sakura said.

"How does she even know about the ring exchange?" Azura muttered.

"Oh, right, I forgot Robin gave YOU the wedding ring." Hinoka said. "Given our outburst, where are the Seven all the sudden, you think they'd try to possess us again after all the negativity we've been emitting. Especially Pride, Wrath and maybe Greed."

"Why indeed." Lilith muttered.

"Hey, what's with all the yelling, I can hear you from all the way at the end of the camp?" Scarlet interrupted as she enters the tent they are in to find out what is happening.

"Not now, Scarlet. I'm in the middle of something." Ryoma brushed her off, wanting to finish this argument with his mother.

"Oh… goodness, so you're the Scarlet I've heard so much about." Mikoto said with predatory eyes at the Wyvern Knight.

"Ah… hello." Scarlet muttered nervously.

Realizing this is a losing battle, Ryoma averts the conversation by slapping Lilith's Dragonstone off her hands, making the Astral Dragon drop it to the floor and this cause the Astral Projection to be canceled with Mikoto and Orochi fading away.

"Hey, watch it! I still don't know how durable this thing is." Lilith cried as she hastily rushes to pick up her stone.

"No! I was enjoying myself!" Azama cried.

"Me too." Setsuna added disappointed.

"Thank Gods it's over." Takumi muttered.

"What just happened?" Scarlet muttered.

"You saw nothing." Ryoma hastily demanded, sweating like crazy and looking more childish than anyone as ever seen the future King.

* * *

"Ryoma, you petulant child!" Mikoto snapped at this defiance of her son, while Orochi laughs hysterically and uncontrollably, falling to the ground.

* * *

"Hello Corrin." Sakura greeted as the siblings and the retainers visit the distraught Princess as she just got back from taking a shower in the Astral Plane and is wearing her original Nohrian armor.

"Hey, guys." Corrin said somberly but appears to have calmed down well enough. Thank Heavens for the warped time flow of the Astral Plane.

"Are you feeling better now, sis?" Hinoka asked with concern.

"Yeah… yeah! I'm all better now." The Princess replied, feeling more enthusiastic.

"Are you sure?" Felicia asked wanting more confirmation.

"Of course. I've been all alone here for a few days, you know. Three to four, I think. That gave me plenty of time to settle down and cope with my frustrations." Corrin said all innocently.

"Did you take my advice on how to cool yourself off?" Jakob asked looking more worried than the rest of them.

Corrin remained silent for a few moments as she recalls the advise her faithful servant is talking about that she used to calm her nerves.

**(Flashback)**

Fueled by endless grief and anguish, Corrin cries hysterically in the Astral Plane, down in her bed in her tree house, empty bottles of alcohol all over the place, and even outside of the tree house. She's been drinking way too much in a vain effort to make her problems go away but it only makes her feel worse.

"I THOUGHT HE LOVED ME!" She sobbed, losing her mind over Robin's truth. "THAT WE HAD A CHANCE!"

The Truth! Why did she even want it in the first place? One truth after another destroys her more and more on the inside with no mercy to offer. No real closure, only pain. Robin was her one true solace over becoming an enemy of her Nohrian Family and no matter how he may have wanted to, she wanted so badly to tell him not to go. So badly to convince him, beg him to stay with her. She's so afraid of what would become of her if what she has with the Hoshidans doesn't work out either and she might be all on her own in the end. That no matter what happened there was still hope for her in this terrible world.

"I thought… I want… I wanted you to be that hope." Corrin sobbed while holding on to a small portrait of Robin she made using the Dragon Veins. "I thought I meant something to you… that I could make you stay but all along it was… I was… I…" Using her influence over this world she made the portrait change, replacing the image of Robin with Morgan's. HIS DAUGHTER.

"You said you'd never hurt me. You promised… YOU PROMISED!" She once again snapped, throwing the portrait to the ground, smashing it to pieces.

She then proceeds into a bigger rampage as she makes a dummy of Robin and proceeds to beat it to a bloody pulp all around the Hoshidan house and in her berserk state, she uses all her strength and demolishes the house entirely, all the while screaming as she were possessed by Wrath or Envy but she isn't, she's just drunk and mad.

**(End of Flashback)**

"As a matter of fact, I did. Thank you Jakob, it was really refreshing." Corrin complimented him, even going as far as to give him a bow as gratitude.

"I am unworthy, your Grace." Jakob said with a very satisfying grin.

"What advise was that exactly?" Kaze asked.

"Something really violent, no doubt." Felicia sighed.

"Everything looks… clean and smells as nice as usual." Lilith said eyeing her realm suspiciously. She expected this place to be a mess after leaving Corrin alone here but everything looks as spotless and beautiful as ever. "Did you get yourself cleaned?"

"Well, my tree house anyway, I only recently left it to take a shower." Corrin said.

"I can tell by how wonderous you smell like but last time I saw you, you and the whole tree house was smelling like alcohol and something else I rather not go in to detail ever." Hinoka muttered, feeling grossed out.

"Well, duh, I took responsibility for the mess I made and cleaned up after myself." Corrin rolled her eyes.

"You never clean up after yourself." Kaze pointed out.

"First time for everything." Corrin shrugged.

"Also, how much booze did you drink?" Hinoka asked.

"Enough." Was her stepsister's simple response.

"How much is enough?" Ryoma questioned and Lilith immediately rushed to the house to examine how much alcohol there's left and what she found was terrifying.

"YOU DRANK ALL OF THEM! THIS WAS HALF AN ARMY'S WORTH!" She cried with pure terror as all the bottles are gone.

"Yeah, but hey, it pays to have a dragon's liver. I took all of that like a champ." Corrin laughed.

"**NO**! I have a dragon's liver and I could've died from just two bottles." Lilith cried again.

"Well, I am older than you and can handle more punishment." Corrin smirked.

"There's a limit to how much madness I can take Corrin, and this is definitely overkill." Ryoma muttered.

"You're just jealous because I can actually drink my problems away." Corrin smirked again.

"Robin is still alive and he doesn't love you back." Yeah! Takumi went that far just to prove a point.

"HA! Jokes on you, little brother, I can't be harmed emotionally anymore." Corrin declared triumphantly. "I don't think I can actually feel anything right now."

"Are you still drunk?" Azura uttered.

"Probably. What even is a drunk?" She made a stupid question.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay for the journey to Niflheim?" Felicia asked concern.

"Yeah, let's go and see Flora already." Corrin declared cheerfully.

"Good, everyone's all here. Now we can begin." Robin said as he arrives at the Astral Plane, carrying in his hand a silver spherical artifact with occult red symbols all over it.

"Oh, goody, the ''Champion of the Universe'' finally graces us with his presence." Corrin greeted with mocking sarcasm at the lying tactician

"If you're going to keep calling me that as an insult, that's fine but I appreciate not being called a champion period." Robin said nonchalantly.

"Reap what you sow, scoundrel." Jakob smirked.

"If you're going to be a joker then come up with something we can all laugh at." Robin cursed.

"AWWWW SHIIT!" Corrin laughed at Jakob's expense, better giving off how wasted she still is.

"Is that the relic you needed from the witch?" Lilith asked, staring at the relic Robin has with him.

"Yep. it's called the Multiplex, a very powerful relic that will help me with my situation while allowing me to still help protecting the Ice Tribe." Robin explained.

"Well, this at a be good." Takumi mused. "Still, Corrin what happened to your Hoshido Noble uniform? Not that I'm against your White Nohrian armor but I don't think it's a good idea to travel to Niff territory while dressed like one of our enemies."

"You worry too much. I know Flora, everything will turn out fine." Corrin smirked with confidence.

* * *

"In hindsight, I probably should've dressed in something else." Corrin said as the Niffs did not respond well to her wearing this armor.

"YA THINK?!" Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, Azura and even Sakura snapped at her for putting them in this situation. As soon as the Hoshidan Royals arrived in Niflheim they were ambushed by Ice Tribalist soldiers who trap them in blue ice and hold Corrin with several icicles an inch away from her neck and because Felicia is in the middle of her friends the Niffs don't notice her.

"Nohrian Scum! Prepare to die!" Yelled a Niflheim Commander, moments away from executing the wasted princess.

"WAIT! Stop! Uncle Thorfinn!" Felicia cried out as she melts the ice trapping them and quickly rushes to the front to confront the Tribalists threatening Corrin and upon laying eyes on her, all the hate in their eyes turns to shock and relief.

"Felicia!" The Commander gasped, lost for words, unable to believe what he's seeing.

"It's me, Uncle, these are my friends." Felicia pleaded with the man.

"You never said you had an uncle?" Corrin muttered.

"I don't, he's actually a dear friend of the family." Felicia mused.

"Felicia! You're really alive!" Thorfinn declared with joy to see the daughter of his Chief alive and well. "But how? You joined the Hoshidan army instead of rushing back here."

"A lot of trouble kept sowing around me, I got caught up in the invasion and my master defected to the East, the tribe is so far away so I followed her and now Nohr is going to invade. It was a matter of survival before anything else." Felicia uttered.

"Aw, Felicia, I'm not a Dark Princess anymore, so I'm no longer your master, meaning you're back to being an Ice Princess." Corrin cheered.

"Corrin, calling a girl an Ice Princess/Queen is an insult." Takumi corrected her. "And Niflheim's government, or lack thereof, is a Chiefdom."

"But they're a Tribe." Hinata whispered to him.

"It's none of our business." He whispered back.

"But if you're still insistent on being my maid than call me what I've always been. Your Frienster." Corrin smiled a bit too childishly, mixing the words friend and master together.

"Is she high or something?" Thorfinn asked, staring at the princess as if she's demented.

"She's going through a… rough breakup, I think." Felicia muttered very worried for Corrin. "Lilith what else did you hid inside the house with all that alcohol?"

"We were never even a thing." Robin muttered.

"I don't know, it's not like I actually leave drugs anywhere back home." Lilith replied.

"Then why did you entrust me with this ring." Corrin hissed venomously at him, showing off her Icarus.

"Why did we even keep so much booze down there anyway?" Oboro asked.

"I didn't, now that you mentioned it. I entrusted it to Azura." Robin said, looking really irritated to see Corrin have it, souring Corrin's new happy go lucky attitude.

"Assbutt." She pouted, turning away from him childishly.

"Please ignore her." Ryoma sighed, feeling embarrass by his siblings for once in his life but is quick to focus on the Niffs with the composure of a King. "Commander Thorfinn, I am the High Prince of Hoshido, Ryoma, as well as the High General of our army and we have come to offer our aid in the coming danger headed your way from the vile Nohrians."

"An honor to have the next King of Dawn here in Niflheim. Though I must confess that you are either brave or foolish to come here as I have learned that the true motive of Nohr's latest onslaught is to draw you here." Thorfinn replied sternly.

"Speaking logically, this is the latter, however, coming here serves us more so than just forming an alliance with our two nations. I would tell you more but first I ask that you let me speak with your Chief." Ryoma insisted.

"Very well. Follow me." The Commander complies as he agrees to escort the Hoshidans to the main village of the Ice Tribe.

"Did you seriously never noticed that Corrin and I switched rings? It's been over three weeks since you gave them to us." Azura questioned Robin.

"I honestly don't know half the things I say when these rings are involved, Azura. I gave them to you both because I wanted them out of my life but it seems that the sentimental values still runs deeper than I thought." Robin sighed, feeling bad for being harsh to Corrin, and everything else he's done and said to hurt her ever and disappointed at himself. "No matter what we do, we're all forever bound by the memories and bonds with our parents, even in death. To some this is wonderful, while to others it's a curse."

"And do you see it as a curse?" Azura asked.

"I'm not ready to answer that." Robin said sadly. "Wait… Assbutt?"

"What about that stupid insult?" Azura asked, interested in how quick his sadness shifted to a confused one.

"It's just that Corrin isn't the first person I heard use that ridiculous word. Morgan said it to someone who really got on our nerves. In fact, it's practically her catchphrase." Robin mused.

"Well, that is an odd coincidence." Azura mused as well.

* * *

"Oh… my daughter." Said a man with incredible joy as he embraces Felicia in a tearful hug. This is her father, Kilma who is the Chief of the Ice Tribe, a man that is tall and imposing, grey eyes wearing heavy feathered cloak not too different from the uniform worn by Nohr's sorcerers and an iron helmet.

"I… I can't believe it's really you." Sobbed a disbelieving Flora who only now reunites with her long thought dead twin sister. She and her father, as well as all the villagers near the Chief's home could hardly believe their eyes when they saw the former Princess of Nohr arrive with her new Hoshidan Family and were left more speechless when they saw that she brought their own princess with her. If not for the impending danger heading their way that they managed to catch wind off despite the Nohrians at the border's best attempts to hide this secret, this would be a night to celebrate for the family of their Chieftain.

Even in her current state, Corrin watches joyously as her friend reunites with her family, she knows how hard it's been for Felicia worrying about her father, sister and tribe while she was far away fighting a fight that didn't really concerned her until now.

"But how, we heard you fell into the Bottomless Canyon?" Flora muttered.

"It's a long, scary story but Jakob and I were able to ''climb'' back out of that terrible place but it cost us Gunter." Felicia sobbed, recalling those dark moments in the other world hidden below the Bottomless Canyon.

"Thank the Mother of Niflheim for returning you to us my child." Kilma said joyously to have his family whole again.

"It feels so good to be home, father." Felicia cheered.

"And you. You must be Corrin, the one who Garon made maids of my daughters to serve." Kilma said turning to the Princess, and if she was offended by the way he said it, she did well to hide it.

"I don't like the way he phrased that." Jakob frowned.

"He meant no offense by his words, Jakob, but you know that the reason we were sent to live in the Northern Fortress was because we were Nohr's hostages to keep the Tribe from revolting against the Dusk Nation." Flora said with her usual calm demeanor but there were noticeable traces of venom that were easy enough to pick up on for even Corrin.

"Wait, that's the reason why…" Corrin uttered.

Robin always worried how she never knew. It did not take him long to learn of Felicia and Flora's Niflheim origins and the reason why the heirs of the Frost Dragon Bloodline who command one of the most powerful regions in the continent would be working as maids in a secluded fortress in Nohr. The Ice Tribe has tried to fight off Nohr's oppression before and to stop the rebellion, Garon had Chief Kilma's daughters kidnapped to use them as a means to force Niflheim to cease their rebellion. Felicia seemed oblivious of the circumstances to an extent as she felt content with her life with Corrin in contrast to Flora who was secretly bitter of her fate, Robin and Jakob have spotted her shed tears of sorrow once a year, on the day of their mother's birthday who died shortly before the twins were taken.

"You six have a lot of catching up to do and it's best left indoors." Ryoma said defusing the possible argument that could happen as he presents himself to Chief Kilma. "Chieftain of the Frost, it is an honor to be in your presence."

"Likewise, High Prince. Truth be told, when I learned of Garon's latest affront to my people I expected you to not take the bait and flee to the Dark Capital." Kilma said, though secretly relief that they came.

"It was not an easy decision to make, in all honesty but we are here now and we offer you our strength. Together, Hoshido, Cheve, Oldstrong and Niflheim, we will crush Nohr's oppression once and for all." Ryoma declared, tightening his fist for emphasis.

"Of course, but it's not just Nohr we'll be fighting against, you know." Kilma reminded regarding the coming threat of Nestra.

"Yes, we are fully aware and we assure you, that we had nothing to do with the death of King Alexander. We were framed to drag them into this War." Ryoma assured him.

"It's true father, there's this really evil faction that's been harassing Lady Corrin and the Hoshidans for months that are the true cause of this war finally happening. They killed Alexander." Felicia affirmed.

"I'll take your word for it at the very least, Felicia." Kilma said, still harboring doubts regarding the loss of a truly good king but cannot bother to care for it at the moment. "Curse the Dusk Dragon and his true descendants for forcing my heart to grow colder still. I must tend to the militia at once. Flora, stay with your sister at all times."

"Of course father." Flora obeyed with absolution.

"I'll see you two later. Come with me High Prince, we must discuss how we will deal with this menace once and for all." Kilma stated as he reluctantly parts with his daughters to prepare for the fight of their lives and the good of his people.

"Yes." Ryoma replied.

"Time to go to work again." Robin sighed as he follows.

"I better bring forth the others in as well." Lilith said as she also departs from Corrin.

"Let me know immediately when something occurs." Corrin ordered.

"We would all rather you be extra cautious because you're definitely bitting off more than you can chew this time. You, Robin and Azura." Lilith muttered nervously regarding Robin's plan to rescue Selena, Odin and Laslow.

"My Dragon's fury will dull the pain." Corrin whispered.

"Oh, wow, where to even begin." Felicia muttered as she returns to her house after so long with her sister and most of her friends and finally feels a real sense of ease.

"How about just relaxing and not push yourself any further." Flora suggested while sitting beside her in a couch. "And as for the rest of you, I suggest staying close to fire because I imagine anyone not used to these temperatures is not good for you."

"Yeah, we got the hint after we first set foot here." Takumi muttered shivering as he, sisters and retainers stand close to the burning chimney to keep themselves warm.

"Qliphoth, how can anyone stand this cold?" Corrin questioned as she looks at the window and sees all the tribalists passing by. "Not everyone has the blessings of your Sacred Bloodline, do they?"

"No, it's not possible to pass on Shiva's Blessings to everyone in Niflheim so our family can only pass it along to those who form our militia." Flora explained.

"That makes sense. Anyways, Flora, how have you been? We haven't seen each other since I finally left the fort." Corrin said.

"I've been faring well, especially since I'm back home and in my element, considering I had to deal with the loss of all of you." Flora replied with the sadness she's been feeling has not yet subsided, unsurprisingly considering what she was struggling with.

An awkward silence flooded the living room with no one really sure on what to say next. Corrin who is still a little out of it can't seem to muster on what she wants to say, like the most obvious things such as; ''Everything is going to be okay'', ''The Ice Tribe is in good hands now that we're here'', ''It feels great to have nearly everyone from the days in the fort together again'', but nothing comes out. Even the Hoshidans who have no such attachment to anyone from Niflheim are getting uncomfortable by the silence.

"So…" Felicia began, desperate to say something quick to remove the awkwardness but nothing comes to mind.

"So…" Flora repeated.

"There's tension where there shouldn't be any." Jakob muttered.

"This is not how long time friends react in their get-together after a fair amount of time apart." Takumi bemused.

"We know that but there's clearly a lot of… ''ice'' shall we say, that is weighting us down." Corrin said.

"That's racist." Flora pointed out.

"And I made it worse." The Princess mumbled.

"This is all my fault, I've never been one for socializing and I've been called boring many times, even by my own father." Flora muttered feeling down.

"It was pretty selfish of you to always decline Lady Corrin's offer to join our book club." Jakob noted.

"I'm just not in to literature, even my bookworm mother couldn't get me into it." Flora said.

"That must be it. I believe that it's what led her and Felicia to Nohr that is causing this tension for everyone." Kaze gently whispered to Corrin in a low tone that only her dragon ears can hear him despite not leaning closer to her. "I know it's not my place but maybe ''breaking the ice'' is what needs to be done before you can start feeling like friends again."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Corrin whispered back as she knows this needs to be addressed. With a heavy sigh she readies herself. "Your mother, you never told me about her, nor your father. Now that I really think about it, over the last six years since Camilla delivered you both to live with me as my maids all I ever really knew about you both is that you hailed from the Ice Tribe. I never even questioned how you two could still use Ice Dragon magic despite no longer living under the Frost Dragon's Dominion."

"Delivered". That's one way to put it." Flora repeated, the venom from before manifesting, encouraging Kaze and Hinoka to stay closer to Corrin for her safety, though surprisingly and ironically Jakob is the one not making any sudden movement to Flora's words, already familiar with the blue maid's inner thoughts and feels confident that she won't react on them. "I'm curious, since we never really talked about what mine and Felicia's lives were like before we started working for you, what story did Camilla fed you to welcome us with open arms? Something similar to Jakob's own circumstances, I take it."

"Basically, it wasn't after much later that Robin told me that your unique magic with ice is due to having the blood of the Frost Dragon in your veins and well… that's when I began to put things together that I don't really know anything about anyone but I didn't have it in me to question the family." Corrin said feeling terrible about dismissing the flaws she's been fed for so long.

"I figured as much. You were always kept in the dark about the atrocities Nohr suffered, especially the ones they caused." Flora bemused. "As you surely must know at least, the Ice Tribe has lived under a Divine Oath that we would support Nohr through all endeavors for we too worshipped the Dark Lord Qliphoth, the Father of our Foremother, and for centuries all was well in Horus, relations between the Chieftain of Niflheim and Kings and Queens of Nohr were always beneficial and just but then King Garon sat the Throne of Shadows and the poverty in Nohr inexplicably worsen, and they started taking more food than we could provide. Like with Cheve, there was much bickering to maintain the promised bargaining until eventually we too in Niflheim had to draw the line and Garon responded with force. We had the homefield advantage so we were confident in decimating the Dusk Army but in those days, we were still unused to Grimm attacks and our usual methods were no good and they overpowered us. There were a lot of casualties as the Demon King personally waltzed into our home, including our own mother." As Flora revealed her dark tale, she holds Felicia's hand as recalling those days are harmful to them.

"Felicia… Flora… I…" Corrin muttered not sure what to say.

"In the confusion as my father mourned, Felicia and I were then kidnapped to use as hostages to keep us in line but as a sign of mercy, if you can call it that, Garon chose not to annexed our territory into Nohr and let us keep our autonomy to the extent that we continue living our daily lives. And the one who snapped us from our home was…" Flora continued but stopped at the last sentence.

"Who?" Corrin asked.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter who did it, only that it was done." Flora shrugged. "Life in that tower was admittedly not as bad as I initially thought, though we were prisoners, Gunter made us feel welcomed enough, somehow his disapproval of Garon's actions gave me comfort and Felicia took a lighthearted approach to our forceful servitude but no matter what I did, I could never find solace."

"You must hate me then for being forced upon as your master then." Corrin said bitterly.

"No, that's not…" Felicia uttered.

"All those years in that accursed place, the only thing I could feel for anyone was contempt, no more, no less." Flora confessed her true feelings. "But as the years went by, hating you stopped being easy once I came to accept that you were in the dark about what was really going on outside your walls and that you were the true prisoner of the Northern Fortress, and even now, I'm not sure what to feel, except maybe gratitude that at the very least Felicia didn't suffered at all that time. For so long I dreamt of taking her and run away back home but I was always a coward, it took the dark news of her falling into the canyon to finally get away from it all in the turmoil of the Castle."

"Things haven't really been easy for anyone but Flora… if I never made it obvious before, I never once saw you as just my Maid, you were one of the only few friends I ever had." Corrin professed. "I never wanted to see any of you hurt, much less be responsible for any of it."

"I don't doubt that anymore, Corrin but my heart is colder than Felicia's, letting things go is not so simple for me." Flora uttered.

"I can sympathize with that." Takumi whispered somberly.

"Well, now that none of us are living in Nohr's shadows, we can start over, you and Felicia can go back to being your own princesses and whatever else we can do to set things right." Corrin suggested.

"I don't know, it's not like I'll ever be Chief so why not stay your servant?" Felicia said. "Dad will probably urge me to be a commander for the militia anyway."

"Who better, father always spoiled you because you're a prodigy in combat." Flora said. "Shiva's Chosen, the elders called you."

"The praise feels justified, after all you could've kicked Saizo's ass in training all those times if you hadn't chicken out." Hinata noted.

"Is he still giving me death glares when I'm not looking, yearning for a vengeful rematch?" Felicia asked nervously looking at her surroundings.

"He's too busy being grumpy over Lord Ryoma asking Azama for advise on anything instead of him to bother you this time." Kaze said with assurance.

"So, from Princes of Dusk to Dawn, I see, like the rumors told." Flora noted.

"My life sucks even when it wants to be but is pretty sweet when it's not being an assbutt." Corrin shrugged, getting a chuckle from everyone, finally lighting things up in the living room.

"To this day I question where you learned that vulgar tongue?" Flora said. "And assbutt?"

"If I can't figure out this wicked mystery, you certainly can't." Jakob mused.

"Oh, yeah, let's resume opening that can of warms why don't ya." Corrin whined.

"Hey… sorry to interrupt this rekindling." Robin said as he knocks on the door and reveals his face from one of the front windows. "But Ryoma is calling for Hinoka and Taku…" He is left silenced as Jakob throws a knife at him, purposely missing him by an inch.

"Get the fuck out of here! I don't want to speak to you right now!" Corrin demanded ragingly, still heartbroken.

"Rob-out." He replied bemused, disappearing from view.

"Every damn time!" Jakob cursed.

"I used to think him saying that was sexy." Corrin mumbled as the bitterness returns.

"So… I take it things didn't go so well between you two after all." Flora said confused by the animosity.

"No, I don't hate him but I just found out that he lied about a great many things about himself and as it turns out there was never going to be anything between us." Corrin muttered.

"Based on… what exactly?" Flora asked, not sure she wants to know.

"For one, he lied about his amnesia and it turns out he has a daughter." Felicia revealed. "And probably a wife too."

At the mention of that last sentance, Corrin slams her head on the living room table.

"Oh, you mean the Morgan person he claimed to only remember." Flora said, surprised by this. "Well… that's explosively overwhelming. I'm surprised he's still breathing."

"I'll fix that eventually." Jakob declared proudly.

"Let's leave that unfix, please." Sakura muttered.

'This is going to make what comes next all the more uncomfortable.' Azura thought, focused on events beginning elsewhere.

* * *

"It's so hot even from this altitude." Elise groaned flying using the wings of her Gearpack as she fled from Windmire without letting anyone know and following the dark voice's command without any knowledge of it being something other than her own conscious, she follows after Zola but when he warped using a Void Traveler she hesitated to follow as those special Grimm are constantly monitored, there's no way she could use them without letting anyone know, much less without the consent of her parents, so she had to follow the trail elsewhere. Luckily, she has the means to find Zola, through the use of a new magical device the more magical smiths design, a unique looking magenta-colored compass called a Tracer, that works as a tracker to find people, all she has to do is point the red gem located on the back of the compass, as it glows it ''scans'' the chosen target and it instantly becomes capable of pinpointing their location, providing they aren't so far away and she knows that Zola left for Demon's Falls. Sneaking out with her Grimm was the easy part, everyone is too busy to pay attention to her and while Effie and Arthur are dutiful, it's not hard to get them to focus on other matters to buy her time to sneak out.

"It wasn't this bad all those other times I was here." She muttered as she reached the volcano and is growing increasingly heated by the environment the closer she gets to the deadly volcano but that is where the Tracer is telling her that's where she'll find Zola. "This may very well not be my brightest idea, Bucky but there's no turning back now." She muttered, talking to the Geist on her back. "Not every day we can get away with flying into a heavily secured sky after all. Let's go forward!"

* * *

"Zola, sir! He's finally arrived." One of Zola's men came to inform the Warlock that Robin has arrived.

"Goodness, he is fast. Better get this over with." Zola said.

"Shall I get the prisoners?" He asked.

"No, leave them where they are and the arrows pointed right at them, can't take any chances with him." Zola said as he uses his magical lantern to create realistic and tangible illusions of Odin, Selena and Laslow with their mouths covered up as well as six soldiers to restraint them. He also makes an illusion of himself to send and make the exchange with Robin instead, after all, one can't be too careful.

The illusions go to the entrance that leads inside the volcano where the troops station there serving under him are up an arms as they see Robin up above as he arrives and in his arms is carrying both Corrin and Azura who are unconscious.

"Oh, wow, you actually came and with both Princesses as we agreed." Zola said most pleased but at the same time surprised as he was sure he'd take longer to get here and betray Corrin.

"What can I say, Hoshidans are spineless and it's time I go home, so the sooner I get this over with the sooner I can be done with Horus." Robin said callously as he gently drops the Princesses down on the floor.

"My, so much for being a Champion of Light, I guess but I don't like to judge." Zola chuckled maliciously over finally getting her hands on the two deserting princesses. "Finally, my reign can finally begin with Iago gone, I will rule over the Warlocks of Nohr and become a noble."

"Quite the ambitious streak you have, I didn't take you seriously enough." Robin said smugly but not so insultingly. "Those three have better be alright, or this will be a very short lived dream."

"Rest assured, they're alright, I managed to restraint myself in time from cutting the ginger but for the sake of my low self-esteem I had to keep her mouth shut." Zola said glaring at the fake Selena out of the contempt he feels for the real deal and to make sure Robin buys into it, he had the illusion roll her eyes with annoyance and defiance.

"Some things never change." Robin sighed.

"Enough about her, let's talk about these two. Simply pass them here and you can go home and take these brats with you. I am a man of my word, after all." Zola assured him. Though he is not being at all truthful, because as soon as he gets his hands on the Princesses, Zola will use the full power of his lantern to trap Robin inside his own thoughts in a nightmarish prison but for it to work against someone with a strong will like Robin he has to have his guard drop, and what better way to catch a man off guard than to have him embrace his loved ones. Why settle for just two Princesses when he can also bring in Nohr's most wanted.

"Really, then why aren't you here yourself to seal the deal?" Robin asked as he sees right through Zola's charade. "Or my friends for that matter."

"Very perceptive, but can you blame me, you're not exactly one that I should be taking any chances with, especially since you killed Iago." Zola said, maintaining his confidence.

"No, you are wise to be cautious of me as I am of you, which is why you won't be getting these girls until I get those three back." Robin demanded.

"My, aren't we peaky but let's be reasonable, Robin, you're surrounded and you are alone, regardless of how powerful you are, even you can't punch, slash and blast your way out of this one and I alerted the troops below to rush in the moment they hear anything over here and my boys are quite noisy when they need to be." Zola smirked.

"You have me there. However, what you failed to realize, Zola, something that everyone standing in my way have always failed to realized, is that I am always three steps ahead and I'm close enough for this!" Robin said as he rushes for the fake Zola, grabbing him by the neck, lifting him to the air and the other illusions fade away, except for Zola who is now terrified.

"W-W-What?!" Zola gasped in horror as the Zola Robin just caught is the real one. "H-How did you do this?! I kept myself safely inside the volcano?!"

"A little hex I picked up long ago that lets me perform pseudo-summoning through the use of illusions." Robin smirked triumphantly. "Now…"

Zola howled in frustration over being made a fool of and hurls his lantern at Robin's head to use but Robin tosses it off his arms as it drops to the floor behind him.

"I am willing to let this all slide Zola. The Royals don't know about your actions so if you let them go now, your life won't be in danger." Robin offered the dark mage mercy.

"NO WAY! I waited too long for this moment! I won't be pushed around by you or anyone else ever again! I'll kill you! I swear it!" Zola vowed now growing with malice and to Robin's horror, his eyes become briefly demonic.

"You too!" Robin cursed as he throws Zola to the floor and summons Morgenstern to pull out Ragnell. "The Seven have gotten to you as well? How many do they have under their clutches then?"

"The Seven? What are you talking about?" Zola asked, oblivious that he is being used by demons. "Forget it! Just die alre-!" The greed-influenced Warlock is silenced as he gets himself bashed into the ground by the monstrous arm of Corrin, as the Princess was conscious the whole time.

"Oh, Shit! Zola's down!" One of his men who was standing on an upper narrow path witnessed the event unfold yelled. "Quick, get the prisoners!" They rushed back inside to get the Awakening Trio.

"Crap, things just got complicated." Robin protested as he summons two more weapons from Morgenstern to pass on to Corrin and Azura, a Brave Sword and Silver Lance. "Grab him, we might be able to use him as a meat shield, that is if he's still alive."

"He's only out cold, which surprises me the most since I lashed out more than I intended when it turned out he was another of their puppets." Corrin said as she nearly had a panic attack after Robin mentioned the Seven + Zola.

"It really shouldn't be surprising if they are involved in any way." Azura said as they rush inside the volcano. All the while, a mysterious hawk with glowing red eyes and black smoke coming out of its body has witnessed the whole event and tales them into the coming battle.

* * *

"Well, so much for that puppet." Muttered Greed as her eyes are glowing as red as the hawk's that she's controlling as a familiar to see events happening in Horus. Beside her is Wrath who are on top of a rundown tower far away from the castle they're living in what must be the bizzare world Felicia and Jakob mentions with floating islands above them.

"No matter, Zola did his part in luring Corrin, I knew she couldn't resist chasing after Robin's past." Wrath smirked triumphantly. "And the real boss fight is waiting inside, and the best part is that we don't have to pull anymore strings for what comes next."

"Speaking of strings, my familiars in Niflheim are showing me that those three are still there so why am I also seeing them in Demon's Falls?" Greed asked. "Are they using a Multiplex?"

"It's the only logical answer." Wrath affirmed.

"I thought those could only make one replica at a time."

"Apparently there are a few special versions of those toys."

"Then who's the real one, I can't tell unless I'm up close and personal?"

"I don't know but the real Corrin had better be in Demon's Falls otherwise this will all be for nothing."

* * *

"What are we seeing?" Azura muttered.

"Well, things definitely just got worse." Robin mumbled.

"This cannot be happening." Corrin uttered with despair. The Awakening Trio are safe and already free before they got here as Zola's men have all been apprehended by the Grimm they have with them who turned on them and the one who caused this is Elise who arrived first and is already standing beside the trio.

"I knew Leo and Iago were hard on Zola but I never would've guess their bullying would get anyone to go crazy." Elise said sadly as the three tell her partially of what is going on.

"It is a sad tale that many people go through I'm afraid. What to do with him now, though?" Laslow said.

"Glory on this day, dearest Elise Shadow! To be rescued by you is surely a sign of things to come for our future!" Odin praised with gratitude over this rescue.

"Oh, stop it, you're making me blush." Elise giggled.

"Oh, brother." Selena muttered and rolling her eyes with the typical annoyance these two bring when together.

"Tell me, oh great Princess of Twilight, what dark and powerful voice spoke to you from the deepest shadow to tell us of our imminent danger and rush to our safety?" Odin asked with his typical humor.

"Something stupid I take it." Selena whispered.

"Some angry and scary voice that kept telling me to chase after Zola." Elise explained nonchalantly.

"Ah, excellent! So I was right all along, you truly ar-"

"Oh, crap!" Selena cursed as she notices Robin, Corrin and Azura are also here, getting the other three to turn to face them. "You actually came for us."

"Why are you so surprised by this?" Robin questioned.

"This all feels so wrong for some reason." Laslow muttered, getting a bad feeling about this.

"C-Corrin!" Elise gasped upon seeing her sister again.

"Elise…" Corrin uttered, not sure on what to say. Facing the young princess feels harder than confronting Xander and Leo because she always felt the closest to her out of her four foster siblings.

"I'm starting to see what you mean." Robin said, now feeling the same as Laslow.

"Elise… what was it you said about an angry voice in your head?" Corrin asked, getting an awful feeling in her head.

"Corrin, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your…" She can't even bring herself to say it.

"That doesn't matter right now." Corrin brushed off her question and hastily asks her own. "The voice you heard, Elise, what was it? When did you start to hear it?"

"You don't really think it's one of them, do you?" Azura uttered with horror at what she is implying.

"I… I don't have to talk to you about anything anymore." Elise tried to put on a strong front while looking away from her. From the negativity their Princess is emitting, the Grimm react and draw closer to the Hoshidans and surround them, not that Corrin cares for them.

"You have to! One more time, Elise. You… you've made a terrible mistake coming here." Corrin protested fearing the worse for Elise. "I don't know what to say to make you believe me but I still want what's best for you, how badly I wish things could be different."

"What's best for me? Do you even have any idea what you've done?" Elise questioned still refusing to look at her. "A lot has changed since you left, and since the war started. Us siblings, well… We were all so upset over losing you, we could hardly look at each other anymore… Now Xander's always gone, Leo's buried himself in his machinations, and Camilla barely speaks. Mother and Father are trying to keep everyone together but even they've begun to fall apart from all the tension and now all they do is argue. It's like the heart's been ripped from the castle."

"I swear, I never wanted this to happen to you. I never meant to bring you pain. I love you. I promised to always be with you through and through but I can't keep that promise." Corrin said. "I still wish that my place wasn't in Hoshido but it is. I was never going to stand by all of you with this cruel war even after accepting its importance to the Nation but there's a better way, father won't listen so I have to fight. I don't expect you to understand but…"

'**ONE WEAK LINK CAN BREAK THE CHAIN OF A MIGHTY DYNASTY! AND NOT ONE OF YOU SHALL BE MY WEAK LINKS**!' The cold words of her father that have imbedded themselves into her mind, same like her siblings resurfaced upon thoughts of considering Corrin's words started to manifest, only for those same thoughts to be buried deep into darkness, and under the influence of all the stress she was forced to witness and her own fear of being a disappointment, the innocent princess beloved by her people as a sunshine of hope in a Kingdom ruled by Darkness at long last snaps, just as the Sin of Wrath predicted and without actually influencing her as he smirks with triumph over what is to come next.

"NO! NO! I don't want to hear it! You're just a traitor!" Elise yelled, surprising all in the volcano, from the detained Nohrians, the Trio she had rescued and her former sisters now enemies and while not really surprised, the Grimm respond to her wrath, becoming more feral, yearning for the chance to ravage the enemies who are causing their Princess turmoil

"Elise…" Corrin gasped, left completely speechless by this unexpected outburst.

"I'm getting my family back together, even if I have to do it alone! And you… you… you were never a part of it!" Elise declared, proving that words can be just as deadly as she already utterly destroyed Corrin with those words who swears a dam just broke behind her and she is now drowning in the violent waves.

"Dear Elise, please don't be reckless. It doesn't have to be this way." Azura pleaded with her, affected by her words as well.

"Yes it does! I'm bringing all three of you in. Bucky! Everyone! Assemble!" She ordered, raising her staff upwards and all the Grimm move to her side for battle.

"Elise, don't fight us, it will only end badly." Robin too pleaded, refusing to hurt her.

"Badly for you, because it's MORPHING TIME!" She declared now pointing her staff against her foes.

"Now, now, Milady. There's no need to continue being hasty, just stay back and let us handle this." Laslow pleaded, concern for her mental state. "You really shouldn't-" His words go silent as a Beowolf takes a bite out of her arm. "WHAT THE?!"

"Oh my Gods!" Odin shouted as the Beowolf then dissolves into black miasma that is absorbed into Elise's body and more Grimm begin to assault her one by one and merge with her, all the while she makes no reactions to what is being done to her as this is her own choice and once they have all been consumed, Elise floats upwards, while covered in all the smoke. All the while they all watch as the sphere of black smoke starts to take on a shape, now appearing like the Dusk Dragon himself, looking down on the Hoshidans with disdain.

"What… what's happening?" Azura uttered completely baffled by what's happening.

"She's absorbing the Grimm and fueling her magic power beyond her body's natural capacity." Robin gasped, unable to believe the power he is feeling from Elise.

"Grimmafication! She's actually using it." Odin surmised.

The Dragon above them makes a mighty roar that can be heard from outside with the volcano shaking but not enough for it to erupt and flood everyone with lava. The miasma forming Qliphoth soon dissolves and out comes Elise, completely changed and taking on a subhuman form. Now her skin is completely as paled as the moon, with her hair equally white and no longer tied in her cinnamon pigtails and is now loose and floating above her. She's also taller now, looking more like a seventeen year old, closer to Leo and Takumi's height. Her eyes now have jet-black sclera and glowing crimson irises, dark purple veins now visible that line her face and legs, as well as a black diamond-shaped marking in the center of her forehead. Her favored dress is gone and replaced with a form-fitting black dress with long sleeves, and four high-cut leg slits that partially show off her legs and low-heeled black shoes. And finally she has six jet-black angel wings that have grown on her back.

"Eli-Elise…" Corrin lies now paralyzed unable to believe what she's seeing as the sister she's adored for so long is now gone and transformed into something else, now looking like she can live up to the tittle of Demon Princess.

"I'll show you the power of the Dragon you once revered." Elise avowed, her voice still as childlike as before so she's not completely gone and then a new, magenta-colored staff manifests into her right hand, matching, if not surpassing its owner's height, and being divided into two large, inwardly curved antlers near the top; considerably below those, the weapon begins to be overlaid with darker magenta leopard-skin spots that extends up to the antler's tips and several magic circles also manifests around her as she prepares to show off her new power.

* * *

**Well… all good things come to an end, a child's innocence is never an exception, especially in times of war, as hard as it is for some to grasps or accept but… Elise is a Fire Emblem character and even children become adapt at killing far too early. And yes, you read it right, Grimmafication. Came up with it out of inspiration from both RWBY's main antagonist, Salem as well as Hollowfication from Bleach. Fell in love with the series after learning about this unique concept and since the relationship the Nohrian Royals have with the Qliphoth's monsters is basically symbiosis in a way I have yet to explain I figured a transformation would be cool, and so there we have it. Even Elise raises arms against Corrin for leaving her behind. Elise's support with Azura and the Conquest chapter Black & White shows that our beloved cinnamon roll holds some hostility towards Sakura and by extension Hoshido for coming between her and Corrin, at least in the beginning and we really can't really fault her feeling this way, given the circumstances beyond her control. Robin's secret is out, Corrin is livid and devestated but there's still hope for her if you haven't figured it out yet. I'm drawing closer to the climax but I can't give a clear estimation on how many chapters are left, it's complicated for me to say the least but at least I guerentee that it will be completely way before the end of this year, wish I could say the same about the pandemic but beggers can't be choosers.**

**Also, because on how much the lore I'm building up has change the farther I go, a lot of things I've written before are becoming contridicting and you've all may have notice that I have begeun to rewrite the chapters and I will do so for all of them to keep with the current paste.**

**Till next time and as always, please leave me some reviews.**


	28. Chapter 28: Death in the Family

**Chapter 28: Death in the Family**

"Everything's ready for the invasion." Leo assured his two older siblings as they can now commence their assault on Niflheim. "Nestra's army will be here in just an hour, maybe less hopefully, we need only stall for time and our combined might will surely put a stop to them once and for all."

"You make it sound like Corrin and the Hoshidans will take the bait." Camilla said while mounted on her ever faithful Wyvern.

"Of course they'll come to aid the Ice Tribe, this is Corrin we're talking about. She's too soft for her own good and we know Flora is here, who she'll definitely want to protect which will do us wonders since the Hoshidan Royals won't let her go alone, and besides, there is benefit to taking these lands for themselves." Leo surmised.

"You speak on how our Cancel Spell does not reach this Region, allowing them to use their Warp Scrolls yet again." Xander deduced. "Yes, coming to Niflheim will in actuality draw them closer to the Capital. Something Father must've known was a possibility."

"Of course he did, it was a heavy gamble but one that he surely surmised the Hoshidans thought of this as well, more specifically Robin who's the true adversary spearheading the march." Leo said. "Father always did find him interesting."

"It matters little since they will have to focus all their efforts on fighting off the higher numbers we've amassed, they will not risk going forward at the moment until this battle is over." Xander said.

"So we have them right where we want them then, for once." Camilla concluded.

"Most likely, that is assuming we don't fall for another of his deceptions." Xander said, becoming unnerved by the risks of challenging Robin, given his ability to outsmart them at every turn and though he'd never admit it, not having Iago to aid them lowers his already decreasing confidence in their chances of victory, even if he is glad the Sorcerer might actually be dead. He wasn't having much luck in getting any dirt on him over the last few weeks with the aid of those he can trust with espionage. Iago covered his tracks way too deep to leave anything that would jeopardize his career and place as his father's right hand man, and someone like him surely has too much dirt on his hands, but nothing that could proof Corrin's claim of his crimes against the Royal Family when she was still one of them.

Now that he thinks about it, why is he looking for such evidence to discriminate someone so important to the army? Not like that will change the fact that Corrin has abandoned them, and he sincerely doubts, unlike Camilla and Elise that there's anything that can be done to restore what's been broken, especially with his Father's ever increasing wrath and even though his Mother doesn't want Corrin dead, it's farfetched to say that she'll be willing to let her actions slide. When it comes to his stepmother, his thoughts and concerns focus solely on Azura, who too has betrayed Nohr, taken over by Hoshido's beliefs after so long with them.

Ah… that's it. That is what's been aching at him, how Azura fell to the same circumstances as Corrin and yet chose to side with her captors instead of her true family while Corrin did the complete opposite. But then again, she didn't make a decision with a sound mind so it's not completely the same circumstances but recent events say otherwise. Maybe it was all Robin's doing? No. Now he's just looking for an excuse to lash out like Camilla. Robin has no love for Nohr, that much he picked up on long ago and while there's no way to know how he felt about Hoshido prior to joining their army, something on the back of his head is convinced he doesn't really care for them either, at least not enough to fight for them but certainly defend. As a man with no past, his only concern would be no different than a duckling imprinting himself on the first thing he sees upon his first taste of life, naturally the mother but in his case Corrin. There's no denying that there is a strong chain binding them together, and how Xander wishes he didn't know how tightly Corrin wants her hold on him to be but what matters is that he had no part to play in her choice, he was merely a follower, just like Jakob and Felicia have done.

Maybe the reason he's thinking this is to prove to himself that it wasn't his fault she left, unlike before as he blames himself for Azura being taken. For not being strong enough to protect her when those ninjas came looking for Corrin and instead they found her and decided to make an example of Nohr and he was the only one who discovered the danger and could respond quick enough. He was a prodigy in swordsmanship even back then but that meant very little. All he could do was watch his stepsister be taken away as he lied on the ground bloodied and beaten, he should've died of bloodlust but one of the ninjas who clearly lacked their code of honor decided to finish the Crown Prince off himself and it was not to be an act of mercy but in the end he was saved, not by his father as he always hoped. But by **him**…

"Brother?" Leo called to Xander, who's been lost in thought for a while there, which is not like him, but then again, things are not how any of them would prefer, Leo too doesn't want to attack Niflheim. He always admired the Children of the Frost Dragon and he has admitted to Camilla that he does kind of like the Ice Twin Maids, at least enough to understand why Corrin tolerates Felicia's incompetence.

"It's nothing worth mentioning." Xander shrugged. "Tell me Leo, with your complete honesty, what are our chances without the aid of our Nestrian allies?"

"As things stand now, best case scenario, both armies end up killing each other with only the strongest left standing." Leo surmised. "I say that with confidence because while the Niffs can quite literally bring their lands down on us or pierce us with icicles exploding from the ground, our new state-of-the-art equipment will surely put a mockery to their Ice Magic but regardless the Hoshidans keep getting stronger as the battles prolong, especially Corrin. Her use of her sword, that I still cannot grasps is really THE Yato is improving in more ways than one. And of course there's Robin who killed Iago."

"At least he did something right, for once." Camilla hissed, feeling a semblance of gratitude for Robin.

"Shut up. Our chances of conquering our foes is still on an even field that is not to mine, nor father's liking, there's just too many scenarios where this next battle can go that I see no other with promising results than the one I've concocted for us at this moment." Leo said bemused. "If only we were strong enough, we might actually have a real chance to win if we could access Grimmafication."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Leo. There's a reason father prohibited access to such power. Absorbing the Grimm into our bodies in an effort to awaken the hidden power of our sacred bloodline and growing closer to Qliphoth puts incredible pressure on our bodies, though it won't kill us it will be incredibly difficult to function properly as human beings." Xander reminded him. "There's something the three of us lack that father has mastered, which is why he can transformed successfully but that in of itself is not without risk to his very being, hence why we all agreed that he should remain behind as our trump card if all else fails."

"And you think this fight will be the moment when he will finally make his move and show off his true power?" Camilla asked.

"I'm sure, he did not need to tell us, we still have to wait and see for ourselves." Xander said. "Now that I think about it, I remembered father and mother speaking regarding Elise's fascination and connection with the Grimm and theorized that perhaps she too has the potential to transformed successfully."

"That sounds more like them doting on her again." Leo bemused.

"One never knows. Enough of this, its time. Prepare to march." Xander declared.

"Finally." Camilla mused. "Aren't you going to give one of your famed speeches to boost morale?"

"Don't really feel like it this time to be honest." Xander declined somberly.

"How unlike you, brother." Camilla commented, rather displeased.

"Why bother filling our soldiers with more empty promises?" Leo replied. "I think it's better this way."

* * *

"Milady, the Nohrian army will march soon. Are you ready?" Kaze called to Corrin from the guest room in Felicia's house she stayed for the night while he waits outside.

"Give me a second and… done!" Corrin said as she finishes dressing up and exits the room, again dressed as a Hoshidan Noble. "I swear putting this thing on is such a pain."

"If there is discomfort you should've consorted with Oboro, she would've redesigned a superior version for you." Kaze advised.

"I wanted to but Takumi practically begged me not to since she would've gone overboard one way or another." Corrin joked. "Is everyone else more ready than me about this?"

"That is kind of an inappropriate question, Milady." Kaze said.

"Had to ask because I'm never gonna be at a hundred percent with these fights." Corrin sighed as they head out to meet with the others but stops upon realizing that her ninja ceased following her. "I'm noticing a lack of footsteps on your part, Kaze. Something on your mind?"

"There's always something on my mind, same as you, Milady and I'm afraid that I can't let your words slide, much less be content with letting you fight with such a poor mentality." Kaze said as he has been just as troubled as her family over how fighting Nohr has been affecting her day by day.

"Of course you have, and I can't blame you for thinking as such, after all who wants a leader that doesn't want to fight the oppressors of their home." Corrin said with neither bitterness nor sarcasm and is simply stating the facts.

"It is not my place to judge, only follow. You've been dealt a cruel hand and though you are reluctant, you've responded to the best of your abilities and stood beside us in our time of need. Even though it may mean little coming from a mere servant, I am forever grateful that you chose to stand for Hoshido, and even if we are defeated and fail to dispel the Darkness, I will still be grateful, serving your family has been mine's greatest honor." Kaze praised with his usual charm and passion. Corrin has to admit, if her romantic thoughts weren't set on Robin, Kaze might've been the one because that smile of his is breathtaking. She wonders if Saizo has a good smile as well, they're twins after all.

"I recall us having this same conversation when we began our march and I unintentionally blurted out how reluctant I felt about all this." Corrin recalled.

"I remember, you were scared that others would overhear you and become more open about their distrust but it was just you and me that time but I have not been completely open with you, have not had the courage to be more honest with you." Kaze confessed.

"You? Not honest enough? I get that Ninjas are all about secrecy among other things but what could you possibly be hiding?" Corrin wondered but while curious she gave no real command and is not worried that whatever he has to say will be as bizarre as Robin's revelation.

"You are a kind master, Lady Corrin, which is why I cannot stand to come off as deceptive in any way. There's something I haven't told you about myself. Something for which I should never be forgiven, no matter how much I wish to repent." Kaze said sadly.

'Coming from a ninja that's not really surprising.' She thought.

"I am a worthless servant. It is my fault that you were kidnapped and taken to Nohr." Kaze revealed.

"Your fault? What did you do, Kaze?" Corrin asked confused.

"We had all traveled to Cyrkensia that day, and I noticed Nohrian forces in the city. The same forces that would later kill our late King and take you away. But I was young, and I didn't know what their presence meant… so I said nothing." Kaze confessed.

"Oh… well, by your own description, it's not your fault. How could you have known what would happen?" Corrin said, not even feeling the slightest hint of hostility towards him.

"I come from a long line of ninja that have long served the Hoshidan royalty… I began my training at an early age. If anyone should have known, it was me. For such incompetence, I should have paid with my life. There's no way I can ever heal the suffering I've caused you and your family of light. I should not even be allowed to speak with you… everything you've suffered through is because of me. I am so sorry, Lady Corrin for all of your pain." Kaze said now more bitter than she has ever seen him ever.

"Oh, Kaze, you've been bottling all this up and beating yourself up about it and I've been too hung up on myself to notice. But… I believe now is the time for us to forgive and move forward. Besides, knowing you, you've obviously professed this to mother and yet she still holds you with high regard so all is forgiven. Why not forgive yourself when you've made up for part of it. After all you were the one who returned me, were you not?" Corrin reminded.

"Returned you?" Kaze repeated.

"Did you seriously forget? You were the one besides Rinkah and Orochi who brought me back to Hoshido and introduced me to my stepfamily. Even though I was ungrateful, you gave me the chance to meet them." Corrin continued.

"But…"

"Kaze, you once said that you were not a good man, and I treated that statement as the words of a liar, and yes, given your profession, you must've done questionable things for Hoshido's notion of justice or perhaps not but I know who you really are, even if you can't accept it, I know enough to know I can trust you with my life and that of our friends, and you have repaid your debt to me. So, please, let us never talk of this again. Will you promise me that?" Corrin requested but Kaze remained in silent contemplation, clearly needing to process this and it might not take long since he is a fast thinker. "Well?"

"Yes, I promise." He swore.

"Good." Corrin smiled satisfied by his response. He next then begins to chuckle. "Something funny popped into your mind?"

"Not at you per say. This is just the first time that I got a chance to see the real resemblance between you and your mother. As you said, Lady Mikoto was quick to forgive me when I revealed to her of my failure. It was a year after we lost you. She and Yukimura took notice of the quick progress of my training and started discussing on which of your siblings should I serve as a Retainer since at the time, they each only had one directly serving them. I couldn't accept their praises any longer so I told them the truth and awaited my punishment but they brushed it off as if it was no big deal, same with Lord Ryoma, Lady Hinoka and even my brother. They've all told me the same thing, that I was simply too young to notice such danger, much less that Garon would dare launch an attack on neutral territory. We were all made a fool of that night." Kaze reminisced. "I'm always left awestruck by such kindness, it helps me forget how sick and twisted humanity truly is and that hope does exist, I just haven't been looking all that well."

"You and me both." Corrin mused. "So, how about it then, shall we go and fetch us that same hope together. For what it's worth, you guys are what really keep me going forward." She offered.

"You need not ask, Milady. Like Jakob, I'll always be at your side, and you can trust that I'll be more subtle about it." Kaze bowed.

"I'm counting on it. I cherish him but good heavens am I in a constant hunt for a breath of fresh air when he acts out of proportion." Corrin joked as the two head outside where the others are waiting.

"You ready for what's coming?" Azura asked Corrin.

"No. But let's do it anyway." Corrin replied, while holding on to Yato tightly as it glows with its divine color. "How long do we have left?"

"They'll be here in a few moments. We're ready but with how unpredictable Nohrians are, we expect that they'll push through regardless." Flora advised.

"That's Nohr for you but they'll fail all the same." Robin assured.

"This is a first, it's not like you to speak with overconfidence." Jakob noted, surprised.

"I'm never overconfident when leading troops under my care, I'm just stating facts. I know Nohr will reach this village one way or another, but as things stand now, it's all or nothing and we all aim to win." Robin stated.

"Does this mean your threw holding back?" Corrin asked.

"That depends on Leo and Xander. Whatever does happen, I just hope you lots can keep up and that in spite of everything, you can still trust me to help end this war." Robin said.

"On that we'll just have to wait and see how long you can last now that Nohr is officially done holding back." Takumi replied.

'That means little for Corrin since you're not even the real deal.' Azura thought as the Robin with them is the clone made by the Multiplex while the real one left to rescue his other friends with hers and Corrin's clones.

* * *

Nohr begins its assault on Niflheim, sending in the Grimm first, wasting no time in roaming through the icy land, heading towards the main village that is the central power of the entire region. They take that, then the Ice Tribe falls. Not that they're expecting it to be easy as the Tribalists are anything but simple and the battle commences with massive icicles bursting out of the snow to impale the black beasts, though these Grimm are surprisingly more agile than the rest thus far with many of them able to avoid the icy blades but plenty still get caught in it. And from the back, the rest proceed onward unopposed, some able to resist the ice attacks without trouble and even smash through the ice. A massive wall of ice is then created that spans pretty wide that the smaller Grimm cannot penetrate and it falls to the bigger ones to charge in and smash their way through, such as a few Goliaths, aiding them are another type of Grimm: the Megoliaths.

Also elephant-like, they are bigger than the regular Goliaths and more resemble the extinct mammoths, possessing shaggy-looking fur, a larger mask with two pairs of eyes, and bone fragments that appear ice like in appearance. They have a primarily black body, with four giant white tusks and a spiked bone-like mask. The front tusks point forward, while the back tusks point to the sides.

Among them is a truly ferocious beast, almost twice the size of the other Megoliaths, an Alpha, has larger and sharper spikes on its back and horns atop the mask. It's front tusks is much larger and curve back toward the face before curving again to point up. It has additional armor on its lower legs and trunk. There are red markings along the sides of the trunk.

With such overwhelming numbers, the ice wall is easily broken to bits and move forward, but the moment they did so the ground behind the wall explodes with a raging inferno that engulfs the demons. Another of Rinkah's explosives.

* * *

"They're marching in much faster than we thought." Rinkah notes as they all see the large explosion from the village's frontline that is far enough from them. "Surprising, given that they are sending in the big boys first."

"Is there no way to keep them from getting any closer?" Hinoka asked.

"With those numbers there isn't much we can do about that but blaze ahead and aim for the neck once they're close enough." Ryoma said.

* * *

The explosion took out many more Grimm but the strongest like the bigger ones, resisted much better and still they persists, determine as usual to blindly carry out their orders. It is then that they meet more oppositions from their Light Counterparts who are formed in the hundreds and strike each other down with no mercy or concern for one another, while from the back, Mages from Hoshido, Cheve, Oldstrong and Niflheim prepare to cast their powerful spells and unleash a barrage at the distracted Grimm while trying to avoid harming their vanguard but that in of itself is too challenging.

The strongest creatures remain tenacious and shrug off the injuries thrown at them and will soon go crush the opposition, only to be stopped still as the Megoliath is cut in two by Robin who flew in unannounced, slaying the beast instantly with Ragnell.

"Excalibur!" The Master Tactician howled as he summons a mighty tornado and sends it after the other Goliaths and Megoliaths and rips them apart, though some are sturdy enough to still stand despite ending up with critical wounds. Nothing that Ragnell can't fix.

And thus begins Robin's latest plan. They need to buy time for the remaining tribalists who can't fight to evacuate, there's a safe passage that Nohr can't reach just yet that they can take to flee to a secure area in Niflheim that Chief Kilma guarantees will be untouched from all the chaos, once that is done, all they have to do is beat the Nohrians in their own game, once Nestra arrives to aid them, the odds of losing for the United Army against Nohr will raise significantly, the Nestrian Force is just too formidable to go against, especially in these conditions but if they can at least beat Xander, Camilla and Leo, who they know are the ones leading this assault, then they can still turn this around and there's a trump card or two that will push Nestra away from this. Robin's Replica will lead the Vanguard and try to overpower Xander's own, and focus all attention to him, the Dark Royals have a deep resentment for the Tactician, something that has become common knowledge in the West about Robin's ties with them and how he's the reason Corrin's the Scourge of Nohr in the first place, even the Niffs made a big deal about it.

With Robin acting as bait, all in the front with mainly constructs to back him up, they're hoping that at least one of them will get riled up and break formation, and everyone practically put it into a vote that candidate will be Camilla who will give them that chance. Once enough chaos has been amassed, a squadron led by Ryoma will move in to engage while Takumi, Sakura and Fuga stay behind to help Kilma lead the main defense. They'll know the signal to march when they see it. Corrin was supposed to stay with the latter unit but her being her, she's forced herself to fight alongside Ryoma and Hinoka. And since the Robin they are with is a fake, there's little cause to worry about his wellbeing but that factor hasn't sunken into all the minds of Corrin's inner circle so worries of any kind are still unavoidable.

None of them expect things to go according to plan this time, doubtless they've made it this far without some luck but more so trusting more in cunning, sharp wit and will but now is a good a time as any to feel lucky because there's no way this fight will be easy, much less go according to plan. After all, if they succeed then the next battle will be in Windmire and that fight will definitely not be easy, since they'll be going up against Garon, the much feared Demon King of Nohr and his Shadow Queen.

"Come on then, Leo. Impress me." Robin dared as he channels power from his tome to unleash another powerful spell. "Blárblade!" He calls out as multiple blue energy swords manifest around him and they number in the hundreds and sends them raining down on the foes below, with very few actually able to avoid the extremely sharp blades that easily do the job against his targets, and as the human forces are finally within view, the blades go for them as well and they are rescued by a grand wall of large vines that provide wonderful defense against the storm of swords. Leo has enter the fray.

"Alright, now what do you have for me this time?" Robin mused to himself.

He gets his challenge as multiple white metallic handheld canisters are thrown from within the plant-like wall by the soldiers behind it and as soon as they land on the snow, they all combust, releasing the dark blue liquid substance within that do something to the snow as it melts into water, surprising Robin as that shouldn't be possible in this cold temperature, melting is out of the question without a strong heat source. What's more, the water becomes black and more of the snow keeps melting too rapidly, even in the areas where the blue substance hasn't reach as the effects seem to be contagious.

Just then an unmounted Rod Knight appears standing on top Leo's wall, holding a staff unlike any he's ever seen before with an aquamarine color, and it's quite small that it could pass up for a wand instead. It glows with a more azure aura as it activates and as she raises the wand upwards, all the water below raises up like a geyser and hits Robin. This can't be good!

"REXBOLT!" Cried out the voices of Camilla and Leo in unison as an abnormally large lightning bolt falls down on Robin, conducted by all the water, triggering an electric explosion that can be seen again all the way from the Tribe.

* * *

"Was that the signal?" Felicia asked in awe.

"Definitely not, Nohr's finally giving it their all." Hinoka cursed as the chaos is getting closer. Speaking of…

"Hey what's that heading for us?" Hayato asked as they notice something heading their way that they can't see quite clearly yet. Nohr deliberately waiting until nightfall to strike, which won't affect them at all unlike them. It isn't until now that they see the latest problem.

"Could that be a Tsunami!" Jakob cried in horror, a little familiar with the great danger heading for them.

"A what?!" Corrin uttered, never seeing something like this before.

Ice Mages like Felicia and Flora quickly step in to stop the danger, violently extending their arms forward as they pour their power into freezing the water as fast as possible but nothing's happening.

"What?!" Felicia gasped in horror.

"We… can't freeze the water." Flora muttered.

"IMPOSSIBLE! We have the blessing of Shiva!" Kilma yelled.

"That don't mean much in the Sea of Despair!" Rinkah growled stepping forward as her whole body burns with increasing amount of heat as she intends to deal with this threat herself. "I'll show you the might of Iblis!" She roared, unleashing a massive spiraling flame blast, nowhere near as big as the black tsunami heading their way but as it collides, the fire spreads into a widening wall that hold off the black water but not very much as she is being pushed back and all the while they can see large amount of steam coming from above.

"You can't possibly hope to stop all of that on your own!" Corrin cried.

"I DON'T SEE ANY OF YOU COMING UP WITH ANY BETTER IDEAS!" Rinkah screamed her lungs out as this is far more strenuous than it looks, she'll give out eventually before all the water turns to steam.

"Every Diviner and Warlock that can share in the strain, FIRE! Lend the Scion of the Fire God your strength!" Ryoma commanded and every mage that wields a fire tome or ox spirit helps to empower the Fire Princess with more flames and that does the trick as Rinkah succeeds in stopping the black tsunami by turning it all to steam and momentarily, their entire view of the battle going on with the vanguard is completely blocked by said steam.

"Someone kill me now…" Rinkah breathed heavily, falling on the floor from exhaustion and two healers already tending to her.

"Gods, what was that horror?" Kilma uttered.

"I've only heard of water behaving with such ferocity before but that was only in rumors and they're supposed to only happen at seas." Fuga said.

"It must've been another of Nohr's new artillery from their Grimm experiments." Reina muttered. "They caused the snow of Niflheim to melt into liquid and with their dark magic made that monstrosity. It looked violent enough to destroy the whole village too."

"Damn them! What more destruction will they bring forth to ruin the peace of our lands." Kilma cursed under his breath.

"If you would allow it, it can all end right here and now but knowing you, Chieftain, that is out of the question."

"Xander…" Corrin uttered, recognizing her brother's voice coming from the steam. He's already made it this far. How is he even able to stand all this heat?

"Show yourself, Crown Prince! We shall end this here and now." Ryoma dared his rival to come and face him once and for all.

"As you wish, but you should know that I have no intention of losing and victory demands… the element of surprise shall we say." As the Dark Prince said that, a large Grimm came out of the steamed wall and lands on top of an Ice Mage and wastes no time on tearing him apart in front of everyone.

Yet another new type of Grimm, raptor-like, resembling the genus of the Dromaeosaur. Possessing large, translucent red wings with visible veins. Bone-like spines on its neck and tail, resembling feather quills. its feet has raptor-like hooked claws.

"Damn Teryx!" Takumi yelled as he blows the raptor's head off, only for more Teryxes to come out with no way to predict their movement and these things vary in size with the smallest one so far only being slightly bigger than a wyvern, which is big enough to cause them trouble. Thankfully, though, the strongest members like Corrin, Ryoma, Fuga and Kilma can make short work of these fiends enough to keep their comrades safe from the danger but the damage is too great to disperse with just the four of them.

"Dirty tactics as usual, I see." Ryoma hissed.

"Think of it what you will but you can't say you didn't see this coming." Xander said, as the Crown Prince of Nohr reveals himself from the burning steam unharmed, accompanying him are three Feilongs and a Nuckelavee. "And Demons don't like to play fair, especially a Prince of Demons like myself."

"Regret rubbing it in his face now, Ryoma?" Corrin muttered.

"I may have gotten overboard with that insult."

"No, it's fine, I see it as a compliment now, though you will all see it as a curse all the same." Xander declared as the steam finally ends, revealing dozens of Grimm and Nohrians that have managed to make it past Robin's forces but not enough that it would pose too great a challenge to defeat. At least Corrin likes to believe that.

* * *

"That was certainly something new, per say." Robin muttered as he managed to evade that thunder attack before it could land a direct hit. He briefly glances at the strange liquid he's in, easily deducing it to be salt water, judging by the smell of the sea but the black color gives off all the signs that it's unnatural and artificial, what's more, all the snow in his area is gone. All of it was used to make this black water but thankfully it hasn't spread across all of Niflheim, otherwise they'll be in for a climate disaster. How fascinating. He truly laments never having the chance to witness firsthand the developments Nohr's experts in magic and science who make these things by dissecting Grimm, the energy that makes them is surprisingly safe to harness unless it's used to power humans, in which case they are very harmful.

Putting all that aside for now, he returns his gaze back to his allies in the village and sees the danger. Damn, Xander made it passed him, and so fast too. Not like he expected anything less from him, and speaking of him, he isn't the only one he has to deal with. Where are…

Right from above, Robin quickly parries a mighty axe falling down on him. He didn't even notice the large Wyvern coming down upon him, though now that he sees the rider in question, he's not surprise by the sudden inadequacy of his sharp senses. The venom in her face is as perplexing as ever, Camilla did not hesitate to jump at the chance to strike at her long sought prey upon seeing him again, though that was foolish on her part, as the traitor no longer has any patience for whiny princesses, and truly, this was a long time coming.

Robin fights back with a swing of his sword that Camilla's attempt to parry was futile as both rider and dragonic beast are sent crashing down on the ground.

"Dammit…" Camilla cursed, struggling to force herself back up but Escanor has it easier than her.

"You've caught me in a bad mood, Camilla. I have no time for whatever tantrums from you that are long overdue." Robin scowled while looking down on the Princess.

"That's a real shame, because I have more than words to give to you Robin and before dawn I'll make you wish we had left you to rot in the Fields of Ahsoka!" Camilla avowed as Escanor helps her master back on her feet by using his head for her to use to lift herself.

"It's far too late for that, I'm afraid." Robin bemused.

"Really, giving up already?" Questioned Leo as he appears standing on a massive vine from his wall he created to move him to confront Robin. "How foolish of you to rush in like that, sister."

"Got anymore toys for me, Leo, because a little water isn't going to cut it with me?" Robin challenged, not willing to underestimate the Dark Crusader.

"You know me, I have a few to spare but believe me, what's covering you now is more than just manmade salt water." Leo smirked as apparently there actually is more to this black water than Robin initially thought as he now finds himself falling to the ground against his will, feeling the mana he's harnessing to fly failing him, though he is still able to land on his own two feet from the fall.

"You have got to be kidding me! Liquefied Anti-Magic?! This is farfetched, even for Divine standards!" Robin cursed himself for not noticing his magic being dampened. No wait, his raw power isn't being nullified. Worse, it's being scrambled, in this state, he will have difficulty controlling it. It could stop working all together or go berserk and tear everything around him apart at any random moment. Surely Leo knows the consequences of doing this to him.

"This is more than our favored artillery, it only works when in contact with magical flesh. Call it another test run for our Icebusters with you as our lab rat. Maybe your powers will explode on us, with you at the center, or maybe you'll become as helpless as a common villager. Who knows. But at the very least you won't have to babysit Corrin anymore." Leo said smugly.

"I thought you hated gambling from the nuisance Zero used to cause you." Robin muttered.

"Desperate times calls for desperate measures, and it's all hands on deck." Leo declared with him preparing to go all out while Robin struggles to regain control of his powers.

"Either way, this is the end for you, Robin!" Camilla shouted as the Tactician will now be facing off against the two Dark Royals.

"Take your best shots then, but mark my words, my demise won't be as satisfying as you dearly hope. I'm not in the best of states as of now." He mused over the fact that he's not even the real Robin.

"Somehow, that makes things all the more satisfying."

* * *

"Of all the places to look, why did we have to end up in here?" Zero muttered as he, Peri and Beruka arrive in Demon's Falls in their pursuit of their missing partners, and to the Rogue's dismay, he begrudgingly let Beruka, or ''frowny face'', as Elise prefers to call her, which got a laugh from everyone the first time except the assassin in question, lead the way, insisting she can track them down better and now they are here. "Of all the damnations of Qliphoth."

"Speak for yourself, I think the heat is leagues above the stupid cold of those ice people." Peri cheered, happy to not have to stay in Niflheim. "But are we sure we'll fine Laslow and what's their names here?"

"I'm sure, this is where they are." Beruka confirmed.

"How could you possibly know that?" Zero questioned, and Beruka responded by showing her fellow retainers a piece of paper that belongs to a book she was hiding, the page is gold-like with the writing exactly what is found in Morgenstern. "This writing, it's the same as the pages of Selena's amazing tome."

"Yes but as you can see, despite resembling the page of a tome, there are no indications that it was removed from its source, no sort of damage to it. This is actually regular paper that Selena enchanted. I found this on my Wyvern's mouth, waiting for me to take and read it and he certainly gave out indications that he was concerned. He and Selena did seem to get along when I wasn't around." Beruka explained. "The messages she enchants are powered by magic that allows them to deliver themselves on to a selected target like a trained bird, whenever she has something to tell Lady Camilla but can't do so directly she uses this unique spell."

"Fascinating, but its written in Magecraftian, and despite Dark Mages being trained to harness tomes for their magic few people really know how to speak the language, and not for lack of trying but rather because the language itself has a lot of restrictions that only a select few are able to decipher it and gain more power as a result and while Lord Leo can definitely read them, I know for a fact that Lady Camilla cannot."

"Yes, this is actually the first time Selena has ever sent a message like this, in fact this is the first time she's ever sent me a message period, and I too can read the words. She managed to write this down before she disappeared." Beruka explained.

"Well, what does it say?" Peri asked.

"Selena was kidnapped by one of our own Warlocks and brought them here but she didn't say why, nor who it was so she likely doesn't know him personally. And considering the absence of Odin and Laslow, they too must also be in the same predicament." Beruka revealed plainly to the surprise of the two.

"WE'VE BEEN BETRAYED AGAIN!" Peri roared in outraged.

"And you thought it was a wonderful idea to keep this to yourself until now because?" Zero questioned.

"We each know our masters well, if they knew the truth they wouldn't be able to proceed with their current mission with complete efficiency, especially Lady Camilla who's quite honestly the most incompetent of our King's children and even his Majesty is starting to question her usefulness in this war. I suspect that is the reason why Selena sent the message to me instead of her." Beruka explained.

"Color me impress, and here I thought you were only good for executing our enemies as colorfully as possible." Zero said pleased with her logic.

"I do what needs to be done, as should the two of you." Beruka stated firmly. "I would rather join the battle in Niflheim but if one of our own is acting afoul, it could very much jeopardize future endeavors, especially since those three are also from the Royal Guard, so by no means can we let this stand."

"Agreed. But man, I knew Odin was going to be nothing but trouble and he certainly has been a complete headache but this just might be like taking the cake." Zero sighed, just as frustrated as Leo about all this mess. "I take it you lovely ladies are in the same boat as me when it comes to irritating partners."

"What are you talking about, Laslow is the best partner ever." Peri defended.

"Who for some reason doesn't flirt with you despite being cuter than most girls he harasses." Zero mocked with a cheeky grin and Peri was going to retort only to pause, taking his words into consideration. "I swear those three are certainty the misfits despite not being Nohrians themselves."

"Wait, they're not?" Peri asked confused. "Laslow seems like he belongs in Nohr."

"Yes, but according to them, they originate from one of the western continents, Fódlan I believe, which would explain Odin and Selena's magical prowess but there lies the question and why the need for tomes when Magic Users from the three nations of Fódlan; Adrestria, Faerghus and Leicester are known for being so proficient they engage in the Tomeless Arts frequently that they rarely use magic conduits, or at all, or so the rumors claim." Zero explained.

"One of the many reasons why I find their origin farfetched and the fact they frequently dodge the questions about their homes says much about their dishonesty." Beruka added. "I suspect that their kidnapping has to do with their past."

"My thoughts as well, and perhaps Robin might somehow be involved, I've noticed that those three avoid going to the Northern Fortress whenever our Princes and Princesses went to visit Corrin as soon as he arrived and whenever they do cross paths with him, he would always ignore them and they never bothered to try talking to him." Zero continued. "It seems that we might finally get our answers as to what the fuck is going on with those three."

"But where do we begin to search? We don't know who can we trust in this place of delicious violence and this new traitor has to be strong to have been able to take all three of them?" Peri asked.

"Selena didn't write more on the matter so we'll have to figure that out ourselves." Beruka said.

"Aww, I hate hide and seek!" Peri whined. Thankfully for her, they don't have to do much searching as a loud, raging roar is heard coming from the volcano for all to hear and they even notice the volcano shaking, causing many to panic how it might erupt, making it ten times more dangerous to be here. To make matters worse, all the Grimm in the region start to go feral in response to the roar and break formation and rush straight into the volcano, leaving the human soldiers in disarray over what is happening.

"Found them!" Peri cheered, confident that they have to go up.

"This is why I don't like being partners with that moron." Zero sighed.

* * *

"Elise…" Corrin muttered still mortified by the darkish transformation the beloved sister she still cherishes has assumed, the power coursing through her is so surreal, nowhere near as ungodly as that of the Demons but enough to cause real calamity upon them.

"Move!" Robin shouted as he pushes the two out of the way as Elise fires a magical blast at them that Robin is forced to block, not given enough time to avoid it himself and though he holds it off and dispel it, the impact was actually harmful to him despite using far more of his own might.

"This magic power… it's Dark Aether." Robin gasped in realization as Elise is now being empowered by the Primordial Force that made him a Demigod.

"Nosferatu!" Elise commanded and entraps Robin in a sphere that threatens to sap away at his life.

"Aura!" Robin shouted as he calls Light Magic to free himself. Thanks to Morgan, he is now capable of better using Light Magic more efficiently but still not as much as he wants but will prove sufficient in this unfortunate battle since pinning dark powers against one another or using anima magic occasionally yields disappointing results.

"Elise stop this! Power like this doesn't come without a cost." Robin warned her as he understands enough about the true nature of Aether to know that there are consequences to letting it change someone like this.

"That's more your problem right now." Elise argued and from the ground below him, the earth blackens and bursts out, covering the Tactician in it and abruptly pulls him down into the magma.

"Seriously!" Robin hissed as he needs to pour more strength into breaking free of his current prison and succeeds just as he was inches away from falling into the flames and quickly flies back up, only to be wrapped in darkness and pushed right into the other side of the volcano and with a flick of her new staff, lava rises up at Elise's command and moments from reaching him.

"Elise, no!" Corrin yelled as she rams herself into Elise, reaching for her staff to destroy and this blows her concentration, stopping the lava from rising further.

"Hey! This is mine!" Elise snapped as she casts a shockwave from the staff that blows Corrin away and crashes into Azura. This distraction buys Robin time to free himself from Elise's Darkness and then fires a stream of lightning at the transformed Princess, knocking her off the air and into the ground but Elise seems to now be Robin's equal as she retaliates by flapping her black wings, which causes Robin's lightning spell's yellow color to become blacken and once it reaches Robin, the spell turns on him and electrocutes his right arm, destroying part of his armor and exposing his entire arm with the skin color pitch-dark and what's worse, Robin can no longer feel it as a part of him.

"What… it's completely numb." He uttered in horror at what she has done.

"That's not good, she's cursed his arm and severed the connection between it and his brain." Odin quickly deduced.

"At this point he might as well cut it off because he's not going to be given much of a chance to purify it." Selena muttered.

"What incredible power. This is leagues above even the Exalted Blood of Naga. I can't believe what I'm seeing." Laslow uttered as it's hard to grasps seeing what Elise has become.

"Damn, I need more time than she will allow to purge this curse." Robin groaned as he is forced to resort to just using his left arm to fight Elise, which should be an acceptable handicap since he can still take her down, he just has to be more cautious, if her touch is like a curse than he must be more counteractive, make this a stereotypical showdown between light and darkness, maybe then he can knock some sense into her.

"I didn't want it to come to this Elise. I don't want to hurt you." Robin muttered.

"You already did and then some!" Elise snapped at him,

"I mean physically!" Robin corrected.

"Mentally? Physically? What's the difference? I'm still hurt and it's all your fault and Corrin."

"It doesn't have to be this way. Please, just stop this." Corrin pleaded, getting back up along with Azura.

"Nohr is all out of Mercy!" Elise declared and upon saying so, all the Grimm in Demon's Falls arrive to the aid of their Dark Princess and quickly attack the Trio. Robin intercepts them all by summoning Blárblades that destroys a whole lot of them, allowing Corrin and Azura a chance to fight back more. Robin and Elise clash again a she fires a bigger stream of dark magic against him and he counters with an Ellight blast that cause the volcano to shake violently again and even cause a minor trigger to the magma below, though Robin ultimately beats her on this and knocks her to a wall.

"This day could not have turned out so awful." Robin muttered.

"Robin stop! There's literally no point in this fight, your friends are okay, let's just go!" Corrin pleaded with him.

"With how powerful she has become and my new disability, Elise will block us off at every turn we take." Robin regrettably deduced.

"Then turned the spell off and fly off on your own." Azura suggested.

"I left the Multiplex with Lilith for safety measures and we can't run the risk of you dying and the real versions possibly suffering as a result." Robin reminded her.

"Not one of you are going anywhere!" Elise declared as the same black substance that forms a Carnage manifest out of her wings and chase after Robin and said substance forms into an actual Carnage that falls on Robin and stumps him on the ground.

"That is so gross." He muttered as he tries to push the Grimm off him but this Carnage is too heavy for just one arm to lift.

"Don't just stand there you three, get them!" Elise ordered to the Awakening Trio to attack Corrin and Azura.

"I…" Laslow muttered, not sure if he can followed through with that order, after all Robin did actually come for them and even betrayed the Princesses to get them back by the looks of it, though considering how casually they came here and Corrin even helping him indicates otherwise but the fact remains the same.

"The thing is…" Odin uttered having the same doubts.

"Argh… fuck it!" Selena hissed as she summons Morgenstern and shoots fireballs at them that the two barely have time to dodge. "I would rather not be stuck with more moral compromises."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right on that one." Laslow said.

"Oh, you Assbutts!" Corrin protested as Selena rushes to fight Corrin, pulling out her sword from her version of Morgenstern and clashes with the Dragon Princess, the first clash of sword was very strong that she pushes Corrin several feet away but she stands her ground as they clash again. She really has to be careful, Hinoka told her about her fight with Selena and considering how she effortlessly bested her proves how deadly she is as an opponent.

"I have nothing against you personally, dragon-girl but you still hurt Lady Camilla so for that I'm bringing you in." Selena declared as she pushes Corrin to the ground and would made another strike but stops once she processes what she previously said. "Wait… Assbutt? That's Morgan's stupid-ARGH!"

Corrin shuts her up by sucker punching, or rather kicks her in the face to push her aside and when she gets back up and attempts to subdue Selena but Odin interferes and forces her to take steps back with his blade.

"BITCH!" Selena shouted enraged, getting up. "I'll make an Assbutt out of you!"

"Is it weird that I miss hearing that?" Odin mused.

"Guess that just leaves you and me, Milady." Laslow said as he contends with Azura. "It really is a shame, though, you're as beautiful as her Majesty and would be even more if you'd smile."

"You say stuff like that when in front of Xander or my father?" Azura asked, already irritated by the flirt.

"Ouch, I definitely had that coming but nice try. Garon's not up to my standards when it comes to a Demon King." Laslow mused.

"Right, because you're more used to being invaded by a Dragon God and his undead army." Azura surmised, surprising Laslow a great deal.

"Oh… so he told you, that would explain why you two seem to still be friends despite bringing you here for our sakes." Laslow muttered before grinning. "Yep. That's just like him, only ever truly turning to others for help unless his back is turned to a wall and his stubbornness is all dried up. Glad he hasn't change."

"And yet that's his most charming feature." Azura mused with a half-smile.

"There you go! Now that's a smile. Now if we can just widen it a bit this day would become less somber." Laslow chuckled.

Robin howled as he blasts the Carnage off him before the demon could deliver a more devastating strike to him, and again strikes in time to counterattack another spell from Elise who tries to electrocute him with dark lightning, covering himself in an Excalibur twister that absorbs the lightning rather well and then sends the twister towards Elise to blast her. It pains him to fight back against the sweet Elise but she's not giving him much of a choice and he's really concern about this form.

He's heard about this power, Odin calls it Grimmafication but to his understanding its actually called Dragon Force, an inner power that those of the Solheim Bloodlines all have that allows them to harness the strength and abilities of their Dragon ancestors, taking on a human-dragon hybrid form, though there isn't even so much as a theory on how this form can be achieved through his own investigation at least but it makes perfect sense that those of Qliphoth's line could access this power by using the Grimm. Though she lacks any real dragonic traits there's no denying that she is closer to the God of Darkness than anyone should in this form, and while nowhere near as powerful, the fact alone that her powers are based on the Dark Side of Aether proves how much of a threat she truly is. But she's so young and pure of heart, and he's seen what Degeneration caused by that Darkness can do to someone, he's made the most of it with his limited mastery of the amount he stole from Grima but there's no possible sense that Elise's body can take this much pressure, worst case scenario she be lucky to get off with a body as frail as an old woman's and even if she somehow doesn't suffer any physical conditions, all that negative energy is bound to corrupt her personality and make her more aggressive and closer to her father. That alone is too much for him to stomach, and he can't bring himself to imagine what that could do to Corrin beside tarnish more of the happy memories they've had together. He has to finish this quickly.

Elise easily splits the Excalibur by thrusting her new staff towards it while the Dark Lightning is absorbed into her, to then cause the ground to shake some more, while at the same time she fires more lightning at him that he is forced to block with by creating a shield.

"Elise, Enough! You have no true understanding of the power of your blood. Your impudence could very much cause the volcano to erupt with all of us in it!" Robin warned her as he is massively worried about all the quakes she is causing just by letting her dark magic go wild.

"For the last time, that's your problem!" Elise howled. Though her voice is very much the same, there are small hints of a beastly urge echoing from her, signaling that there may be more to this transformation, perhaps it is not yet complete and she may soon indeed look more akin to a dark dragon overtime. He had no more time to think as he realizes that Elise was just distracting him from the next real danger behind him as she again cause the lava to rise and will soon fall down on him like a puny tsunami but his magically enhanced speed allowed him to jump left from the magma though Elise wasn't so fortunate as the lava fell on her instead and she didn't even tried to avoid it. Just as they were all going to cry out for the danger she brought down upon herself, she didn't so much as flinch as the lava touched her skin and just brushes it off.

"Incredible. Her body truly is like the scales of a dragon." Robin gasped in amazement. The Scales of dragons are difficult to penetrate and in his experience and the dragons he was friends with, only weapons design to do the job could, even the scales of an Ice Dragon couldn't be harmed by lava despite the natural disadvantage. Those of the Blaze Dragon are said to be immune to the dangers of a volcano, it makes one wonder what could they really do if Rinkah could access Dragon Force.

"SO EXCITING!" Odin cheered with pure amazement, whatever dread and concern he felt regarding this transformation might do to her negatively were washed aside, the Dark Mage cannot help but look at the Dark Princess with awe now. "Marvelous! You are truly marvelous, Lady Elise!"

"Wait till you see what else I can do." Elise smirked as six Beringels arrive next to join the fight and she channels her magic to empower them as they glow in a magenta color and black-feathered wings sprout out from their backs.

"Well, that's neat." Selena whistled.

"Fly my new flying friends and bring him down!" Elise commanded as the Beringels begin to fly despite previously being earthbound monsters just seconds ago and can move relatively fast that Robin only has time to stop one of them by punching it in the face hard enough to send it crashing to a wall but the rest are able to fight him off and pin him to the ground. He releases an explosive burst of magic that should've destroyed them all but Elise made them shockingly resilient to even his power. He manages to kick two more off him instead but the remaining three remain to keep him down just in time for Elise to make what she hopes would be the finishing move as she stabs the top of her staff on his chest, releasing a violent amount of crimson energy that makes Robin shout in pain.

"Elise no!" Corrin cried. Even though she knows deep down that Elise won't kill them, despite the terrifying form she assume, the terror in her thoughts is too much. And it only gets worse once something truly terrifying happens to Robin as his body changes and starts to look like a Vailed Soldier.

"Huh…" Elise uttered, not sure what is happening to him.

"ROBIN!" Corrin's terror level reaches its peak, partially losing self-control with her dragonic traits coming out subconsciously and starts flying towards them and with a swing of her dragonic lance, she destroys the Grimm and knocks Elise away from Robin. "Robin?!"

Robin groans in more pain as he tries to force his body to remain human but it's too much, whatever Elise did to him is counteracting Azura's song, his odds on Iago's curse is even worse than it was before.

"**Come to me**…" An ominous voice then pops into his head, a sinister beast that doesn't seem similar to the Seven. Whatever it is, it's making Robin's resistance weaker as he is becoming less and less visible.

"No, no, no, no, no! What did she do? What did she do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Corrin screamed her lungs out over the horror that is happening to her love.

"No, it wasn't…" Robin tried to clear this up for her but cannot as the pain just got worse it silences him.

"I didn't do this! I was trying to burn him, or at least I think that's what I was doing, I don't have the hang of all my new abilities." Elise argued getting back up her feet.

"YOU REALLY WERE TRYING TO KILL HIM!" She screamed even louder. Her emotions are all over the place now. As livid as she is with him, she can't stop herself from loving Robin and as deeply as her love for Elise is, it is now being overshadowed by rage towards her and of course, no Dragonstone in hand, so she is in danger of going berserk again. This is a serious definition of falling down to hell, made more poetic by the fact that they are in a volcano with demon in its name.

"Oh, fuck me, this can only go so well." Azura swore for the first time in her life as she knows what's about to go down.

"Hearing you swear is the second worst thing to ever plague my ears. And believe me I've heard a lot of shit in my life." Laslow uttered.

The worse occurs as Corrin once again transforms into a Dragon in a feral state, or at least semi-feral and rams herself at Elise, pinning her to the wall violently, but thankfully Elise is now superhuman so she can handle this level of abuse and even pushes Corrin away as they now struggle, Corrin holding on to her staff to force her to her knees. Elise fights back, her wings glow bloody red and as she flaps them, she is given a mighty boost as she flies herself and Corrin upwards and crash into the other side of the volcano and they repeat the same thing until they end up knocking each other outside of Demon's Falls, just as more Grimm show up only to rush back outside to aid their Princess.

"So cool…" Odin whispered in awe.

"HOLY FUCKING MOTHERFUCKERS!" Selena screamed her lungs out with what they all just saw but forces herself to focus on Robin and his new situation and swoops to his side. "For Naga's Sake! What the fuck did you get yourself into this time?"

"Robin!" Azura shouted rushing to his side, mortified by what he's becoming.

"What's happening to him?" Selena demanded. "His body is surging with the most none-corrosive darkish of magics I've ever seen and felt."

"This is a demonic influence; I've only seen these flames on the minions of another enemy Hoshido was previously fighting but how could Robin had been tainted." Azura uttered, watching as his body returns into visibility but the pink flames remain.

"Gawds! It's just like you to bite off more than you can chew." Selena hissed at him. "Fighting two wars at once, that's almost as bad as going from just one war for another per year or two. You sure are in love with Hell. Huh… Maybe that's why Morgan is such a She-Devil. Or rather she was."

"Don't drag her into this, Severa." Robin growled as he tries getting back up to reach Corrin.

"**YOU MUST COME TO ME**!" The Voice of the Beast returned even louder and violent, causing the cursed man to growl again in pain and goes invisible for a few seconds.

"Who are you…?" He groaned as he struggles to contain this madness.

"Shit! This is getting worse." Selena cursed.

"Oh, man, I'm getting a lot of Grima vibes here, guys." Laslow mumbled as his mind explodes with fright.

"Not a chance, this is leagues above what we experienced back home." Odin declared with his excitement mixed with worry.

"Would you two shut up and get on out there, the last thing we need is two dragon bitches prolonging their fight in the middle of a…" Selena scolded them just as the volcano started to erupt again but this was different, unlike the ones Elise caused, this feels more natural. "Aww GAWDS! That's just wonderful! The power struggle has gotten this fucking mountain to get all sensitive."

"It's going to erupt!" Azura uttered in horror.

"That's not surprising considering that Dragons tend to cause natural disasters when they fight each other." Laslow bemused. "Naga help us, there's no way we can possibly stop this ourselves."

"We may not have to dirty our hands with something this massive, when we can try and recuperate him." Selena said as she focuses on Robin and try to help him. "I can't use the right spell to stop the eruption on my own."

"Then I shall-"

"Get the fuck out of here! You'll only be in the way." Selena snapped at Odin.

"But I studied magic under Uncle Robin as well." Odin mumbled.

"Look, you two just go and help Elise and make sure those two don't get themselves killed, I can help out on this if I can pour my magic with his." Selena insisted more calmly.

"Alright but be careful and if there's no helping it, just run and get yourselves out of here before the volcano erupts." Laslow pleaded.

"Yeah, moving a patient caroused with magic puke while trying to cure them never ends well." Selena said just as the two men leave to reach Corrin and Elise. "I may need your help for this."

"What can I do? I don't have any of the necessary relics to use my song." Azura asked while also trying to process how back and forward this trio is. Yes, the three of them have history with Robin and Selena seems so sure that Robin can stop Demon's Falls from erupting but they just complied to attacking them a minute ago and now they're back to being good nephews and niece? There's only so much lunacy the Songstress can stomach and she's just the copy.

"Your Precursor Blood will do." Selena said as she calls her Morgenstern.

"You're going to try Restore on me?" Robin deduced.

"Better than nothing but I can tell just by looking that I made need more power than my own, which is where you come in, blue. Even if you can't use magic traditionally, you still have plenty of it inside you that can be harness. I must siphon some of the mana your bloodline courses with to have the strength I need for my spell to work." Selena explained.

"I… I want to do all I can for him but I don't think I'm the Azura you need. I'm just-"

"A Replica? Yeah, I figured it out the moment I saw you." Selena interrupting and surprising the Fake Songstress. "Don't think you can screw with my eyes. One of the perks of being mentored with someone who was already a Magical God before he got a taste of True Aether. And fake or not, you bleed the same as the Queen's blood child so you must be compatible."

"Of course." Azura mumbled.

"Though, that begs the question with all the endless opportunities this dumb fuck keeps getting in his life, coming back from the dead yet again notwithstanding, why didn't you bother to make a copy for Corrin since it was obvious from the get-go that you were never going to betray the Hoshidans? I mean, you, a traitor? That's rich, and self-defeating." Selena mumbled as she begins to cast her spell, not yet aware of the impact of her words.

"HUH?!" Both Robin and Azura gasped in shock at the revelation that the Corrin they are with is not the clone.

* * *

Nohrian soldiers shout in a panic, running away from the bridge as Corrin and Elise ram themselves into it, the impact causing a portion of it to break apart, resulting in Elise falling into the burning river. Corrin goes for her to pull out of the lava only for Elise to shoot her in the face, the force from the blast knocks her to the other side of the bridge, shattering it as she too falls into the lava, and just as Robin suspected, even the scales of Corrin's Dragon Form are tough enough to have dip in magma without any issue.

"What the fuck are those two things?" A Wyvern Knight demanded.

"It's the Scourge of Nohr! She has revealed her true-self as the monster that wishes to leave us in further ruin!" Another yelled recognizing Corrin as a survivor of the Battle in Kurosaki.

"A humanoid Grimm? How is this possible?" A Paladin asked, caught off by the other fighter.

"That thing looks like Lady Elise! Is this the use of Grimmafication?"

"Heal him, Elise! NOW!" Corrin demanded with her voice more beastly.

"NO! I'm done listening to you!" Elise yelled as she again causes the magma to rise up against Corrin and entrap her in it, almost as if she is trying to drown her. Corrin manages to escape as she summons massive amounts of water from her body to clash with the magma, cooling it enough to smash her way through it.

"Magma does not cool itself into rock that fast!" A Sorcerer argued undignified by the defiance of physics.

"It's magic water, you pansy nerd. Don't try to make sense of it." A Berserker lectured.

"Everyone shut up and shoot her!" Elise demanded angrily. Recognizing the voice of everyone's favorite little princess, while caught off by what she's become, ultimately complied and open fire on Corrin, physical weapons and spells hit her hard, as well as some Grimm who willingly jump to try and penetrate her tough skin but all they do is enraged the volatile Dragon Princess.

"THIS DOESN'T CONCERN ANY OF YOU!" Corrin made her mightiest dragonic roar that she fires a shockwave so ferocious that it completely destroys the Great Bridge that allows a safe and quick access to the Nohrian Capital, the force also pushes everyone else away from the enraged Dragon Princess with Elise as the only one able to resist the brutal carnage as everything near is torn asunder.

"Everything really is going to hell." Odin muttered as he and Laslow arrived as quickly as they could only to see the battle between the two former sisters about to reach its conclusion.

"Laslow! There you are!" Peri cried as she, Zero and Beruka reach them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Laslow asked surprised.

"We're the ones that should be asking that question, and you better answer fast." Zero demanded.

"What does it look like, our dear Elise is fighting Corrin through the use of her hidden potential unlocked." Odin explained.

"I was referring to why were you two and Selena kidnapped in the first place and who did it." Zero corrected.

"Look, this isn't the best time for such things. So much dragonic power from those two will endanger everyone, we have to bring at least one of them to their knees." Laslow cursed. "And it's a no brainer who we must protect."

"That's for me to decide, boys." Another intruded about to settle this sibling dispute once and for all.

"Dammit!" Corrin growled, struggling with herself. She's more conscious about her actions than before, enough to accept that Wrath isn't causing her to behave this way against Elise but her own inner turmoil at watching Robin turn into one of those THINGS that serve the Seven and since they could deduced that the Seven at least lured her here to confront Elise, it's not too farfetched for her and her fractured state of mind to accuse Elise for causing that to him without her Dragonstone to keep herself contained. Yet another one of the biggest mistakes of her life but she did spent a good three weeks without even considering using her transformation again so she still doesn't regret lending it to Azura but now she sorely needs it back because she cannot continue to fight Elise again but her beastly urges demand she finish this fight, pushing her humanity further into the depths of her mind.

Elise doesn't make it easier to revert back to normal as she casts a very powerful spell that she was preparing while her forces were serving as a distraction and a black hole manifests behind Corrin.

"Apocalypse!" Elise enchanted as from the Black Hole a furious wave of darkness is released that begins to consume her and this definitely causes her excruciating pain. "Drown in Darkness, Corrin! Maybe then you'll come back to your senses!"

Corrin roars, pouring all her strength into breaking out of this dark spell. She's not very good with magic, not even sensing is something she excels at, or at least she used to be until she got that Morgan-mojo, she can't believe she just made that a thing, and now she knows exactly what she's up against, the danger of the magic just comes to her thoughts before it even touches her but Elise is just too quick to avoid. How unbearable this is! Not the spell but the caster herself, to be put in this situation by Elise would've been all it took to finally break her and just flat out kill herself if she were solely human. But she's only half-human, and right now the Dragon inside is done feeling bad for her.

With a more monstrous roar, Corrin's body surges with azure energy with a watery form to it that fights back against Elise's Darkness and to the Dark Princess's horror, Corrin manages to destroy Apocalypse and blow the Princess far away from Corrin and would've been in for a violent crash but a Teryx swoops in and to soften her fall and almost immediately the Nohrian army gather around her, ready to make what just might be their final stand in defense of their Princess against their Scourge.

Growling like a beast, Corrin readies to make one last charge to end this fight but hesitates, she desperately doesn't want to do this but her dragon-self has nearly gone on the loose, she's already forgotten why she became so willing to fight her in the first place, her mind has almost fallen into pieces, she can't hold it in anymore and she charges in blindly, only to bash her head into a magical wall that formed just now, packing enough of a punch to push her back to the river of fire.

"Who casted that wall?" One of the Dark Knights asked, amazed by the sheer power it has to be able to bounce back the feral dragon.

"It's the Queen!" A Paladin shouted as they all turn right to see Arete herself has arrived at Demon's Falls, no doubt looking for her missing Stepdaughter, alongside her Retainers as well as Elise's own Retainers looking very frantic.

"Lady Elise!" Effie cried out to her Princess but she and Arthur can't exactly see her from their angle but Elise can partially see all of them.

"Mother…" Elise mumbled.

"Goodness gracious. The things I do for this family." Arete hissed, gazing at what her two daughters have become. "It's time to go home, you two."

* * *

The carnage of battle is higher than ever before, as the streets of the Ice Tribe blaze against the onslaught of Nohr. They are so close to the final battle, they can feel it and are even now experiencing how near they are to the climax, this one has proven to be the most intense they have endured so far, already they suffer a lot of casualties but that's nothing new to them, they were all prepared for loss. After all, the ever increasing power and influence did not blind the soldiers to the consequences of their march. Few are truly willing to die for their cause, it's natural to fear death but that they managed to come this far only to fail is something they can all agree on must never happened and in spite of any personal feelings, they will hold down the line and push forward, even if they end up dying in the end.

Left alone to settle the score at last, the two eldest brothers of Corrin and future kings of the Dominant Kingdoms of Horus face each other in a one on one duel to the death, a fight that they've both been longing for. The previous one in Kurosaki was constantly interrupted, either by their respective armies, their thickheaded when under pressure little brothers or what they can both agree on as both a heartbroken meltdown and lovers spat the same sister they both love was having with her ''boyfriend'' who they both have issues with. No one ever truly understands the stress of looking after complicated younger siblings without being an elder themselves.

The Paragon Knight and Peerless Samurai clash with their Sacred Blades of Lightning and Darkness, the next strike releases a shockwave that causes all the houses of the neighborhood they thankfully have for themselves to fight for now to shake with much of them crumbling down. Xander makes two horizontal slashes that succeed in pushing Ryoma a few steps back, irritating him enough to start using the Lightning Speed Raijinto grants him, disappearing from Xander's view and reappearing behind him, about to make a vertical slash from above as he also made a short leap. Because Xander is more known for his solid defenses and brutal attacks, not many people acknowledge how agile nor perceptive he truly is, especially since he favors fighting while mounted on a horse, giving his years of training as a cavalier to a paladin, which Ryoma soon fully acknowledges as Xander easily caught on to him and violently parries the High Prince's attack, knocking him a few feet away into the air before he safely backflips back on the ground and continues with his swifter assault. Again, Ryoma rapidly moves behind the Crown Prince for a surprise attack from above that Xander again repels, this time with enough force to make Ryoma drop Raijinto as it lands behind Xander, leaving him momentarily defenseless as Xander goes in for the kill, luckily Ryoma is fast enough on his own, narrowly avoiding Siegfried with an impressive backflip that he lands next to Raijinto and picks it up and at the same time easily evades an uppercut slash from Xander and at once the two power up their swords for another mighty swing, creating an explosion that blows the two all-powerful princes away from each other and they both crash into the houses behind each of them.

With a painful groan, both Princes force themselves back on their feet with Ryoma the first one to get back up and moves in a flash towards Xander, and this time the Swordmaster tries a more deceptive strategy, moving so fast that he creates afterimages of himself that surround Xander, leaving the Commander of the Nohrian Paladins confused on who is who and quickly decides to flush Ryoma out by stabbing Siegfried on the ground that spreads a dark miasma that consumes all it touches, even the fakes, until only the real Ryoma is left who manages to sneak his way to his left and will strike him down, though Xander still has time to parry him, but he hesitates for a split second. A second is all it took! Or perhaps less than that to realize that the real danger is on his right and he was wise to trust his instincts as the real Ryoma was on his right as he parries Raijinto in time. The High Prince has to admit, he underestimated Xander's reflexes. He has repelled his lightning speed before but those felt more like close calls, but now he has improved to inhumane levels, they need to be since Xander has always doubted that his near-invulnerability can give him a real edge against Ryoma so he's been increasing his training regimen ever since their first fight to prepare himself for this final showdown. Thank Qliphoth that it actually paid off after all.

Even still, Ryoma is still faster and attempts to decapitate Xander, that the Crown Prince barely manages to dodge and angrily retaliates by slamming Siegfried down on his skull, but Ryoma still evades and escapes in time as the latest slash from the Dark Sacred Treasure releases enough power to destroy the entire building. With a mighty howl, Ryoma fires a horizontal lightning slash to blast Xander that the Dark Prince manages to power right through with great effort this time, though he fails to land a hit for his next swing, same with Ryoma who followed with a slash to his right shoulder that Xander avoided by backing away and proceed to thrust Siegfried through Ryoma's head that said rival succeeds in parrying as well as two more dark slashes, the second one repelled push Xander to his knees, although the two are also equal in stubbornness as again they charge at each other and lock their swords again but this time, neither release a single ounce of power and merely remain in a bitter standstill, both gritting their teeth, fatigue visible on their faces as they've been straining themselves more than either of them should over the last half-hour and neither are willing to submit, they're legs are begging them for a short break and yet they remain standing, refusing to call it quits until there is a victor.

Xander manages to push both swords down to give himself the advantage to kill Ryoma up close and makes a vertical slash that Ryoma forces himself to evade by using Raijinto to make a higher leap to reach the rooftop of another house next to them, though once there, he finally collapses to his feet from exhaustion with Xander finally having room to do the same and catches his breath and are both fortunate to be allowed a moments rest, in spite of all the carnage happening around them as the loud thots and cries of war occur, they focus only on each other.

"It was a mistake to come here, you know." Xander managed to say under his breath, taking the chance to talk with Ryoma. "You might've had a better chance at surviving if you had chosen to move forward. By coming here you've only ensured your demise and defeat."

"Seems that way, doesn't it?" Ryoma retorted with a hint of sarcasm while he lies down in a more comfortable position, somehow getting the feeling that he momentarily got himself a chance to rest up, also sure he's heard Xander order his forces to not interfere with this fight and he's certain his own forces will do the same. "But you've known Corrin longer than I, there's no way she could live with herself if we went through with going to Windmire while leaving these people behind like this, especially since one of her friends was also here."

"I do know her better than you, in fact, it's because of her that father came up with this wicked plan. I honestly expected more from you. Assigning someone who's been homeschooled her whole life into the position of a commanding officer? I could never have believed that anyone would be that desperate and short on leaders or is the Sword of Salvation in your arsenal really that much of a big deal for you?" Xander questioned with some level of smugness. "No one in Nohr is that faithful to the Sacred Treasures."

"A little bit of both but in spite of her self-doubt she has proven to have a gift for leadership. A slow learner to be sure but having the adrenaline of a dragon can do wonders for one's thought process." Ryoma mused. "Even as children, Corrin had a unique quality to attract others to whatever she wanted to do at the time. It was hard not to feel a little bit of jealousy on how much she could accomplish."

"I wouldn't know anything about that, I'm afraid." Xander sighed, as he's never seen Corrin displayed anything remarkable as a leader, and he has brought many soldiers to the fort to serve as her battalion when performing field tests to see her resolve. She succeeded of course but the results weren't anything outstanding that exceeded expectations.

"You say that and yet, as a woman of royalty, you surely would've had her lead soldiers in this war." Ryoma questioned.

"Of a sort. She was never meant to partake in the war all that much, just guard the borders in the Bottomless Canyon from a safe distance, not like your people would be so bold as to march such an advance force through there, even with Warp Scrolls, reaching us at seas was your best option so she was going to be pretty much bored while fulfilling her duties." Xander revealed.

"You don't say." Ryoma made a light chuckle, somehow not surprised to hear this, including having difficulty doubting his words. "Now that I have the chance, I have something I must confess. I misjudged you."

"Oh?" Xander questioned curious by his words.

"It's taken me a long time to get it through my head but I was wrong about Nohr, at least to a significant extent, you're not all bloody savages and warmongers. This entire war has allowed us to see things from many perspectives, hearing about such poverty is one thing but to see it all firsthand has helped me come to terms that the problem is not the people as a whole, nor the land itself but human nature to take and destroy without repercussion when put in a dire state." Ryoma said. "Too many mouths to feed, not enough to go around, and this is only in the Heartland."

"You came to that realization but can the same be said about your people, the men and women who have been fighting alongside you for this long?" Xander asked.

"That, I cannot answer with pure confirmation. A King may act as a guiding hand and bridge for his people to walk the right course but it's ultimately up to them if they should follow it or not. Even the most dutiful of soldiers tend to show a reluctance when they carry out orders that others would deem unwise or uncomfortable." Ryoma replied. "People are loyal so long as their leaders can prove their worth and has earned their respect, without it, then there's only anarchy waiting to happen any moment."

"Due true. Though my father has been ruling Nohr with fear, many have proven to be loyal out of respect since they still cling to the belief of his promises. I still hold on to that belief myself." Xander confessed.

"Enough so that you would follow through with this unjust attack, even though I could tell that your heart was not in it when we saw each other again?" Ryoma questioned as he has noticed a few hints of hesitation in Xander before they finally cross blades.

"A son is meant to honor thy father, and for children of royalty this commandment is absolute. The Prince must be an instrument to the Will of his King. I have seen him at his best to his worst too many times enough to know who he really is and what the Principles he stands for have pushed him through. To him, a King is benevolent only to his people and the outsider who can benefit the Kingdom he commands. To others, he's larger than life and can be seen as evil for all he cares." Xander stated. "Were we born in a more prosperous Nohr, honor and chivalry would be all that defines us and the ideals of Kingship would be something more refined than a testament to one's humanity falling to corruption or ascending to be something more."

"Indeed." Ryoma shrugged as he looks up at the night sky in contemplation to his words and thoughts on Kingship.

"I have said this before and I meant it but I am sorry about your father. I'm sure he was a more ideal king and parent, having you as his dutiful successor speaks volumes of the man he was, or at least what you believe he truly was." Xander said apologetically and Ryoma knows he is being sincere, just as he was the first time he apologized but like before Ryoma gives no response and just changes the subject.

"Tell me something, what is it that will truly befall my people and lands if Nohr were to win this war? How much will be taken and how much will be exhausted?"

"That is not an easy question to answer, and I lack the authority or experience to determine the fate of so many people." Xander replied weakly. "If it were up to me, we could try to establish a trading system that would benefit us in the long run and other things I contemplated trying out with the other nations. All we want is your food after all. But my father? He'll be merciful, I'm sure but ultimately he will focus on making sure everything is under his clutches. I'm also sure that you've been debriefed on this by Lord Yamamoto."

"He told me enough." Ryoma scoffed, feeling a bitter taste at the mention of his disowned uncle who is still at large.

"And what of Nohr, what is to become of us if Hoshido is victorious?" Xander questioned.

"For starters, we will begin with the liberation of all the nations you've conquered over the years in Garon's name and the restoration of their autonomies, cultures and lifestyles, if any were tarnished at all until only your original territories are left." Ryoma explained. "As for your famine, I believe it is wise to let Corrin make the call."

"Really?" Xander asked raising an eyebrow.

"Don't sound so suspicious. As hard as we tried, there is no denying that she still loves you all as her own. She has made her allegiance to us very clearly but it's also painfully clear how her heart still clings to this place, even after seeing so much of your repulsive side, her sole goal is for peace for everyone, friend and foe alike, with the exception of a handful of course. Her faith in the Dusk Dragon for one, is something that she refuses to let be broken, even when enough has been done to shatter it." Ryoma mused as seeing Corrin viewing the lands of Nohr with longing makes him sadder and even more remorseful for letting her be a part of this. She's his aspiration for giving Nohr a chance to engage in a possible coexistence.

"She always did held the Book of Noble Shadow with the same warmth she would show us." Xander smiled.

"That begs the dire question, doesn't it. If she really is so devout, then why did the Grimm attack her in the first place? When we first brought her home was the first time she saw them and they sought her death?" Ryoma questioned.

"I figured that would've been obvious. She is neither of Dawn nor Dusk Blood but of another Precursor Ancestry altogether." Xander stated.

"That's the best conclusion you got?"

"What else could it be? Our ancestors may have been of the same family but they still went to war with each other when they gave in to their beastly urges and even few of them were slain by familial hands. That kind of pain, rage and betrayal transcends across history for generations to come." Xander concluded. "Take Niflheim for example, the descendants of Qliphoth's Daughter, these people too are devout followers of the Righteous Darkness and Kilma's family is of the same ancestral blood, yet when the conflict between us and them started, the Grimm didn't bother to wait for a command to attack. I doubt this conclusion myself sometimes but it's the only thing that makes sense to me."

"I think that at this rate the real answer to this plight is that your mindless beasts are just a pack of walking bullshit." Ryoma scoffed.

"That could be it." Xander sighed before eventually getting back on his feet. "The Nestrian Army will be here any moment now, you know. And when they do victory is all ours. Regardless of how strong your United Army may be, the might of Nestra will turn the tide no matter how hard you try."

"I've seen the warriors of that nation for myself, I know that fighting them means a total loss for us." Ryoma said as he gets back on his feet and jumps down from the roof.

"All the more reason why your siblings should get what's coming to them for dragging them into this war in the first place." Xander noted.

"That's my problem to solve." Ryoma groaned as this is totally Takumi and Azura's fault and they will get what's coming to them. "Regardless, this will not be the end for us, we will push right through this disaster like we did with the rest."

"Your faith in Robin's tactics may be well placed but all good things come to an end, that is if letting him lead your army was ever a good thing to begin with." Xander mocked.

"I'm still contemplating that to be honest." Ryoma mumbled.

* * *

Robin continues to battle against Camilla and Leo, which isn't as easy as it should be, Leo's latest toy really has the Master Tactician right where they want him, he really can't use his magic at times, he's lucky that he can still use it at all. Still the effects of fluctuation seem to be diminishing little by little, Leo took notice, while he continues to fight with his typical subtle and collective choice of combat he is showing signs of desperation with his attack being more potent and focus on quick kills rather than just to restrain to give Camilla a chance. Either that or he is just becoming increasingly frustrated by how out of synch he is with said sister as they started out fighting in unison that proved a challenge for the ever weakening Robin but her hatred makes it difficult for the younger and brilliant tactician to keep the fight in their favor with his very effective attacks that the clone has trouble either powering through and swiftly avoiding, at first anyway.

With her ever increasing anger, Camilla vertically swings her axe at Robin, who manages to easily stop the weapon by grabbing her by her wrist, followed by tossing the Princess towards her younger brother who safely catches her with his magic.

"This fighting has drawn out long enough, and you two are starting to prove to be no more than a nuisance." Robin taunted as a means to push them to keep being reckless, not that Leo will ever fall for such a weak tactic but then again he's not the true target.

"I'm going to kill you!" Camilla snapped really losing her cool.

"Just means I have to kill you first." Robin shrugged sarcastically as he pours all the magic he can muster to rapidly accelerate his speed to the point that like Ryoma he moves at lightning speed to appear behind the two siblings and swings Ragnell towards Camilla that Leo is able to stop by reacting fast enough to stop him by creating a dense magic wall to successfully block the Holy Sword, however this was actually a ruse as Leo was the true target as the superior tactician appears in front of the Sorcerous Prince, quickly placing his palm on his chest, releasing a powerful shockwave that blasts Leo right towards the giant nature-base wall he initially made hard enough to seemingly knock him out for the count.

"LEO!" Camilla cried in horror just as Robin delivers another swing against her that she is able to react and block as he expected, however the magical force he intended to use to blow her away as well faded again and at best he could only push her seven feet, afterwards he briefly loses his balance as the constant fluctuation of internal magic is severely stressful to his stamina.

'Damn… it isn't fading fast enough.' He cursed under his breath as he is force to engage the volatile princess with physical strength alone, in which they seem to be evenly match with Camilla able to keep up with Robin's more defensive and precise attacks despite her being more brutal and tenacious but that will inevitably be her undoing.

"WHY! WON'T! YOU! DIE!" Camilla screamed her lungs out against him, the rage that has taken her wailing for vengeance against the man who took her sister away from her, not even close to be as accepting like Xander, Leo and Elise are to Corrin now being their enemy. This rising rage gives Robin the advantage he needs as one last mighty strike is all it took to knock the axe off her hands and knock her to the ground, already defeated as well and her faithful Escanor is again too injured to help.

"Believe me, Camilla, I've asked myself that question many times and I'm just as sick of it." Robin somberly confessed. "Not that it matters now, you've already lost, and soon so shall Xander and then your father."

* * *

"Crap, they've really outnumbered us now." Corrin cursed their luck whiles she, Azura, Kaze and Jakob are surrounded by a swarm of Grimm, more than she can deal with using Yato.

"There was never really a specific timeframe we could be concrete about to begin with." Jakob specified.

"It's all up to Lilith and Robin's clone on that end. Our main objective is to make sure the Villagers survive this madness." Kaze reminded.

"It won't matter much if we don't survive ourselves but I know better than to complain about something I brought upon myself." Corrin sighed.

"Must you always whine about everything we do." Azura lectured. "Cover your ears, I got this." The Songstress prepares to sing her song to dispose of the swarm.

"I do that then who else is going to cover your back when you're on your own most of the time?" Corrin questioned as she slays four Ursai about to ram themselves on them and begin to run to take cover behind a house as lightning breaths are fired at them.

"I don't need to be lectured by someone who needs sixty two retainers just to do her shores." Azura protested.

"Oh, real cute! Give yourself an actual backbone while moments away from dying." Corrin protested.

"No, I'm just reaching my limit with all this nonsense and you're not making things any better with your whining." Azura hissed, just as the head of a Feilong burst out from her left and Corrin quickly kills it by shoving her blade through its face.

"Sure, let's put all the blame on me, real mature."

"Is this really happening?" Kaze mumbled, not sure how it came down to this.

"It's all Robin's fault. Simple as that." Jakob hissed.

* * *

"Mo… ther… Arete." Corrin weakly uttered as she gets out of the river of fire, her gaze never leaving the woman she's treasured as her mother for so long, though as she tries to get closer, the Nohrian forces, such as the retainers, including Odin and Laslow get between them.

"My, how low you continue to sunken, Little Princess. Wish I could say I was surprised but you've always had difficulty when it came to keeping your emotions in check." Arete said, displeased by Corrin's continued defiance but there are hints of sadness on her as well. "And you are certainly out of control when you're like this but don't worry, dear child, I'll make you more cooperative in a bit." She said, holding her pendant as she means to use its power to bring Corrin low.

"And as for you, little missy, you too are also in a world of trouble when we get back home." Arete next turns to Elise who forces herself up on her feet but has difficulty with her legs shaking, likely because of how much she has been pushing herself with her new body, though she doesn't look like she is genuinely surprise to see Elise in this form like everyone else as she and Garon suspected that Elise could access the true power of her blood unlike her older siblings. "Stand down, Elise, your body is not yet used to the stress of this transformation."

"No! I can still fight! I'm not weak anymore! He'll see." Elise cried in defiance still forcing herself to get up, using her staff for support but fails and falls back to her knees, just as Effie and Arthur rush to her.

"Milady, please. Enough is enough." Effie pleaded for her Princess to stop this madness.

"Oh, dear sweet Princess of Justice. What have you done to yourself." Arthur partially sobbed, brokenhearted over the state she is in, while also silently cursing himself for not keeping a closer eye on her, something Effie feels even worse about as well.

"This is so fucked up." Charlotte cursed on how much this all has turned out.

"Dammit, Garon. When this is over we're in serious need for a family counseling." Arete too cursed to see Elise like this.

Just then, another strong tremor occurs that is felt from where they are standing, issuing a terrible warning that Demon's Falls may soon erupt.

"Wonderful…"

* * *

"Almost… just a little more." Selena growled as she pours her magic into her healing spell to purge Robin of this flaming curse with Azura's assistance, the two women holding hands with the red head siphoning a bluish aura from the Songstress to add into her Morgenstern that in turn strengthens the Recovery spell and for the most part it seems to be working as Robin looks like he's getting better with the pain dulling, however he is still being beset by the newly dark voice plaguing his mind.

"**COME TO ME**!" It made another thundering roar that is familiar to the Tactician and it caused him to turn invisible again but Selena is not having any of that and brings him back into visibility.

"We're running out of time!" Azura argued as the volcanic eruption draws near with the heat temperature rising.

"Like I said, using a spell like this with a moving patient leads to failure so be quiet and let me do my thing." Selena shouted as she's nearly done.

While she's at it, Robin goes through something else as he starts to hallucinate. He now finds himself floating above a land that's completely surreal and otherworldly to him, yet by description, familiar, a strange geography, as the land and sky itself seems to be rend in pieces, and floats about seemingly at random, old rundown buildings that look at least two decades old.

"Is this the hidden world Jakob and Felicia were trapped in?" Robin questioned perplexed by what is happening. This all seems like it's a vision as he can still feel the rising heat of Demon's Falls, his body lying down on said volcano and Selena's magic curing him but it seems real enough as he can also feel a cool breeze on his face. Like being in two places at the same time. Could this be like Lilith's Astral Projection?

Robin next gazes upon a great castle near him as it crumbles apart due to a violent burst of energy erupting from within and from the castle comes out what just might be the ugliest dragon he's ever seen, and that alone is a shock considering the eldritch abomination he previously fought that has tormented his life for so long. A dragon identical to the demonic beast of the portrait Hydra has that depicts Hoshidans and Nohrians fighting together against. The Dragon looks upon Robin with eyes of the disturbing metallic ball he has where the mouth should be and from the biggest eye it fires a white spherical blast up above them that rapidly turns into a black hole and without warning everything in this world starts getting pulled into it with Robin unable to fight the powerful current and ends up falling into one of the debris of the buildings being torn apart, along with few of the floating islands.

"Can't I ever catch a break." He cursed his luck, not sure how he's supposed to get out of this one, all the while the Dragon he believes is responsible for dragging him here flies past him as the black hole he created destroys this world, until eventually the monster gets closer, getting between Robin and the black hole, grabbing the debris that now serves as a platform for the endanger Tactician and stopping it from being sucked in.

"Dammit!" He cursed.

"**YOU MUST SERVE ME**!" The Mad Beast spoke to him more directly, confirming that it's the same one who's been calling him. "**YOUR POWER CAN FREE ME**!"

"What are you talking about?!" Robin demanded defiantly.

"**PLEASE, FREE ME**! **AND TOGETHER WE'LL STOP THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS**!" The Dragon angrily pleaded to him, sounding like he's been held hostage for too long by those demons. "**I CAN HELP YOU SAVE YOUR DAUGHTER**!"

"What are you saying?! Morgan has nothing to do with this!" Robin shouted enraged that this beast would dare mention her.

"**IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HER**!" The Dragon shouted angrily as he destroys the platform and nabs Robin into its hand. "**THE SEVEN ARE HERE BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR SPAWN**! **SHE IS THE KEY TO DESTROYING THEM ONCE AND FOR ALL**! **THEY JUST CAN'T REMEMBER YET BUT WHEN THEY DO IT WILL BE THE END FOR US ALL**!"

"I don't understand!" Robin cried as his head explodes with confusion and fear over what this thing is saying, and thankfully, he won't have to deal with this nightmare anymore as he wakes up back in Demon's Falls and Selena finished with her spell.

"Finally…" Selena gave a heavy sigh as this was hard work.

"Well… you certainly went up your way when learning the white arts while I was away." Robin praised, grateful to be out of that situation, especially since his right arm is all better now and can move it again. The time for small chats is denied as Demon's Falls has its strongest quake as it will erupt any second now.

"We're too late!" Azura cried.

"Great! Not sure if this is better than a black hole or not." Robin cursed as he grabs both Selena and Azura and flies them away from the magma quickly rising up and nearly drops on them.

* * *

"What the Fuck is going on?!" Zero shouted in horror as they all see the infamous terror of Nohr finally begin to erupt and the lava rising up violently.

"I second that!" Charlotte shouted.

"The power clash of these two petulant children spread all across this region, causing a chain reaction that made Demon's Falls restless and start to awake." Arete explained.

"We got to get out of here! There's no way we can stop the coming disaster." A Nohrian cried.

"We don't have to go anywhere! Everyone calm down. I got this." Arete commanded as she steps forward to the volcano.

"Your Majesty!" Benny called out in objection.

"Calm now, Ben, dear. This is nothing." Arete smirked as she places both her hands between her pendant as it begins to glow with magic, far brighter than it was when in Azura's possession but mix with a dark purplish color that makes it slightly malicious but much more powerful.

"~You are the ocean's gray waves~" Arete began to sing with her beautiful voice the mythical song, already a mighty aura mix with water bursts from the Queen of Nohr and spreads across the immediate area.

"Mother…" Azura mumbled, left a gasps like everyone else as she performs the song to stop the volcano herself.

"~Destined to seek Life beyond the shore just out of reach! Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time The path is yours to climb~"

As Arete continues the dark azure wave reaches Demon's Falls and collides with the lava, the danger slowly starts to show signs of diminishing with the lava slowing down. The Song is also having an effect on Corrin and Elise with both of their transformations starting to fade.

"~Embrace the dark you call a home, Gaze upon an empty, white throne A legacy of lies, A familiar disguise! Sing with me a song of conquest and fate The black pillar cracks beneath its weight Night breaks through the day, hard as a stone. Lost in thoughts all alone~"

With those final tunes of the song, the tremors also begin to stop and the lava that's already out of the volcano cools down rapidly and becomes solid rock. And the Grimm, while not harmed like they would whenever Azura sings do appear more docile with fewer signs of aggression and are completely tamed. Corrin and Elise are back in their human form, except the younger princess is going through a side effect of her transformation as she has not reverted back to her natural size and remains looking like a seventeen year-old.

"Amazing…" Azura mumbled in awe at what her mother had accomplished.

"Damn… if the Queen had power like that it makes you wonder why she waited this long to use it." Selena wondered.

"I reckon is because of that." Robin said as something begins happening to Arete with a purple glowing spot expanding in her right arm, followed by numerous spots appearing all over her body. One of them, shaped like an arm, snakes its way to her head.

"Damn nuisance…" Arete cursed as she grabs hold of her neck and this partially causes this scourge to leave her a bit.

"Your Majesty…" Charlotte uttered with concern.

"I'm fine, my body just can't handle the strain this pendant puts on the caster when used like it used to. As I am now it can't really harm me but it's power is no longer for me to use." She shrugged as she turns her attention to her three daughters. "Corrin and Azura are two things but for even Elise to cause this sort of ruckus is one problem too many for me."

"Mother… I just…" Elise uttered, beginning to sob.

"I know, Elise, I don't blame you." She assured her. "Now Corrin, Azura, there's no getting out of this this time, it's time for all of you to come- OH… what now?!" She snapped as she senses a darker presence approaching, same with Robin and small meteors come falling from the black sky upon them that rain in carnage, killing many with a lucky few surviving this surprise attack.

"How could things get much worse than this?" Robin shouted over the latest predicament they are facing and just then a larger meteor crashes down far from them and from the raging sky flame, comes out a new demon, tall humanoid with a pair of black, bat-like wings, black horns, clawed hands, and a long, arrow-tipped tail. His pale skin is mostly covered by a black coating and black lines and wrinkles. His teeth are pointed and black, and there is a large burned scar covering the left portion of his face while the remaining good eye glows with a sinister yellow.

"Another one!" Azura gasped.

"By the good grace of Naga." Laslow uttered, caught off by the monster they are staring at and this new threat doesn't hesitate to continue its assault as multiple demonic, grotesque swords mostly made a flesh manifest around him that are sent flying towards the survivors of the first attack, that Robin is forced to counter against by summoning Blárblades that manage to repel all of them and before the Demon could make another move as he makes a small hand gesture that summons a sphere of tremendous dark magic, Robin charges forward to thrust his Levin Sword into him but the Demon is able to block the holy blade by creating a black shield that keeps Robin from him, and this resulted in the fiend cancelling his next attack.

"Sloppy. Very sloppy." The demon sinisterly taunted Robin.

"Iago…" Robin gasped, surprisingly unable to process this as quickly as he should as the Dark Tactician returns now truly falling from even the Grace of Nohr. He isn't even recognizable anymore with only his voice remaining the same.

"I told you before that it's all or nothing, and Hoshido's time of shining blissfully in the sun is over. The Fallen will have their Vengeance. Starting with her." Iago assured him.

"CORRIN!" Robin cried as Iago fires another demon sword that he did not notice in time at Corrin and at it's velocity, neither he nor anyone can stop it, except for one who leaps in the way and takes the hit instead as the blade protrudes through her, the tip narrowly reaching Corrin and a bit of blood spills on her face.

At that, time feels like its slowing down, as if the world really is about to end, especially for Corrin, Elise and Azura who cannot look away from the horror they just witnessed.

* * *

The real Azura who begins singing to purge the Grimm onslaught stops midway as somehow, the image of what her Replica has just witnessed is forcefully shoved into her brain, and immediately despair overtakes her, so much sorrow and anguish than she has ever felt before consume her and tears are shed for all to see.

"Azura…" Corrin's Replica gasped upon the dreadful sight she is displaying now and they all watch helplessly as the Songstress falls to her knees and screams out all her despair and as a result, a corrupted shockwave of her song spreads far and wide that not only destroys the Grimm but stops all the fighting happening in the Ice Tribe Village as her pain is also spreading for all to feel.

* * *

"It… cannot be…" Xander mumbled struck with the same despair as his stepsister, dropping his sword, no longer able to continue his fighting with Ryoma.

"Azura…" Ryoma uttered, a sorrow too familiar to him.

* * *

"Gods… how could this have happened." Robin's Replica cursed, completely understanding Azura's pain and so does Leo and Camilla as they also have been struck by this anguish and know it too well, with the young Prince left paralyze by this horrid emotion while the enraged princess loses her luster and breaks down into fragile tears.

* * *

"Argh!" Mikoto cried, falling to her knees, and holding her right hand, as the emblem is burning.

"Milady!" Orochi cried frantically, reaching for her and they both watch as the emblem burns bright for a few seconds before the pain finally stops.

"What's happening?" Mikoto uttered, in so much horrible pain that she cannot help but cry also.

* * *

In the land below the world, the Devil behind such wicked machinations grins and chuckles with delight as his final play in this war is over.

"And with that, I call checkmate, Robin. What can you do for your Princess now?"

* * *

**Well, this one was intense especially as I wrote it. Iago becoming a demon is something I had planned from the start to further solidify his fall from grace and increase his presence as a genuine threat to the white pair which will reach its conclusion soon enough. There's really not much I can say this time, except that I hope you enjoy this one and as always leave reviews. Who doesn't love them?**


	29. Chapter 29: We Are All Monsters Deep Dow

**Chapter 29: We Are All Monsters Deep Down**

With tremendous anger and power, Robin delivers a mighty punch at the now demonized Iago in retaliation for his latest crime, even if it was unintentional, sending the monster tumbling on the floor violently, however this mighty blow doesn't seem to even phase him as he gets up effortlessly and as he extends his right hand, a black hole, similar to Elise's Apocalypse spell forms around Robin to suck him, however the Hoshido Noble has an easier time dispatching the powerful spell than Corrin as all it took is a swing from Ragnell infused with Ignis. He proceeds to vertically swing the great sword down on Iago, who again is able to block it forming another dark shield. Robin only has maybe a second or less to avoid the next attack as grotesque blades come right out of Iago's chest that easily bypass his shield as if they are intangible but Robin can tell that they will be tangible to his flesh, so with superhuman speed, he turns to his left to evade the blade. Unfortunately, Iago anticipated this, even that he would turn left, that's why he had another Singularity ready to suck him in right below him that Robin definitely didn't have time to counter against.

"Dammit!" Robin cursed his luck as he desperately channels Light Magic to purge this demonic darkness but Iago doesn't give him much of a chance as he attacks again, with one of his demon swords in hand he horizontally swings it on Robin, thankfully, he can parry this attack and this black hole isn't as strong as the first one so he can escape it with his light, afterwards he is able to land a successful slash and bisects the new Demon from his torso. To Robin's further dismay, Iago is also unphased by this and his cut body attaches itself back together so impossibly fast that all who witness this fight would easily mistake Robin for fighting a phantom instead.

"Ah… at long last, I am liberated from the burdens of humanity." Iago said so irritably prideful that Robin becomes more and more compelled to hurt him further and rectify his failure of making sure he stays dead unlike last time.

"MOTHER!" Corrin cried out in anguish as she holds the dying Arete in her arms, the sword that impaled her that was meant for Corrin as she inexplicably used herself as a shield to protect her vanishes from her body, leaving the open wound to bleed out more. "No, no, no, NO!"

"Mommy…" Elise uttered, unable to process what she's witnessing.

"You're Majesty, no!" Effie cried out in horror.

"Oh, what grave and terrible evil would commit such an unforgivable crime?" Arthur uttered with both grieve and rage.

"Mother… mother…" Azura uttered, despair all over her as she can only crawl to reach for Arete and Corrin, no longer having the energy to move her legs.

Arete groans over the pain she's in still, clinging to life, staring intently at her wound and fruitlessly tries to stop the bleeding, like Corrin is doing but the wound is too big and it goes all the way to her back as well, and even if they could stop the bleeding she's lost too much blood already for a healer to be of use. Knowing the end is near, all she can do is spare a glance at each of the daughters beside her.

"Why…" Corrin uttered, hopelessly confused by what's happened.

"Are you three okay at least?" She dodges her question and asks her own, as softly and gentle as she always would when comforting each of them. Emotionally destroyed as she is, Corrin is still able to reply with a weak nod that made her smile before she closes her eyes. "Good…"

"No… don't… don't leave…" Corrin mumbled barely able to say the bitter words. "… don't leave me…"

"My, how unfortunate." Iago bemused, looking apathetic towards what he's done.

"She was your queen, Iago!" Robin protested angrily at the devil.

"I was aiming for Corrin, she has no one to blame but herself." Iago heartlessly shrugged off. "I've longed predicted such an outcome to be honest, to think that anyone would still care for a traitor such as that pitiful dragon."

Taking advantage of his ever increasing ego, Robin spitefully shuts him up by grabbing him by his mouth and fires a light blast at pointblank, partially destroying the Demon's face and knocks him to the ground, Iago even groans in obvious pain, immediately proven wrong after his bold claim.

"Nothing can hurt you, eh? Demon plus Light equals a very dead Demon." Robin scoffed, just as he was about to launch another attack, Iago violently retaliates by getting up and starts swinging his clawed hands at his rival, Robin is able to parry each of them but it's getting harder as each blow is twice more powerful than the last, his hold on Ragnell is loosening. In frustration, Robin truly begins to channel his power over light with his body shining bright with a ray, striking at Iago that make him groan in more pain but still he resists and his body erupts with purple flames that counter against Robin's light until the spells cancel each other out, afterwards, Iago rushes the Tactician, grabbing him by the neck and pins him to the ground.

"Futile! The Fires of Hell can consume even the Light Side of Aether itself." Iago boasted.

"I know, but I've been burned by hotter flames than whatever puny smoke keeps coming out of you." Robin shrugged.

"Like what?" Iago dared just as Selena comes into the fight and impales Iago with her sword, now pinning him to the ground and the sting of her blade also hurts him.

"You bastard!" Selena growled in outrage and magic envelops her as she hits Iago with a shockwave that creates a deep hole for the Demon to fall further below.

Expecting him to come out eventually, Selena and Robin move out of the way as Iago rushes out while covered in his purple flames, ready for another go at them, only to end up clashing with Odin next as he slices off his right arm with a vertical slash from his own sword.

"You are all a nuisance!" Iago snapped as he unleashes a powerful firebreath to incinerate them all but the combined power of both Morgensterns by Robin and Selena, the flames are absorbed into the tomes, stopping the attack. Odin and Laslow move in to fight the Devil next, the latter shoots three arrows that are made up of glass that Iago wisely avoids, realizing from the start that those would've been dangerous and he then blocks Odin's Missiletainn with his right hand that rapidly regenerated after he had sliced it off and at once both Sorcerers unleash a furious burst of dark energy that blast them both away from each other and neither were harmed as a result.

"My, my, what an unexpected development." Iago mused as he looks down upon Robin and the Trio with intrigue. "I suspected there was something going on between the four of you but I foolishly brushed it off as unimportant. A mistake I'm gonna have to rectify right now."

"Iago. What's happened to you, for all your twisted ideals and bloodthirst, you were a true champion of Nohr, revered enough to have received the trust of the court." Laslow questioned.

"Bah! As if a fool like you could understand. Nohr was never my home, just a means to an end for my true home, but it's all gone now, all that matters now is my vengeance and with the Queen assassinated by the traitors of the Crown, this Kingdom's lust for carnage will increase a hundredfold." Iago declared, seeing the loss of Arete as a happy accident.

"You're a blight that even the Darkness is disgusted with." Odin cursed with uncharacteristic contempt.

"Says who? The Tenets of Qliphoth?" Iago questioned with sarcasm and smugness. "The Gods are dead. All that matters in this world is power absolute."

"And like so many who have come before you, the power which you gave up everything for will prove to be completely useless in the end." Robin avowed.

"Is that so." The Fallen One chuckled. "Come and prove me wrong then, though don't be surprise once you fine your spines under my clutches."

"You sure love to hear yourself talk, don't you." Selena sneered.

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black, Selena." Iago vowed and in the blink of an eye, over hundreds of demonic swords appear to surround the heroes, threatening to impale them before they could react and as the swords are sent flying, they fail to hit their targets as a translucent, bluish sphere is created that traps the four inside that easily repels all the swords.

"What…" Iago mumbled in confusion over this sudden development as he is certain that neither Robin, Selena nor Odin casted this spell. It is a peculiar one, the sphere has a ring around its orbit with Roman numerals on it, also, the four inside look to be immobile as they didn't even so much as flinch when the sphere showed up and its translucent enough for him to have noticed with his new supernaturally enhanced eyesight. "How curious. What is this?"

"**Time Magic**? **In this day and age**?" The ominous voice of Wrath can be heard in Iago's mind as the fire demon is witnessing to everything through his one good eye. "**Most curious**."

"Time? There's no way these fools can have such power." Iago hissed.

"I truly pity you for what you have become but that does not mean you won't be purge in a way deemed fit for your insidiousness." Iago turns his head to see another newcomer who has enter the battlefield, who unbeknownst to him is the Rainbow Sage himself.

"**HIM**…" Wrath hissed.

"Oh… and who might you be exactly?" Iago asked intrigued before noticing that it's not just Robin, Selena, Odin and Laslow that are caught in a sphere as Corrin, Azura, Elise, Arete and the other retainers are also trapped in spheres, each small enough to contain only one person and are all floating beside the Sage, confirming that it was he who saved the four.

"A man who's also sinned and fallen from Grace but unlike you, I will not sully my hands with innocent blood. Never again." Hydra said with scorn. "Your madness will end the only way it should, Macbeth."

"That name no longer holds any meaning to me." Iago scoffed with malice at the mention of that name.

"It's the name of your true self who you've pointlessly buried for something as petty as revenge." Hydra lectured.

"**Jeez, and the pot calls the kettle black**." Greed sneered.

"I've only just met you and already I'm sick of you. Time to die." Iago hissed as he goes in to attack the Rainbow Sage with one fell swoop but like with the two sins who attacked his Sanctuary, that was ill advised. Hydra does something truly unexpected that surprises even the two Sins as Hydra pulls one of the Nohrians he saved, Peri and uses her as a shield, putting her between him and Iago and what was even more surprising is how Iago gasps in horror upon seeing Peri and in desperation stops himself, just barely able to avoid hitting her.

"So, Macbeth isn't completely gone yet." Hydra mused, as he knew that Iago would stop himself from killing Peri.

"You… you BAS-" The Rainbow Sage stops the demonic tactician for now by firing a mighty shockwave that blows him far and wide into the sky until he is out of sight.

Once that is done with, Hydra opens a portal and returns to the Sevenfold Sanctuary and brings everyone he'd saved with him. He then frees Robin and Corrin from their stasis but leaves everyone else immobile.

"What the…" Corrin uttered in shock by all that's happened and then turns to the Sage. "Hydra?"

"I'm so sorry, Corrin." Hydra mumbled bitterly while he stands next to Arete, looking honestly better than she was before and the wound Iago inflicted is gone.

"Mother!" Corrin sobbed, reaching for her but can only go as far as the sphere can allow.

"This sphere, is this Time Magic?" Robin asked in awe.

"Chrono Stasis. The only temporal spell left in the world unlike the rest of the power that vanished even before the end of the Golden Age of Dragons, and even then it's still a ''minor'' spell." Hydra explained.

"It sure did wonders back there. How are they?" Robin asked turning to the others still locked in the spheres.

"Those in Chrono Stasis are trapped in a time loop, reliving a moment in time continuously in such a way that they are rendered immobile, as you both experienced when you were both trapped inside. Unable to move but not because you are actually being restrain by chains or frozen in a block of ice but rather because the time flow of that area you are standing in has been robbed, by all account you still have control of your body and you are still conscious as well as process everything going on around you but you can't make a single reaction all the same because without time on your side for even the smallest nanosecond there's nothing that can be done as what's truly been stolen from you is your freedom." Hydra explained. "It doesn't work on demonic entities, though, I presume it's because I have yet to truly master this ability. Never saw use for it other than to heal."

"Heal?" Corrin repeated.

"As I said, those trapped inside Chrono Stasis can't react to their predicament because Time is not on their side as it is all mine to command and through my will I accelerate, decelerate and stop the flow all together of those trapped within. By accelerating time, I can rapidly age someone, turning them to dust in a second. By decelerating and stopping time, I can restrain other people and catch an enemy's attack. By reversing time, I can heal wounds by reverting them to a state before they were inflicted and neutralize an enemy's spell by reversing it to a point before it was cast."

"So that's how you were able to save us from the wounds Greed and Envy inflicted on us and the scar Xander inflicted on me. But you're not actually healing the victims, you're reversing the injuries, making it so they never occurred in the first place." Robin surmised.

"Correct. I can even prevent terminal illnesses from ever occurring and erase the cause off the face of existence."

"Does that mean that Arete's…" Corrin began with hope for her stepmother.

"Corrin, I don't want to give you false hope, that's worse than leaving you in despair right now. Even if I had fully mastered this magic, there's no way to save someone's who's lifeforce has already faded." Hydra explained remorseful. "Try as I might, the best I can do to keep her alive is to trap her in a time loop one second before drawing her last breath, no further than that, the spell was simply never meant to resurrect and once she is removed from the sphere death is all that awaits."

"NO!" Corrin snapped in outraged, despair overtaking her but also fear and hatred. "No, this wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to be there! I wasn't supposed to fight Elise."

"The Seven Deadly Sins, or at least one of them aren't done with you yet. Even I realized too late that they were the ones who orchestrated this disaster in Demon's Falls. That fool Zola discovered the secret of the trio a while ago and Greed encouraged him to act under his desire for fame and glory and Wrath turned Elise's sorrow into rage and lure them to their trap. Once those two were set, luring you two was easy, especially since you obviously wanted to see more of Robin's secrets up close." Hydra revealed.

Robin can only grit his teeth in frustration. Like it or not, he caused this and played right into their arms. He was blinded by his fears, even after Azura calmed him down to consider all possibilities. He's such a fool.

"Defiling me and starting this war wasn't enough for them. They had to include so many more innocent people into this and harm my families even more." Corrin growled, vengeance again returning to her thoughts.

"Corrin…" Hydra began.

"Well, I don't care if they can control me again, I'm going to find them and I am going to thrive this sword into each of their blackhearts as many times as it takes to make them answer for every life they've destroyed for their amusement!" Corrin vowed. "Starting with IAGO! He's played me for the last time! What he did to me… he will die by my hands and no other! But before I do any of that, I'm saving Arete, I don't care what it takes. Nohr cannot lose her! Azura and I can't lose her!"

With her declaration, Hydra and Robin exchange knowing looks to one another before making another response to her.

"Very well, child, if that is what you wish, then I shall help you once more with my knowledge." Hydra said. "There is only one relic in all the world that can undo Death itself. The Bifröst."

"The Bifröst. Elise mentioned it to me once, she called it an S-Class Stave that is capable of healing anything, including death itself." Corrin said. "But everyone else brushed it off as an old folk lore of Nestra and nothing worth our attention."

"The Bifröst is very real, and it's power, while exaggerated, it is not outside the realm of possibilities. It's power can in fact heal any wound and disease no matter how supernatural, and as for bringing the dead back to life, that is also true." Hydra explained, filling Corrin with immense hope.

"But such a miracle comes at a cost, Corrin." Robin said next. "As you know, Necromancy grants one the ability to manipulate the ancient power of Death by drawing strength from the Afterlife, however those brought back by it are never truly alive again since the dark magic may be able to reanimate the body but it cannot fully restore one's soul, often times only slivers of it which render them as monsters like the Necrodragons you've encountered. In order to truly resurrect someone, one must pull the soul in full back from the Afterlife and into the Land of the Living and the Bifröst has this power."

"Sadly, there are certain conditions that will always occur when using the Bifröst. The main ones being that it can only be used once a day and that it can only resurrect someone who's been dead for less than twenty-four hours, any longer and it won't work, as such the potential to resurrect multiple people isn't all that promising. And once that person has been resurrected they will often come back with a piece of themselves missing, not physically per say, such as their original personality, memories, magic, or any special talents they might've had with something like a warrior prowess, or warrior spirit in general will be lost, never to be regained again and it is a random issue with no way to predict the result. Essentially, what it really does is reincarnate someone as a mirror image of what they were but never as one that is perfect." Hydra informed.

"Arete is still alive, there's no need to wait for death, we can just restore her while she's still breathing, right?" Corrin said.

"Indeed, as long as she remains like this, her revival will be indefinite and I can keep her like this as long as necessary but I cannot help you with anything else. My power and focus must remain with her, otherwise I could risk canceling the stasis."

"Then where is this Bifröst? Where can I find it?!" Corrin demanded with haste.

"Not with me, obviously, otherwise she'd be as healthy as a newborn already. Long ago, the Bifröst was in the possession of a great and benevolent Cleric who lived a thankless existence three hundred years ago who travelled across Horus healing the sick and the dying who could be saved, never asking for anything in return. A true saint. She successfully hid the fact that she possessed the Bifröst, what's more, people were also none the wiser that this nameless healer was secretly Half-Lycan." Hydra explained.

"Half. Does that mean… the relic is in Mount Garou?" Corrin uttered in horror.

"Yes, hybrid or no, she was still of the Wolfskin and lived with her pure-bred kind and spent her final days with them and due to their distrust of humans, they are dutybound to keep the Bifröst hidden so that no human can ever taint it again." Hydra explained.

"Why can't anything be easy. Not even Garon wants to set foot there." Corrin muttered.

"Not out of fear, though even with the Grimm, invading the den of the wolves is still largely suicide. The Children of Fenrir are powerful adversaries to those who earned their wrath." Hydra continued.

"I don't care! I won't let anything stop me. I will not let my mother die like this. Not for sacrificing herself to save her disloyal daughter!" Corrin declared adamantly, placing both her hands on Arete's sphere. "I'll do anything."

"We're not saying don't go Corrin, I'll use all my power if I must to accomplish this important quest but taking on an entire tribe of beastmen, desecrating their lands and stealing from them, that's not something that will come easy for you. " Robin said.

"And as powerful as you are, I'm not comfortable with just the two of you going there with what's at stake. You're Hoshidan allies are unusable at the moment as the climax of the Battle for Niflheim will reach its conclusion. They cannot spare anything for you two." Hydra said. "However, you have more than enough allies here." As Hydra said so, he releases Selena, Odin and Laslow from their stasis.

"Holy Naga, that was not a pleasant experience." Laslow muttered.

"You three." Robin muttered.

"Yeah, we heard everything you guys were saying and we're in! Lady Arete is our Queen and it was one of our own who left her in this state." Selena declared.

"Yes, we owe it to our beloved Masters to restore the Mother of Dark Divinity back to full life so that she can continue to bring serenity to our Dark Kingdom even after the war ends in Dawn's unfortunate victory." Odin added.

"You three were not this back and forward back home." Robin muttered.

"What did you expect, you put us in a very tough position and these demons you mentioned. We've read about the legends of the most sinister evils to ever bring harm to this world but there is seldom mention of these seven abomination who personify vices but Lord Xander did mention to me that he discovered that you two were fighting an unknown enemy while fighting us as well." Laslow said.

"Xander knows about the demons?" Corrin uttered.

"Garon's known about the Seven since you faced Envy in Izumo and they know about what really happened in the Valley of Ahsoka but chose to prioritize all their efforts into the War and nothing else." Hydra said.

"Son of a…" Corrin cursed in disgust. Hydra was right after all. Nohr would've never helped her if she did approach them with the truth. Not as long as Garon's in control but perhaps if they knew the full details they might've… No! With Iago in the mix it was a fruitless effort. But things will be different for sure.

"With the three of you helping, we should be able to pull this off." Robin said.

"What about our comrades?" Odin asked turning to his Nohrian friends.

"I don't know them all that well to trust them not to stab Cor in the back and the farther away I am from Zero and Peri, the better." Robin objected.

"That's fair. Sorry guys. But rest assure that we'll save the Queen." Laslow apologized to them, especially his partner. "She'll definitely kill me after this."

"What about Azura?" Corrin asked as Hydra never released Azura from the stasis.

"Unlike you, she's just a Replica made by that Multiplex and I doubt she'll be of much used to you so I will dispel her." Hydra said as he makes the Azura copy dissipate, afterwards he turns to Arete and removes her pendant from her. "This shouldn't be in your possession anymore for your body is no longer strong enough. Young Azura is no better but she will hold on far longer." In the blink of an eye, the pendant gets swamped by Corrin's Dragonstone and he gives it back to her.

"You'll need it. Trust me." He insisted.

"Thanks again for your aid." Robin said with gratitude.

"Think nothing of it friend, just come back safely." Hydra replied with a smile.

"I usually always do." Robin smiled back.

"Let's not delay, just because time is on our side doesn't mean we should leave Arete in such a state." Corrin insisted.

"Yes." Hydra said as he makes a hand gesture that creates a portal made of water before them. "This will take you to Mount Garou. Be safe and remember, the Lycans live for combat, and unless you do something miraculous like saving them from a crisis, you won't be able to live without more blood on your hands."

"I… can't care about that right now." Corrin replied trying her best to sound callous as right now all she cares about is saving Arete.

"So you say. Within the Wolfskin village, Kaen, there's an old looking shrine east of it where they offer tribute and worship their own god. Inside you'll find a trapdoor to a basement where the wolves keep their most valuable treasures. The Bifröst will be there, no doubt." Hydra instructed.

Corrin nodded as she was about to step into the portal but stops midway as there is much left unsaid. "Hydra, if you were watching us all along and knew the true danger, why didn't you arrive sooner to stop this? I was Iago's true target, not her."

Hydra gives no answer, the silence raising the tension in the room for a few moments before he turns his head away from them and speaks.

"There is much about me that I cannot say, things that I am bound to live a lie and secrecy." He responded, knowing it to be an unacceptable response. "I know it's a lot to ask, Scions of Destiny but I beg you to tolerate my silence throughout your journey."

"Can I at least really count on you to look after them for me?" Corrin asked referring to Arete and Elise.

"Yes you can." He responded with much more conviction and life. "Consider it a… father's promise, so to speak. The last thing I want is to see a young dragon's suffer such a loss so earlier when her wings have only just begun to spread." He noted while placing a hand on Elise's sphere, referring to her and her wellbeing as her innocence has yet to fully perish.

"I'll hold you to that then." Corrin said as she gives one last look at Arete and Elise, the latter staring right at her in her immobile state, the look of horror after witnessing her stepmother's death still visible as well as her tears but she has overheard and saw everything that transpired so she knows now that Arete has a chance to be saved. If nothing else, Corrin can only hope that this will be enough to at least give her a sense of peace when this war is finally over. She extends her hand out to her, hoping to hold the Budding Flower she once proudly called sister but that time has long since passed. With nowhere to go but forward, Corrin, Robin, Odin, Laslow and Selena take their leave into the portal, leaving the Rainbow Sage with the Nohrian Royals and elites.

Hydra can only sigh to himself as he lies down on a chair, not even bothering to spare a glance at the Nohrians he basically has taken prisoner and the bottle of turmoil they are going through by this situation but still has words to say for Arete.

"Even after everything she's done to your new home and family, you still threw yourself in the line of danger for her. I will never be able to thank you enough for this." He whispered with immense gratitude to the half-dead Queen. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I vow that you will be saved, no matter what."

"Poor, lost souls, these children are. Each of them has a sob story to tell. Children of Darkness always suffer but those who accept and endure are all the stronger for it." Quill said entering the room and walks passed the Nohrians trapped in time. "I don't mean to be bias but there's always been a certain beauty about tragedy that makes the Scions of Light… cheap in comparison. Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps."

"You're never bias when it comes to black, white and gray. Especially since paradise is never what it's cracked out to be, and humans, for all their talks about wanting to live in peace are terrible liars since they've always responded better to negative conditions." Hydra said somber.

"You're in a sorrowful mood." Quill bemused sarcastically.

"Quill." Hydra uttered, conspicuously close to snapping.

"Don't use that tone with me, and besides, you know how that would end for you, and you need to remain focus on her." Quill retorted, placing a hand on the Sage's shoulder, silencing Hydra. "Are you willing to cross any lines to save her? The Bifröst is a blasphemous tool that brings more harm than good to the Human World. That's one Sacred Treasure you should've never created."

"It was needed so many times before and I knew we'd need it again someday, which is why I urged you to hide it in that infested forest since I was forbidden to covet it." Hydra said.

"And now we're supposed to allow someone as frail and sick of death like her to keep it at the cost of I don't know how many Lycans." Quill scowled at the circumstances.

"I'm not asking you to help us, merely that you stay out of the way and let us save her." Hydra pleaded as he turns to Arete. Quill just sighs and also shook his head.

"Old friend, who am I to be mad over the loss of life when my hands are bloodier than most of the old gang. And we both know that all who reside in Horus must partake in the greater plan once the seeds have been sown. The Children of Fafnir are no exception. Try as we might, there is no escaping from the Chains of Fate, not forever." He stated.

"So you'll help Corrin?" Hydra asked.

"I've already given enough help to Sephiroth's kin. for the sake of Shiva's people, I bestow upon them my final Blackgrace. They're on their own from now on." Quill scoffed.

"What you did was overcomplicate things getting between that army and Niflheim." Hydra hissed.

"Ever since Sephiroth's reign ended, Hoshido has always fancy themselves being self-contained. This won't change anything." Quill shrugged.

* * *

The demonized Iago groan as he crash lands pretty far away from Demon's Falls, a few more miles and he would be out of Nohr territory and right in the border between Nohr and the farther west country of Almyra. Iago really hates that place.

"DAMN! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD! **I'LL KILL YOU DEAD**!" Iago roared in outrage over his defeat, angrily swearing vengeance upon Hydra for his interference, his body exploding with demonic energy that infects the environment around him as it all melts like acid.

"**Yes! YES! Continue to fuel your anger and power. But take it from me, it is all best reserve for our preys**." Wrath suggested, still speaking to him telepathically.

"**WHERE**?!" Iago demanded.

"**Not sure. Greed, where do you think they are now? His Sanctuary?**" Wrath asked his sister.

"**Obviously but knowing how close he and his daughter are with the Shadow Queen, Corrin would most likely had been sent to find a way to bring her back from the brink of death, which Hydra is undoubtably stalling, and there's only one thing in Solheimian soil where such a thing is possible. The Bifröst. But where, is the real mystery I've longed to discover ever since we reawakened.**" Greed surmised.

"The Ultimate Staff? I believe I know where it might be." Iago said as he was once interested enough to investigate if the legend was true and he long estimated that the Bifröst could potentially be with the Wolfskin but he never found the time to confirm this, nor would he dare waste time even looking for what could just be a fairytale. If Corrin really did went to find it then he can only curse himself for his inaction.

"**AWESOME**! **Go fetch it for me then**." Greed cheered as Iago flies to Mount Garou at Supersonic Speed.

* * *

The Real Azura holds on to her pendant that Hydra transferred back to her around her neck, the sorrow she felt upon what she saw still consumes her but with one last shred of hope, Hydra telepathically informed her of Arete's only chance for survival that she desperately clings on to.

"Please… save her. Robin… Corrin." Azura pleaded.

"What was that sorrowful force?" Jakob asked taken aback as he like everyone was struck hard by Azura's wave and have seemingly lost the will to fight. Even the Grimm have become docile.

"Such awful despair. Lady Azura…" Kaze uttered, the words he wants to say refusing to come out as he can only watch as the Corrin who he thinks is the real one get on her knees, leave the Noble Yato lying on the ground and give the Songstress comfort.

"It's okay… everything is going to be okay." She assured her mournfully as they both know what the real her and the real Robin are going to do to save Arete.

"Azura! Corrin!" Takumi called out to them as he, Hinoka and Sakura rush to the two.

"Are… A-re you both oka…y?" Sakura is sobbing uncontrollably.

"I… I don't know." Azura mumbled. The weakness she struggled to hide for so long and only ever allowed and trusted Robin to witness now out in the open for all to see.

"I'm so sorry. Nothing is as it should be for both of you." Hinoka said as she gets down to hold them both in a hug.

* * *

"Dammit. Lady Arete. She can't really be gone." The Replica Robin muttered more so sad for Azura and Corrin as they both think the world of Arete despite now being her enemies. Even though the true Robin barely had the chance to really get to know the Queen of Nohr it was easy to understand why she was so revered, in many ways, she reminded Robin of Emmeryn. Sure she had her moments at being a brute like her husband and she was certainly more stern and headstrong than Emmeryn but it comes with the territory of being one of the leaders of a Kingdom as harsh as Nohr, regardless she had enough similarities to the former Exalt for Robin to respect her as a true queen. He can't even imagine how those two are feeling, as well as Xander, Camilla and Leo. Just looking at the two of them look more defeated than they actually are seems sadder than it already is.

"Robin…" The Chief Tactician turns to see Lilith in dragon form rush to his side, returning to Niflheim. She was sent to act as the main lookout for the coming Nestrian Army and considering how far she was she most likely wasn't affected by Azura's song.

"Lilith, what are you doing back here? You should be on standby for the moment when we can execute the plan to hit Nestra's Army." Robin frowned.

"About that… there won't be a need for us to fight them because Nestra isn't coming." Lilith said as a matter of fact and really scared of something she saw.

"What?" Robin questioned. "What's happened?"

"They're dead. Every last one of the Nestrians sent to help Nohr who were barely half a mile away from here have been all slaughtered. It looked like a Grimm onslaught."

"Ridiculous." Leo uttered, obviously denying such a thing, not that he has the strength to back it up in his current state.

"Yeah, for once I'm with Leo, that's ludicrous. No matter how vicious Garon truly is, a man as cunning as him would never harm his allies." Robin said skeptically.

"I said it was like a Grimm onslaught, I never said it was the case. Just look." Lilith said, holding her Dragonstone to create a projection within it that shows the events Lilith is referring to. And as she said, an area right between the Nohr-Niflheim Border known as Ivaldi, lies in ruins with the corpses of soldiers wearing the armor of the famed Nestra that are designed supposedly out of electrum, a combination of gold and silver while the higher officers are dressed in far more defined and decorated armor. Everything from the minor soldiers to the General himself as well as the powerful war machines they brought with them which are impressive state of the art tools of destruction that used to be a topic of envy for the Nohrians who prided themselves with their own engines of war prior to reacquiring the Grimm, is all destroyed and tarnished beyond recognition. This isn't the aftermath of a fierce battle but of a full one-side slaughter, completely merciless that spared absolutely no one and it really does look like a scene Grimm would leave behind but at the same time there was something else at work.

"What could've done such a thing?" Robin uttered completely in awe and unnerved but nowhere near as shocked as Lilith and as the others would surely react, something Lilith picked up on and honestly unnerved her even more but then again, Robin's no stranger to war and this level of death and carnage.

"Does that mean we've won?" Lilith wondered.

"Too many Nohrians in Niflheim still so let's not celebrate just yet." Robin frowned.

The Grimm resumed their rampage of the Ice Tribe and so did most of the Nohrians but they were ultimately defeated and even Xander went as far as to surrender so that his remaining men and women would be spared, which both Corrin and Ryoma accepted and the remaining enemies are now being round up and detained.

"All of the coming Nestrians are dead?" Ryoma repeated, unable to process what Lilith has informed all of them and even shows them what she showed Robin. "This cannot be."

"I'm showing you all the truth, the threat of Nestra has passed, at least from a military front until the War is at an end." Lilith assured them.

"But what or who could've done this? Surely not Nohr, they have Nestra's strength right at their fingertips." Hinoka uttered.

"Maybe the Seven?" Hinata guessed.

"After everything they put us threw? There's no way they would suffer us to have such an upper hand in this fight." Reina objected.

"What can we possibly make of this and what consequences will this have for us?" Hinoka muttered.

"I'm not positively sure yet but I have a strong feeling that nothing good will come of it. As Lilith said, this massacre will affect us gravely in the future, whoever did this is no ally of ours." Ryoma said, fearing how dire this new predicament will really work for them. "Clearly Robin's previous plan would've been more preferable."

"Would've been?" Robin repeated but went ignored.

"Regardless, we still won this battle and three of the Nohrian Royals are in our custody. Even if this backfires on us and spurns Nohr to be even more brutal, the upper hand is all the closer." Takumi suggested.

"True. Niflheim is safe and with at least Xander in our custody, Nohr's morale will drop significantly. Victory seems within reach but until we get to Garon, nothing is assured." Robin clarified.

"Indeed." Xander bemused while he lies on his knees, his arms wrapped on his back same with Camilla and Leo beside him and the remaining Nohrians that have also been captured. "You've won nothing on this night, so long as my father stands, victory is still within our reach."

"I admire your faith in your Majesty. King Garon will surely be our greatest opponent yet but that will not deter us in the slightest." Ryoma boasted while hiding the anxiousness he feels of facing Garon. He loathes the man but he cannot deny his strength, he will face him alone if he must but he would prefer not to. The best case scenario is that they leave Robin to face the Demon King all on his own. That'll be quite a show, but Corrin will doubtlessly be adamant on facing her former father herself, making it more apparent that Ryoma must face him regardless. Either way, Hoshido will be victorious.

"Do what you will with us as the victors but don't be surprise if your attempts to use us as bargaining chips fails." Xander said.

"Bargaining chips? There will be no need for that once we proceed with our march so consider yourselves fortunate." Ryoma replied.

"Fortunate, eh? We'll see about that." Xander whispered as the Hoshidans leave the captive Nohrians under the guard of the Niflheimians who look more eager to just cut them down than hold them as prisoners of war and Xander can't really fault them but if they do attempt to harm his comrades and siblings despite already being bested, they're in for a surprise from the Crown Prince. "How much longer, Leo?" He whispered to his brother.

"He'll be here soon, very soon. And his magic power is beyond what it ever was so he's already assumed and perfected his Grimmafication." Leo whispered to him. "Robin clearly hasn't noticed yet so he's still under the effects of the Icebuster. The stage is all set."

"Good. A great travesty about the Nestrians but what comes next will certainly be more fulfilling." Camilla hissed as the most driven not to let things end like this, especially as she catches a quick glance of Corrin who has been keeping her distance from the Nohrians, as she walks in a different direction. "Corrin… so close and yet so far away."

"Stay calm, Camilla, please. Now is a good a time as any not to lose yourself to wrath." Xander pleaded with her.

"Xander, what was that feeling we received back then. Was any of it actually real?" Leo asked regarding Azura's sorrow.

"Don't think that way Leo. Mother's fine. She's back in Windmire escorting everyone underground with Elise beside her at all times. Almost everything is as it should be." Xander assured his little brother and sister that nothing bad has happened to their family. That everyone back home is doing better than them. However, even Xander is doubting his own words, and unless they can see her again, they'll never be sure.

* * *

"Are you two well?" Ryoma asked Corrin and Azura, regarding the shockwave the latter spread across the village.

"We're… fine for the most part, I think." Azura said weakly, the horror she saw and felt still plaguing her but hope still lingers inside. "My mother is not gone yet, Robin can still save her."

"That's not too surprising." Takumi sighed, feeling some relief for the two.

"Now what's next? Do we begin the march for Windmire?" Hinoka asked.

"Not yet. Our forces are exhausted from the previous fight which took its toe on us and Rinkah has yet to recover from all the strain she put herself threw stopping that… tsunami, I think it was called and needs to recover in the Astral Plane." Ryoma said. "Hayato and the other Wind Tribalists have also taken a beating and will likely be out of it for the final battle."

"Damn, of all the times for Leo to give his A-Game as a tactician it had to be now." Corrin muttered.

"He certainly did a number on us but at the very least Niflheim has been saved." Robin replied.

"And for that I am in your debt." Kilma declared, walking to the Hoshidans with both his daughters and Fuga at his side. "Despite the disaster that rain down upon us I am forever grateful to you Hoshidans for coming to our aid. This was a victory I have longed for so very long. And that goes the same for you, my brother of the storm."

"Think nothing of it, Chief Kilma. We of the Precursor Bloodlines are sworn to be there for one another, even if our lessers would forsake it so." Fuga said proud of what they accomplish today.

"I HEARD THAT, ASSHOLES!" Rinkah snapped, walking around despite not being in a proper condition.

"Rinkah, what are you doing, you should be in the Astral Plane recovering." Corrin said.

"I'm… f-fi-fine." Rinkah insisted while shivering because of the cold temperature. Even though a battle just took place in the village with plenty of fire around that hasn't all been taken out yet, the presence of so many ice mages prevents heat from ever taking whole in all areas and since she has so very little magic left at the moment, she's no longer able to generate enough heat to sustain herself in Niflheim.

"You've never been anywhere this cold before, have you?" Takumi asked as he himself has gotten somewhat used to the cold.

"Muspelheimian, remember?" Rinkah hissed.

"Yeah, also no magic, no life for dragonic demigods so quit being stubborn, or else your dad will use us for target practice." Corrin reminded her while Robin uses his magic to generate heat to make the Fire Princess feel warm.

"Aww, so much better. And where exactly did Lilith put her Mark?" Rinkah asked.

"Right this way, please." Lilith instructed as she begins escorting the wounded to the Astral Plane to be tended with. No use in hiding her true nature now that it's all hands on deck more than ever.

"How did you put up with that black sheep for so long?" Kilma asked irritated by Rinkah.

"We really don't." Fuga bemused.

"Exactly why are the people of Muspelheim looked down upon so much? I never understood that part." Sakura asked.

"Apart from being somewhat insensitive and hotheaded by nature. The whole tribe, especially the Blaze Faithful aren't exactly helpful with anything that doesn't involve conflict so there's a lot to be desired when it comes to them." Ryoma explained.

"Pity she's the only one who volunteered." Robin said.

"It's for the best, really." Fuga insisted.

"Guess there's nothing left but to rest up then and hope for a better tomorrow." Scarlet said.

"Yes, the hour of our victory is finally within reach, we must make sure everything has been perfected for our final battle." Ryoma declared.

"An end to this war, finally." Azura sighed while growing anxious with anticipation on what's to come next.

"One last fight and we can all go home." Hinoka boasted, tightening both her fists. For so long, storming the Heart of Nohr was but a dream and now it will become a reality. Still, so long away from home has honestly dulled her thrill of combat.

"Home… it's time to go back." Corrin said somberly at the thought of returning to Windmire. Even if she's just a Replica, she has all the original's memories and emotions so she can't help but behave as such, which makes the others buy that it's really Corrin easily, such as Sakura who grabs her by the hand as a way to assure her that everything will be alright, which she appreciates.

Though, her worries return once she notices Robin look troubled by something, though she won't voice them.

"What has you looking somber? Not satisfied that one of your strategies finally didn't pan out?" She asked with a little bit of insult in it since nothing will sugarcoat the animosity Corrin now harbors for Robin, and this causes a slight chuckle from Ryoma and Jakob while Azura rolls her eyes in annoyance.

"No, that was inevitable." Robin shrugged.

"Wow, you are too accepting of things not going your way." Takumi wondered.

"I'm used to disappointments. This is something else. I feel… a disturbance of some kind." Robin said growing anxious.

"Is it another one of your pack of lies, because I think Jakob has the perfect remedy for that." Corrin continued.

"Yes, I've always wanted to try my ''remedy'' on you." Jakob said fainting kindness to hide a deeper malice.

"Not the Ipecac overdose again, Jakob." Flora muttered in disgust regarding Jakob's true intention.

"What the heck is an Ipecac?" Hinata asked.

"The last time you used that junk Robin saw right through you and you ended up vomiting all over Lady Corrin and me." Flora reminded.

"Gross." Oboro groaned.

"Something's coming. Heading right towards us." Robin interrupted, completely deaf ear to Corrin's whining.

"Absurd, our scouts would've noticed." Kilma countered.

"I can't make sense of it, I'm still suffering under the effects of Leo's Anti-Magic but I swear there's some powerful surge of dark magic drawing near." Robin cursed, unable to understand what he's feeling.

"Dark magic? There's Plenty of Niflheim Dark Mages here, we enlist their aid in helping-"

"LOOK OUT!" Screamed one of the Ice Tribe's Warlocks, pointing at the sky above them in a panic as a large crimson energy blast is heading their way, straight where they are. It happened in a split second with no time for anyone to get away, Robin, Corrin and Ryoma raised their mighty swords and with a simultaneous swing, the power of Noble Yato, Raijinto and Ragnell destroy the blast but the shockwaves born from the aftermath were devastating to the surrounding areas and knock everyone else hard into the ground.

"What the hell was that?!" Takumi yelled as he forces himself back up along with everyone desperately getting into position for another fight.

"Another Nohrian assault! Was Xander's own forces just a vanguard?" Ryoma cursed.

"If so then we know what comes next." Robin muttered as he, Jakob, Kaze, Felicia and Flora form up in a circle to guard Corrin and they all look up to see their next foe which is a real behemoth.

"Oh gods…" Corrin muttered in horror as right above them is the last thing she expected to face.

* * *

"And here we are." The true Robin bemused as they gaze upon the infamous Land of the Wolfskin. It is an impressive and grassy forest that is quite beautiful and not the kind of place you expect "monsters" to reside in. Hydra transferred them right at the top of the very mountain above this dangerous land where the five of them can mostly see much of the land, the constant dark clouds of Nohr posing little hindrance to their visibility. Nearest to the mountain is a village, nothing too impressive but the fact alone that any sort of settlement exists here proves that those living here are more than just animals.

"There it is. Kaen, the village of the Lycans." Robin said motioning to the place.

"Great, so how are we supposed to do this? It's just the five of us vs. a large enough amount of beastmen to pose a challenge to both Nohr's and Hoshido's best?" Selena asked.

"First thing's first, we have to draw the attention of many of them as possible to come out of the village, specifically the ones more akin to warriors and defenders than the more citizenry-types." Robin explained. "You four stay airborne, while I go and have a talk with the Chief."

"You know their leader?" Laslow asked.

"Crossed paths with him during my first run in here. His name is Keaton and is a reasonable wolf unless provoked, he did let me go without a fight the first time." He explained.

"But you think there will be no second chances?"

"Pretty much but he deserves a fair warning and I rather catch them by surprise when we end up fighting them. I'll gently bring you down to their village while most of their warriors are focus on me for the moment." Robin instructed.

"Seems decent enough but are you sure you don't want at least one person backing you up, I hear the bites and scratches of a Wolfskin can make people really sick that healing rods won't cut it either." Odin asked.

"I'm sure." Robin said confidently.

"Fine, just be quick about it and when you do start fighting them don't you dare take them on too long, or else." Corrin warned as she holds his right shoulder tightly and squishes it for emphasis, making him very uncomfortable, even getting him almost on his knees.

"Got it." He muttered, groaning a little. "Severa, Owain, Inigo. I'll be counting on you to watch out for Corrin in my absence."

"That's kinda what we were expected to do prior to both your defections to the Light." Selena replied in confirmation.

"Good. You'll know the signal when you see it." Robin said before flying down to meet the Lycans.

Upon his departure, an uncomfortable silence overtakes the four, the Princess being strain with the three Retainers even prior to her desertion and leaving her alone with them is bound to cause trouble, though with the looming loss of Arete on each of their thoughts, they have to swallow all grievances to pull this off, not that it'll be easy.

"So… how long have you known? About him and us I mean?" Laslow is the first to engage in small talk with Corrin, at the very least they should try to be on friendly terms to some extent.

"Not long enough." Corrin replied way too quickly and a little coldly but the flirt didn't pick up on that.

"Sounds about right with him. It's always not long enough. At least with his present self." Selena bemused, recalling simpler times when their lives made more sense.

"Present self?" Corrin whispered in confusion but dismissed it, not sure if she could get much out of them, and even if she does, it'll probably feel hollow unless she hears it from Robin himself. But there is one thing that she longs to know and it matters very little where she gets this information from as long as she learns something. Or rather learn about someone.

"Truly, we are sorry about how grim the circumstances that led to our previous skirmishes were. Torn between our duty and our own aspirations but such are the cruel whims of War." Odin lamented still finding it in him to speak as he normally does in any situation to stay positive.

"Yeah… maybe in another life we could've been allies working to change Nohr for the better from the inside but I'd made my choice and I'm sticking with it." Corrin said, her new conviction never leaving her.

"Yeah, well same here." Selena shrugged as she summons her Morgenstern and pulls her sword out of it. This is the first time Corrin has seen Selena's copy up close and it is indeed an authentic replica but it looks older and it shows the smallest hint of being worn out, as if this one has been through more skirmishes but the fact that it possesses the same abilities can't be a coincidence. Sure, she could be mistaken but considering the bizarre origins of these three and Robin she could be on to something. Something more massive than she's thinking.

No one has yet to tell her about Robin previously slaying a God of Death and claiming his power.

"So what signal do you guys think he'll make for us this time?" Laslow asked.

"When does he not make a signal that comes from the sky?" Selena asked rhetorically while groaning. "My guess, summon down the dark clouds above us as a distraction. Those wolves may have superb senses that makes them difficult to catch off guard but those things up above aren't natural, they could mess with their noses."

"Indeed but can he really pour enough power for such a grand performance? What if what he experienced in Demon's Falls, the strange change done to his body happens again?" Odin asked concern. "Lady Elise said so herself that she wasn't the cause."

"I don't know but whatever is happening to him it definitely felt necromantic in nature but nothing we've ever seen before." Selena said recalling what she felt when she was curing Robin. "And I definitely didn't dispel it completely, only enough to hold it off for a longer period."

Corrin gritted her teeth at that, meaning that she hasn't seen the last of the curst afflicting Robin.

"Maybe you can shed some light on that, Princess." Selena questioned. "You and Robin fighting some different set of monsters while warring against us."

"The Seven Deadly Sins are real and they're the ones who started this war with me as their unwilling suicide bomber." Corrin revealed to the three, which definitely shocks them but not as much as she thought, making her think that Xander, Leo and Camilla know confided with their retainers about it. "Though, you knew that already."

"Not exactly, just what little our masters could share and they knew little of the situation themselves." Odin muttered with mixture of fascination and dread.

"Crap. I knew something messed up was going on behind the scenes but to think we wouldn't be able to track the danger at all, much less what could it be." Selena uttered.

"Goodness gracious. How atrocious this is turning out to be. I just hope we're not too late to stop them and their foul machinations." Laslow said worried for them all.

"Somehow I just know that it's already too late." Corrin mumbled.

* * *

Robin lands very close and now stands a few yards away from Kaen. Despite their animalistic nature, the people living here have enough human decency to build proper homes for themselves giving their preferred human forms as Kaen is a very nice and large village. This will not be easy but he knows where the shrine Hydra mentioned is so at least he knows where to direct his allies.

"Show time." Robin sighed as his ears are immediately beset by noises from all around him and it doesn't take long for him to find himself surrounded by hulking wolf-like beasts that are more bidepal than quadrupedal, each one easily twice the size of any men. Most of them have white fur than black, while the deadlier looking among them have a mixture of red and black fur to them, all of them have menacing red eyes to add to their fear factor. The Beastmen are nothing if not quick to react to the arrival of anything that could be seen as a threat to them, especially as Robin sent a minor shockwave across the village to let them know that an intruder has arrived. The one in the middle in front of the Tactician feels to be the most intimidating, granted Robin is not really scared but he feels threaten enough to be wary of his words. That same Lycan assumes his human form, revealing a young man in his mid-twenties dressed is mostly black, dark and white long hair and lacking human ears, instead having noticeable wolf ears and a tail.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in, or bird in this case." The apparent Lycan leader said bemused.

"Hello, Keaton." Robin greeted friendly to him.

"Same to you but as you can tell by the immediate vicinity, we're not at the moment in a greeting mood." Keaton said, looking honest but he's certainly not speaking for everyone else in his pack. "I'm surprised to see you again, most people lucky enough to get out alive know better than to return?"

"Circumstances have persuaded me to stick around a little while longer with my friends from Nohr." Robin said. "But that's not important right now."

"Last time I left you off scot-free because I was curious by your scent and felt like being a good sport but I also made it clear to you to never come back." Keaton said next with a more commanding voice.

"I know, and I wouldn't have defiled your demands without good reason." Robin said more respectable and honest. "Keaton, I need your help."

"Help? From us? That's a new one, most humans who come here are more interested in taking what's ours than requesting aid. You continue to intrigue me, Robin." The Lycan Leader replied, though there is a hint of weariness that it's easy for Robin to spot.

"It's one of my friends, her mother's dying from a wound too lethal to be treated, we can only keep her alive for so long but that's no way for anyone to live. We're out of options and we can't keep her like that forever." Robin explained his plight.

"That's sad, bro, but I don't see what could've possibly given you the impression that we of all people would have the means of saving a human's life from death, unless…" Keaton said before quickly coming to the only possible conclusion and picks up his Beaststone, signaling his fellow wolves to prepare for an attack. This has turned dire fast. "How did you find out about the Bifröst?!"

"It doesn't matter how, what matters is that I need it. I know I'm asking too much." Robin said, trying to stay reasonable.

"Too much is an understatement, but do you really understand the kind of power you want to get your hands on, the temptation that thing brings?" Keaton questioned far more demanding.

"I know not of its history, only its power and that it can save lives, as well as free them of their burdens." Robin replied, longingly at the last part.

"Well, I can tell you're not making up this sob story just to take advantage of my sympathetic nature, but even if I wanted to let you borrow it, it's ours, and what guarantee do I have that you'll return it once this friend's mother of yours is saved and you won't keep it to use as another engine of war to keep the Hoshidan soldiers from ever depleting, or did you think I wouldn't notice how you now look and even smell like one of their generals?" Keaton said, recognizing the design of Robin's uniform. Though when they met his previous uniform made him look like a Nohrian commander as well.

"As the Chieftain of your tribe, you must know humans enough to know that question has an impossible amount of answers with none sufficient enough to ever be acceptable." Robin replied regrettably.

"Due true. If there's one thing that everyone who's alive fears is the unknown and there is nothing more mysterious and frightening than Death. Humans take it way too far that they'll pursue anything divine to achieve eternal life. Heck, if what the elders of our tribe says is true, and my grandpappy is always right, the first Twilight War began because both Nohr and Hoshido wanted the Bifröst for themselves. Their greed and lust was so great that they laid waste to even their neighboring nations just for getting in the way, all for the power to cheat death, so much so that the damn thing got lost in all the chaos during the first week of the war and they didn't even noticed that nobody had it anymore until the war finally ended a decade later." Keaton elaborated on a piece of both Horus and the Bifröst's dark history. "Little did those morons know that the Staff can only bring back a person to life once because a second chance at life is enough of a miracle, but a third chance is an affront to the Heavens."

"I know full well how corrupt my kind is and believe me, I understand and welcome the true value of dying and its relationship with the living but my princess doesn't, or at least not yet, nor do I want her to." Robin said. "I won't be leaving here without the Bifröst."

"Then I'm afraid you won't be leaving here at all. A pity too, I hate to end a life I previously spared but none must know that such forbidden power rest here, which rightfully belongs to the Wolfskins." Keaton declared as he resumes his true wolf form. "We swore an oath to the one the humans shamelessly call the Thankless Maiden that the Bifröst must never fall into the hands of those who would desecrate the Balance between Life and Death, no matter the reason. You will regret coming back here alone."

"I already do regret it but not for what you might think." Robin said sadly as he summons Morgenstern and pulls out his Levin Sword. "But please, believe that I truly am sorry for what comes next."

Without skipping a beat, the Wolfskins launch their assault on Robin, with the White Mage acting much quicker, making a fierce swung of his lightning blade while channeling wind magic, blowing many of the beasts away from him but some held their own quite well and proceed but Robin still proves fast enough to evade them and flies passed them, heading for their village.

"STOP HIM!" Keaton roared with the beasts chasing to stop him from setting foot in the village, though once he gets near, more Lycans come out from Kaen, blocking his path, sinking their claws on him that he easily parries with his sword, knocking them down. Robin then gets on his knees to evade being decapitated by a fierce slash from the claws of a Wolfssengner that barely managed to sneak up on him, Robin simply hits him with the pommel of his sword, emitting enough force to blow it far away, crashing into three other wolves. Robin then takes to the sky but nowhere near the clouds and sends a barrage of weak lightning bolts to all his surroundings, intentionally missing the Lycans and instead hitting their homes, causing miniscule amounts of damage on purpose that can be easily repaired but ultimately accomplishes what he expected to happened as he really riled up all the wolves as all of them, including some children angrily charge, leaving the village to attack him.

"So far so goo-" Robin is interrupted as one wolf manage to leap high enough to reach him, nabbing him as they both crash back down with Robin receiving the full impact, not that it can actually hurt him, easily kicking the wolf off him, only to quickly move away to dodge another brutal assault, followed by parrying a stronger slash, and is then force to make a higher leap to escape being dogpiled.

"Fimbulvetr!" Robin releases a mighty wind to his surroundings that stops all the Lycans closest in their tracks by freezing them but many more didn't get caught and proceeded once he stopped. Keaton manages to get close enough to Robin first and thrust his right arm into him before he could parry with his sword and pins the Mage to a tree.

"I didn't think you would be this dumb, even by human standards. You're barely pulling up a good fight." The Wolf Chief taunted as he presses more pressure until the three breaks and falls on top of Robin, pinning him by his legs. "Earning the full might of my clan was your last mistake."

"Quite the opposite, actually." Robin smirked as he again summons Ignis, releasing an intense heat that forces all but the strongest wolves to back away from him to avoid the volcanic level of heat. Robin gets back airborne and extends his right hand to the sky before he lowers his hand down and something spectacular happens as the clouds above them come falling down to the ground, covering up the entire village.

"What the… that's impossible!" Keaton uttered in disbelief.

"Don't say I wasn't merciful." Robin says as he flies to where the entrance into Kaen is supposed to be before facing all the Lycans.

"What are you up to now, Robin?!" Keaton demanded.

"As I said, I'm not leaving this place without the Bifröst and so extreme measures are required." Robin replied.

"You honestly think something as harmless as a cloud can stop even a single Wolfskin?" Keaton questioned.

"Not the cloud itself, no but remember, clouds are naturally made of water, and water conducts electricity." Robin explained while cladding his sword with lightning. "And Kaen is all wet now."

"Damn you!" Keaton cursed, realizing the severity of Robin's true plan.

"Enter at your own discretion, though I'm sure that not everyone of your people has left the village yet, no doubt confused and maybe even scared by what just occurred so I have hostages now. No one has to die today. As soon as I claim what I have come for, I will make everything back as it was." Robin declared with a truly commanding tone that made plenty of the wolves just as intimidated as they are of his magic power. "You've been warned." He said at last before flying away.

"You won't get away with this!" Keaton swore.

* * *

Robin flies straight to the intended target, the shrine that houses the Bifröst. It looks really old and small, it's clearly been around for hundreds of years and is still given proper care and respect on the part of the people of Kaen. Corrin and the trio flew their way down with Corrin's Icarus as soon as they saw the clouds fall down were Robin was waiting and guided them to their destination, arriving on the shrine.

"Okay, now you've really have outdone yourself, Robin!" Corrin uttered by how astonishing this whole thing is. Trapping an entire village in a cloud and putting the Lycans in a turmoil with a Fog of War, already they can hear from all angles the howling sounds of confusion and turmoil from the villagers.

"Don't celebrate yet, I didn't buy us enough time for my liking." Robin said not so confident in his stunt as he initially thought. "Alright, you four remain on guard of the shrine while I find the Bifröst."

"Wait, why do you get to find it, you're our heavy hitter?" Corrin questioned.

"You're a heavy hitter, Corrin, especially with your stone and these three are the better fighters than you." Robin reminded her. "Besides, I know what the staff looks like so it'll be quicker with me."

"You do?" Corrin asked but Robin gives no answer as he gets inside the shrine.

"There are a few heading this way." Corrin heard one of her ''allies'' whisper as she, Laslow, Selena and Odin are forced to guard the shrine, standing side by side, awaiting the worst, all the while hearing the angry and ominous howling of the wolves everywhere, they're completely surrounded but the howling also indicate confusion and fear, as expected given the shock fest of a portion of the sky falling down on the village. They clearly don't know what's going on yet, much less the reason behind this, though perhaps the Lycans outside have warned their people inside of what's going on, though a few of them.

"What's our best bet against these things?" Corrin asked the trio.

"Naturally, the Beast tribes are vulnerable to the special minerals that we use to make Beast Killer weapons, which I thankfully brought with me." Laslow said as three swords that have resemblance to the Beast Killer Lance manifest before the flirt and passes along two of them to Corrin and Selena while Odin sticks with his own sword, Missiletainn. "Hopefully they'll serve us more for intimidation than lethal force. It's enough of a bad taste in my mouth that we're invading these people."

"Sadly, beasties are known for having too much pride for their own good that they won't give us too much of a choice." Selena scoffed.

"Pride…" Corrin whispered while trembling at the mention of that word but is quick to focus on the danger before her as a Wolfskin steps out of the cloud, fury in its howl as it ferociously goes to attack the invaders, Corrin the first to intercept as she parries the swing of its razor sharp claws with her new sword, followed by catching an uppercut slash thrown by the Wolf next with her left hand. Her strength as a human may pale in comparison to the beast but she holds on well to give it a kick to the stomach to push it down on the ground, followed by Selena firing a wind blast to blow the wolf out from their visibility, though she pushed him a bit too far as the next thing they hear is a wall being busted open.

"Too much?" The redhead asked rhetorically as she confronts the next Wolf that charges and she swings her blade that the Wolf catches with its barehand, a folly on its part as the palm begins to burn upon contact with the blade design to slay its species, forcing it to release its hold on the blade and back away while it cries from the sudden pain. Selena then converts her magic into her left hand to empower it and deliver a supercharged punch to knock the beast out from their sight as well. At the same time that she did another Wolf storms in straight at her but she's prepared for a surprise attack, quickly conjuring up a literal firewall between them that the Wolf crashes into and is caught on fire itself, already screaming in pain and runs off away from the humans.

"You're nothing without your tendency for overkill." Odin mused as he begins to channel power from his sword to intercept four Wolfskins coming in at once and deals with all of them, each knocked out for the count with the might of his dark blade. Normally weapons composed of dark magic are lethal beyond the average danger of regular weapons but Odin can minimize the killings by manipulating the magic of the sword to convert the blade to an energy-based blunt weapon with no edge, so at best the damage he can make to the Wolves is cracking their ribs but that isn't too bad since Lycanthropes have promising regenerative powers so they'll recover provided they avoid conflict for a while. "I just wish I could have the will to overkill myself but alas, the great honor of my sacred blood would never allow me to rain death upon the undeserving."

"You have dragon blood too?" Corrin questioned, curious from that remark as she intercepts another Lycan, one of the superior breed she studied once, a Wolfssegner, definitely a real challenge as it is able to resist the burning touch of her sword and pins her to the ground. The force of this behemoth becomes so great too quickly that she is forced to use her dragon powers as her arms change, increasing her strength to be more than enough to push the wolf off her and as she leaps above it, she slams both her hands on its head so hard, slamming it to the ground, hopefully he is knocked down but not out permanently. She can't let herself fall here. She will save her mother from Nohr.

"Ah…" Odin muttered, not sure how to respond to Corrin's question. "When will I learn?" He whispered.

"Oh boy…" Laslow sighed dejectedly he fights two Lycans at once but despite their surprisingly fast attacks that match well with their brute strength, the Crown Prince's right-hand man is able to evade the attacks with such precision and astounding reflexes that it looks as though he is practicing for a dance routine than actually being in danger, and while he is at it, he delivers several slashes to his assailants that they are unable to avoid and none of the cuts are too deep and once enough have been inflicted, the two fall to their knees from the pain and are now momentarily immobilize. "Robin sure seems to be taking his time."

"One can only imagine what crap lies down below the shrine that these brutes have stashed in over the years." Selena said.

"Are you guys ignoring me right now?" Corrin protested as they get surrounded by more wolfskins who manage to show up without their notice.

"Gawds! Just shut up and fight, you stupid girl!" Selena snapped irritated by the Princess.

* * *

Once inside the shrine, Robin is quick to examine the floor for where the trapdoor might be, which doesn't take long and he heads inside what looks to be a large basement, one side there are lots of things like armor, weapons, jewelry, and way more things that probably belonged to those who dared enter here and were killed by the Lycans across the ages, judging by how rusty the majority are, and on the other side things are far more disturbing, being filled with the bones and skulls of humans, a bunch of dead animals and some real junk.

"At their core Lycans are animals. No surprise." Robin sighed not the least bothered by this sight as he begins looking for the Bifröst and decides to begin with all the bones. "I have the unfortunate feeling that something as rare as the Bifröst wouldn't be placed somewhere it would be obvious to find so I'll take my chances on this side."

He casts a wind spell so deadly that the air rips the bones to pieces until not even dust remains, clearing the way for him and he made sure to destroy all the bones. This may upset the wolves but he doesn't care about that, and he has to be careful with this spell otherwise he might destroy his ultimate prize. After a minute or two, he finally finds it, gazing upon the marvel of a staff that is the Bifröst.

"Finally… it's within my grasps." Robin muttered as he grabs the staff, a surge of its incredible healing magic already coursing through him. This feeling, this light, its heavenly. Robin can instantly tell why the Lycans don't want this to fall into human hands, they'll just do more harm than good as always. Even still, this can definitely save Arete from death. What's more, this can definitely save him. "I can finally free myself of his darkness. But first…"

Robin immediately flies back up fast but still makes sure not to damage the shrine in any way, he can't bring himself to take more from them, and once outside, he finds his friends being swarm by a few daring Lycans and he certainly can't stand for that so he unleashes his power and blows all the wolves away from them and back inside the dark clouds and as more threaten to reach them, Robin pours more of his magic to make the large cloud tangible enough that he makes a wall of ''steel'' they can't pass through.

"Couldn't you have done that before?" Corrin protested to him.

"Can't cast one as tough as this while taking my eyes off it." He replied, also certain that he was the fastest choice to get the staff. Sure there's Severa but she's not one to endure places that resemble dumpsters.

"BULLSHIT!" Corrin furiously snapped at him.

"Look, I have the Staff let's just leave." Robin whined as he hides the staff in Morgenstern then prepares to fly them out of here. "Hopefully Hydra has a portal ready for us because we still can't warp ourselves."

"I'm sure, let's just fly out of this village first and remove this cloud from a safe distance. I don't want to keep these people in this kind of turmoil much longer." Corrin said.

"Alright, let's-" The five warriors are left frozen the instant they hear another even louder howl of a Wolfskin. But this one is different, there was no anger, simple fear based on confusion and turmoil. In fact at this moment the only kind of howling they should be hearing is one of vengeance against the humans who dare invade their home and worse steal from them. Instead this howling was one of absolute terror, the terror of staring death in the eye and meeting your end.

"What was that?" Laslow uttered, knowing deep down that their time in Kean is far from over as similar cries of agony can be heard repeatedly all around them, what's worse they can definitely hear the sound of Lycans being attacked and receiving blows that either crush them on the ground and even the sound of their flesh being ripped apart as well as houses destroyed by an unstoppable brute.

"There's someone else here." Odin deduced as the painful screams are getting closer and they keep getting more unbearable to hear.

"Oh no…" Corrin uttered in horror as Robin quickly dispels the clouds surrounding them to see what is really happening and what they see is a bloodbath as the Lycans they previously fought are all dead and torn to bits without mercy, but this isn't anything like the trail of human bodies Corrin was forced to leave behind in her wake in this war, these murders are downright inhumane, there was no reasoning or justification, only senseless bloodshed, Corrin can't bring herself to look, though one look from Robin and the other three she can tell that while they too are disgusted by this sight, they seem accustom to such horrors. And upon seeing who did this, the futility of it all made a lot more sense.

It's Iago! He's back and is standing right before them, in his right hand, he is carrying a Wolfskin child by his neck. The poor boy struggles to breathe as the demon is holding him tight, tears all over his face as he can already feel death about to take him.

"Iago, don't…" Corrin pleaded with the former man but Iago just gives her his signature gloating smug as he squishes the boy's neck so much that he doesn't just break it, he tears the head off from the body as it falls on the floor while he still holds the now mortified head of the young werewolf, to the horror of the humans.

"Forget the Horseman of Famine, Death itself has been infesting Nohr ever since you first set foot here." Iago sinisterly taunted as he tosses the head away.

"**I'LL KILL YOU**!" Corrin screamed her lungs out at him with bloody vengeance, charging in after him but is stopped by Robin who restrains her, all the while suppressing his own wrath.

"You mean like you killed these innocent, foolish creatures." Iago taunted as he makes a powerful flap from his wings that the dark cloud covering the village in its entirety is blown away, bringing visibility back to Kaen and the carnage the former human wrought is worse than they thought. Surely he hasn't attacked the whole village but nearly half from at least the east side are all dead now. "I guess you're still Nohrian deep down after all."

"I'll show you how a true Nohrian tears a body to pieces." Selena growled enraged.

"**How badly I wish I could infest that redhead but sadly she's already been blessed by Hydra's wretched protection. Such a pity.**" Wrath bemused from Iago's head, bearing witness to the ensuing fight.

"You'll pay for everything you've done, Iago!" Corrin swore, wanting so badly to kill him, the resentment and bitterness she's held ever since the day her life changed forever and finally the one responsible within reach. "What you did to me… WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"

"And if you had played the role of a suicide bomber more properly, you would've never had to deal with the aftermath of such a… delicate I believe is the word. Such a delicate process." Iago replied remorseless of his actions, not like that would ever be a surprise, given what he was as a human being. Why should his new life as a demon be any different. "But if you can't accept your fate than you're welcome to try and rectify it. Either you die here and now, or I do."

"That will gladly be you!" Corrin swore.

"Hold that thought." Iago suggested as the sound of a stampede is heard from his left as the Lycans that Robin previously fought led by Keaton storm inside the village as soon as the cloud vanished. "The real show begins now." He mused as he plans to escape to leave Corrin and friends to bear the weight of his latest crime but Robin won't let him escape as he grabs him by his tail as he attempted to fly away.

"Your days of puppeteering are over!" Robin shouted as he angrily pulls him to the ground just as the Wolfskin warriors arrive.

"Oh gods!" Keaton could only wallow in a bitter sorrow greater than he's ever felt in his life at the bloodbath that has befallen his home, the bodies of his friends and loved ones lying on the ground and made to form a gory sight, despair consumes the Lycans but with the humans in clear range among the bodies of their fallen brethren as well as a literal demon soon turns their sorrows into uncontrollable wrath. "You…"

"Keaton…" Robin muttered, unable to even try and find the words that could ever prove their innocence in this massacre, and they are largely responsible, after all Iago is here because they're here.

"Kill them… **KILL THEM ALL**!" The Wolf Chief roared as he transforms again and the Lycan warriors charge in, ready to seek out their vengeance.

"RUN!" Robin shouted as he releases an illuminating light from his hands that momentarily blinds the wolves from their new preys.

"But…" Corrin uttered but isn't given much of a chance to say much as Robin grabs her hand and they attempt to escape, however Iago won't let them escape.

"I don't think so." He hissed as he grabs Robin by his shoulder and pulls him away from the Princess and sucker punches straight into the Lycans, then turns to Corrin. "None of you will leave here alive with that staff. I won't allow it and unfortunately, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." He rams at Corrin and takes her flying through a few houses.

"Corrin!" Robin shouted, quick to get up to reach her but must first get pass the Wolfskins who will never allow him to escape and as things stand now, he cannot afford to hold back and lets loose his power, striking down any who get in his way.

"To hell with this day and everything to do with it!" Selena shouted as she too lets loose her magic power to push the wolves away alongside Odin while Laslow provides cover fire with a Hunter's Bow, his arrow yet to miss their target.

* * *

Corrin fights back against Iago by transforming into her dragon form, granting herself the strength to push the Demon off him and slam him viciously on the ground and she would've squish further if Iago hadn't summoned more blades from his body to destroy her arm. Though the demonic blades fail to even pierce through her hand, the sting of the tips are enough to force her to release his hold on him and once freed, he assaults her with his vicious claws clad in fire magic, each blow burning her face more and more, they feel hotter than the lava from Demon's Falls but she will never relent. The Dragon Princess again grabs a hold of her along awaited prey and begins ramming him through another of the houses in Kaen and as she throws him down she prepares to fire a water breath. She's reluctantly been practicing to make proper breath attacks with Robin and Lilith and at this very moment she's happy that she took the training seriously. Her Water attacks can penetrate steel with ease, now she's dying to know what it can do to demon flesh.

The frighten squeal of a little girl halts her attack as she turns to her left to see a mother and her daughter lying frightfully in the corner of the living room they are now in. She wondered what was going on everywhere else in the village and is happy to learn that there are still survivors who refused to fight and chose to hide, not everyone is a fighter much less willing to act under their animal instincts in favor of trying to survive it seems. They really are no different than humans after all, if they can feel fear, they can harbor love and compassion like what she's seeing right now, no different than any parent and child, and here she is, bringing ruin to their homes just to save the stepmother she abandoned and to exact her revenge.

"Just who am I…?"

Her moral dilemma grants Iago another chance to slip away and cast a powerful Thunder Spell.

"Rexbolt!" He roared and the thunderbolt from above struck her hard and blasts her pretty far away from him and crashes near the far west edge of Kaen.

"Harboring sympathy for such pitiful creatures. I expect that kind of stupidity from Elise but then again you've always been no more than a child in my eyes anyway so I have only myself to blame for being surprise." Iago chuckled as he flies towards her.

"Dammit, Iago. Stop this! Your beef is with me and my Hoshidan Authority. There's no reason to drag these people in our war. It doesn't matter if they aren't human nor answer to the Throne, they are still Nohrians by right of ancestry to this land." Corrin demanded.

"That is not for you to decide, especially as you stand as the clear loser of this fight. In war, only the victor decides what's right and what's wrong. And you were never going to win this war, my dear." Iago declined showing mercy to anyone.

"I don't understand you. In spite of fighting for the same cause you would fall to this extent. You owe your life to Garon. Xander once told me that he saved you in your time of greatest need, everything you have you have because of his mercy, and you repay him by killing his wife and now you won't even let me save her." Corrin protested.

"I do owe my allegiance to King Garon and I serve him even now." Iago replied fiercely, offended that Corrin, the true traitor to Nohr would question him. "But he wasn't the only one who saved me from the fires that burned my home, it wasn't just him that was there for me, it wasn't him who pulled me out of the wreckage and made me forget the screams of my sister. My mother was Hoshidan in both appearance and honor but that didn't stop her own people from treating her like a witch for marrying a Mage from Nohr."

"The Sins saved you?" Corrin questioned, unwilling to believe that, though him being willing to give up his humanity does make more sense if true. Even still, she can't help but harbor pity for him since his vile actions are truly because he is consumed by loss and grief.

"Believe what you will, you mean nothing to me, you never did. However I confess that using you like I did was wasteful on my part. It would've been more satisfying corrupting you into slaughtering the Hoshidan Royals without remorse while always none the wiser of your true parentage but my associates were insistent that you be at the center of this chaos."

"WHY ME?!" Corrin yelled bitterly at the position she was forced into. "Is my unknown lineage so awful that I'm not allowed by neither Hell and Earth to live my life. All I ever wanted was to be a good princess to the people I thought my own and marry whoever the hell I want without so much as a but!"

"As usual, you're an embarrassment to us all. And there's no point in you ever learning the truth, you will die here along with the man you're so obsess with. It's almost necrophiliac, he's not quite dead but his soul is always so close to the edge, and deep down you know he's so out of reach and yet you cling on to a hope so false. Such a pity." Iago smirked. "Like Envy would always say, sometimes you have to spare the child and spoil the rod!" Iago isn't given the chance to attack as Corrin strikes first, finally firing her water breath that blast him pretty far and right into the other side of Kaen.

"I would rather break the rod!" Corrin shouted, angrily more determine to end this and END HIM.

* * *

"Get out of my way!" Robin yelled with his suppress anger and frustration finally let loose as he fires a powerful and violent shockwave of dark magic that causes severe damage to the Lycans, knocking the majority out for the count and thankfully the waves missed the trio. "I am truly sorry for this."

"Ugh… Why did you have to come here…" Keaton uttered his last bitter words to the humans who ruined their lives before collapsing from his wounds. But at least they'll live.

"Dammit… how could things have gone south so awfully." Selena muttered.

"If only the Bifröst could be used to save them all." Odin suggested with desperate hope to correct this horrible mistake.

"You heard what Hydra said, the Bifröst is not infallible and can only be used once a day. And speaking as someone who's been trapped in a state between life and death myself for a long period, it's not pleasant to be kept that way for long and Arete is not as strong as me." Robin said regrettably, reminding them that just because Arete is being kept alive with Time Magic doesn't mean they should use it for long. Being trapped between the living and the dead is a hell all its own.

"I guess you're right." Laslow uttered as they turn their attention where the sounds of battle linger as Corrin and Iago's conflict is relentless. "Even with a dragon at our side, I doubt we can actually stop Iago as he is now. His power almost reminds me of Grima's Deadlords, worst of all Mordred. He can kill us if given the chance."

"I know. There's no telling what more horrors the minions of the Seven can pull and the longer we prolong, the less chance we might have at winning." Robin deduced.

"What do you suggest we do then to end this lunatic?" Selena asked.

"Call out a reluctant friend." Robin sighed in disappointment on to what he must do as dark magic engulfs his left arm and from his palm, a blade comes out, the same one he was going to use in the Opera House before he was interrupted by Odin and Laslow. A replica of Selena's, the obvious difference is that the blade is black instead of silver, the fuller and hit are red, not gold and there is no hole in the base.

"Reficul." Odin uttered in awe at the sight of the deadly blade the trio know all too well. "Of course, what better way to remove this evil than with the Blade of Evil's Bane itself!"

"I wondered when you used that sword again." Selena frowned slightly as she notices the deeper frown on Robin. "Then again, you hate using this blade."

"And I'd hope to never use it again but alas, I must do what needs to be done, yet again." Robin swore as the time has come to end his Princess's feud with the Dark Tactician of Nohr. "I won't be long." He declared as he flies forward, straight into the fight and sees that Corrin has managed to stay in a stalemate against Iago while remaining in her Dragon Form, a feat he finds a little surprising, since he never imagined she would remain as a dragon for this long but that only proves just how deadly Iago truly has become.

"Time to die, Corrin!" Iago avowed as he performs very odd hand gestures, forming magenta colored patterns on the air, runes of clear demonic origins and as he does so, several seals manifest that surround Corrin, one over her and the other under her. The power of this spells creates a rippling shockwave all blown straight at Corrin, with the Dragon Princess screaming in pain and anger.

"A fitting end for a miserable beast like you." Iago laughed as he then fires a breath attack of his own, launching a poisonous stream that should finish her off. If only the blast had hit her as Robin arrives in time and with a swing of his black blade, dispels both of Iago's attacks aimed at Corrin. "Damn you…"

"**Reficul**." Wrath narrowed his eyes, gazing at the sword Robin wields. "**Finally**."

"You Whiteheads sure can't stay away from each other." Iago groaned twice as irritated as he typically is when things don't go his way, which prior to the war was very rarely so he's not used to this.

"No we cannot and this time you really are a dead man!" Corrin growled.

"Relax a bit Corrin. I got this." Robin insisted as that attack really did a number on her. "As she said, there will be no more second chances for you, Iago. You're not hurting anyone ever again."

"That's for me to decide, boy. I don't know how is it possible that you survived the curse I afflicted upon you but it matters not. You will not stop me!" He declared, charging up another spell with the same patterns like he used on Corrin with an extra dose of power that would surely finish them off, but ultimately proven futile as a single swing from the black blade is all it took for Robin to destroy the spell.

"Again! Is that sword Anti-Magic?!" Iago uttered.

"You'll wish it was." Robin narrowed his eyes as he goes to swing at the Demon, and as soon as he went an inch closer, something within Iago screamed at him to run and it wasn't Wrath nor Greed, though they were going to tell him to flee. As fast as he could go, Iago fled from Kaen, already half a mile away. He's never felt this way before, this kind of fear surpasses what he experienced all those years ago. Just what is that sword?

"Not quick enough." Robin bemused, already caught up to him.

'ABSURD!' Iago screamed in his head. 'This speed… is that blade granting him more power?'

Robin delivers a vertical slash that Iago manages to avoid but the same cannot be said for the tip of his right wing that gets cut, and this minor injury proves more fatal than it seems, he can't help but scream as the pain proves too great as he falls to the ground. This is the kind of pain one should feel when they have a hole forced open in their chest not a slight cut. He's not sure if the wing is still useable but he can't think about that right now as he has to roll out of the way as Robin slams the blade at him, and he's lucky to have avoided this next swing. In retaliation for this pain, Iago fires another poisonous breath attack at the superior Tactician and to make sure he doesn't get away, Iago uses shadow magic to manifest demonic arms to come out from the floor and grab a hold of Robin so that he doesn't escape the almost perfect pointblank range. As soon as he stops his attack he is shock to find that his target is gone from sight as that blast shouldn't have been able to disintegrate him.

"You are more powerful." Robin whispered in his ears, standing behind Iago and then stabs him in the chest before he could do anything. "But your sins only makes you an easier prey for my Sin Eater."

Iago screams with even greater pain with the sword through his chest, the evil powers within him erupting out of control until he exploded across a far range that destroy the surrounding area and left a decently large crater with Robin unaffected. As he pulled the sword, Iago falls to the floor, still alive and ''purified'' as he is back to his human appearance, the only thing left to cover him are his pants and without his Sorcerer uniform to cover him, Robin can better see the rest of the scars from his past. His body has more pretty old scars that he's sure he didn't acquire during his long currier as one of Nohr's Generals.

"No more Hellish tricks for you." Robin scoffed as the Sorcerer forces himself back on his feet but he can only stay on his knees.

"As far as Tacticians go, I'm never empty handed, Godslayer." Iago hissed, even now his ego and stubbornness does not waver. Robin would give praise to his pride if the demonic embodiment of that vice wasn't at large. "Yes, I know who you are, the Sinners told me much about you, and I must admit. You have my empathy. I have never known anyone more foolish as you who would so stupidly throw his life away for the ungrateful time and time again and receiving only Death as compensation."

"I've always been a bit suicidal, something we both have in common so the empathy is appreciated." Robin said as he points his sword below his neck and forces him to look at him. "You know, you almost remind me of someone I once knew, a lost soul with a promising and fulfilling future, threw it all away when he was consumed by a great loss. That kind of rage changes you in ways that defile reasoning. But then I realized that madness is not the absence of wisdom but the inability to care about what's right. The difference between you and him is that he had no choice but to fall to corruption. But you, you did have a choice, and you chose poorly."

"Is that what you think?" Iago chuckled defiantly and uncaring.

"Just a hunch. I too know what it's like to give in to rage when a love one is involved in tragedy, so I am sorry for what you've become but it changes nothing. I will not suffer your worthless life any longer but I will not take pleasure in it either." Robin groaned at the last part, hinting suppress animosity that he spoke with half-truth.

"As if that makes you better than me." Iago hissed, even now he speaks with the smugness of a victor but Robin knows his deceit, this is the behavior of a fiend who refuses to let his opponent have a satisfying victory by taunting them even in death. Pathetic, some might say but Robin always viewed this as courageous in some aspects, though Iago doesn't fit into this category. At least he's not a coward begging for his life. Those who kill have no right to complain about being killed themselves eventually. How he came to that realization was a grim experience best forgotten. "You accomplished nothing! Nothing except push yourself further back to the brink of damnation. And for what, a girl who brings only misfortune and sorrow to those around her. Oh, but you're used to it aren't you? Being a means to an end for Royals undeserving of any devotion or loyalty and be cast aside when you grow too powerful. This is beyond a fool's errand! If I were in your place I would've done everything in my power to avenge such injustice done to me and my family but you… just to protect THEM! The Exalts. The architects of your pain, you went as far as to throw YOUR OWN daughter away!"

By his words, Robin now looks at the fallen man with real contempt, his hand trembling with the black blade already beginning to cut into his flesh but it doesn't go deep enough to be fatal, even as Robin shakes with his anger but he does well to hold himself back. He will not succumb.

"What are you waiting for then? You're smart enough not to leave anymore loose ends. Hesitation is the enemy of true Tacticians." Iago dared, seemingly resigned to his fate.

"Only for those who value victory more than the lives of the soldiers we were entrusted to lead." Robin replied. "And besides, as hard as I tried, ultimately I'm not the one who should finish you off."

"I see." Iago said as Robin pulls his sword away from him and he turns around to face his true executioner, the very Princess he condemned, still in her dragon form and without hesitation she grabs him by his neck and pulls him closer to her.

"You could never suffer enough for the pain you've wrought and luckily for you, I ain't got the stomach for torture." Corrin growled as the moment is finally here. Despite his end, the Dark Tactician still has the nerve to chuckle in defiance.

"Taking the moral high ground even now… Please, Humans. Dragons. Demons. Or in between. It doesn't matter what you are, it changes not what you truly are." He chuckled.

"And what am I to you? A Monster of Light who lives solely to purge all who live in Darkness. Is that all you see in me? In Hoshido?! Is there nothing else in our lives more important that all we do is fight without end all because of the wrongs of the past that we can't ever have a future where all of it is left buried and put to rest!"

"As a young but truly wise Dark God once said, the Future is built upon the Past." Iago sneered, unknowingly, or perhaps knowingly opening up a very deep old wound in Robin that'll never heal. "Everything in the Universe originated from Darkness, even the Light. The latter can't accept the shameful truth so it painted the Dark as the enemy of all and so much abuse pushed the Shadows to declare war on its own children. For Aether to reign supreme, Creation must be Balanced with Destruction. Imperfection. Misery. Sin. You can pretend to be the good princess all you like Corrin, but in the end, you're just like me! It always has to be how you want things to be or no one is allowed to be happy."

"Then I guess we are all monsters deep down after all. But you forget, Iago. Every monster gets what they deserve eventually." Corrin sneered and begins to squish his evil head to mush. "Don't bother saving a spot for me in Hell, I won't be joining you anytime soon." With all her hatred, the head of the Dark Tactician of Nohr combusts, blood, pieces of his skull and brain are splash on the ground and cover most of Corrin's left arm, finally ending the life of the evil human turned demon.

He got off easy but it's of no concern. As Corrin drops his body, Robin burns it to cinders with fire magic to make sure there's nothing left to reanimate this time. Corrin makes a heavy sigh filled with so much emotion before reverting back to her human form, her eyes as hollow as a corpse as she stares at the fire.

"I knew I feel empty in some ways once this was over but… I thought… I'd at least feel…" Corrin muttered, too tired and weak willed to say anymore. Robin takes her hand and insist that she lies down on a tree far from the scene of the battle to rest and she lies there for a few moments.

"It's not his death that weights you down." Robin said somberly.

"What have we done Robin? I know I'd said I would save Arete but this was beyond what I believed would happen." Corrin mumbled with remorse over what has transpired. "The Lycans were never supposed to get involved in our affairs."

"I know." Robin said feeling more guilt than she does, holding Reficul in his hand, his grip loosens that it drops to the floor.

"Even if Iago spilled their blood, the fault lies solely on us for these deaths. Gods, when did everything get so out of hand." She mumbled. She can't even shed tears for the fallen, she's all dried up.

"That's a question with no answer. Gods, there's no real solid answer as to why everything is like this. But Corrin, I know things are only getting darker the further we go but you have to stay strong, not just for others but for yourself. I know I'm asking too much of you. The world is always going to ask too much of you. It's not fair and if I could change things for you I would but the world is complicated for all the right and wrong reasons, that's how it must be. What's important is being a better person, and you are better than anyone around you, not because you are strong but because you feel shame by everything that's happened." Robin tries to help Corrin find closure. "You feel lost right now, like all you do is hurt everyone around you, not just those who deserve it. I can't prove that but I can't disprove it either. And that's something you have to allow be a part of you."

"What are you saying?" Corrin muttered.

"Like I told Azura before, if I could give you one direction, one step along the path… It would be… to let yourself be lost." He revealed.

"Lost?" Corrin repeated gravely confused.

"Forgiving your sins is a small task, at least for someone like a bishop… and if that were enough to save you, I would take you to one and they would recite the words. But you suffer… and you seek answers… And that is the greatest pain of all… The pain of doubt. If I could dispel this doubt myself, I could free you from your pain. But then you would be nothing more than what any soldier and hero ultimately is to the people and nation they swear to serve in the end; puppets that kill for a cause that is not really your own but one you decided to follow for whatever reason. Use your doubt. Use it to become something more. I think it makes you more… human."

"Robin…" Corrin uttered as speechless as Azura was when Robin told her this as a means to cope with her own guilt in fighting Nohr.

"Whether you will ever find answers, I do not know. But you must live with your doubt until then. If you can, then all of the joy and sorrow you experienced and will experience will truly belong to you alone." He continued as he offers her his hand to help her back up. They should really leave about now

"I…"

"Living like this gives me some semblance of closure to all the lives I took. Some are sustained by faith, but for me, there are no answers."

Wordlessly, Corrin accepts his hand and rises again. Such words aren't enough to help her with this pain, they weren't meant to. She does feel her heart harden, enough to at least see the rest of this night through in spite of her recent misdeeds as she knows there is more to come. Even still, she can't bring herself to say so much as a thank you, instead she chooses to bring up a very important topic that she was too hasty to bring up before.

"The Bifröst. Hydra sent you here to find it and not a means to return to your world, didn't he?" A realization pops into her head that doesn't make much sense, at first.

"Yes." Robin confessed, now filled with melancholy.

"How is a healing item supposed to help you travel across dimensions?" She asked.

"The Bifröst has no such power, and I did not meet with the Rainbow Sage to find a way home. I'm never going back there. I can't." He revealed without the slightest hesitation, his face completely hollow, shocking Corrin. "Not even for her."

"But why…"

"Enough!" He interrupted her with a quick but harsh tone. "Not here and not now. When we save Arete and meet up with your siblings to know that they're okay, only then I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Everything?" She asked, craving reassurance.

"Everything." He replied. "I'm tired of lying. I'm tired of fighting. Of everything. And I've hurt you long enough and you deserve to know why I must go when this is over."

"Robin…" As she spoke, a portal of Hydra's magic is made before them just as Odin, Selena and Laslow arrive in time for them to finally leave this tragic place.

* * *

"Well, so much for that fool." Greed snorted as she and Wrath return to their castle. "I hope you're satisfied and that this clusterfuck of a plan was worth being at Pride's mercy."

"Oh, it was sister, it was indeed, everything went according to plan." Wrath chuckled with pure delight and sinister satisfaction.

"How do you mean? Neither Robin, nor Corrin are dead and Arete will be saved from Anankos's clutches. The way I saw it, this whole thing was a bust." Greed questioned.

"If you have time to complain like a pissant than you have eyesight to pay attention. Their deaths were never my objective. Corrin suffering further was a happy bonus that went up without a hitch but most importantly, Robin finally revealed it. Reficul. The Ultimate Corrupted Holy Sword has resurfaced. Iago's final role in life is complete." Wrath smirked, irritating Greed enough to cease her walking, grabs him by his shoulder to pull him back to confront her.

"What the fuck are you hiding from me, you Burning Ass Freak!" She demanded losing her patience with her brother dropping ever more.

"When Garon is defeated and lies dead beneath Corrin's feet, you'll all see our final victory at long last fulfilled." Wrath promised as this is only the beginning.

* * *

**And that is the end of Iago. Nothing left but Garon and the war can finally end and it won't be long enough before the truth of Robin is finally open to Corrin, though how exactly I will have it done I am still considering, I have the final battle to also consider after all. What to do, what to do, I'm almost open to suggestions. Either way, till next time and as always leave me reviews. Who doesn't love them.**


	30. Chapter 30: Untold Tales

**Chapter 30: Untold Tales**

"So, this is Notre Sagesse." Robin said looking ahead at his surroundings. He finally made it to the famed island where the legendary Rainbow Sage resides, he searched everywhere he could and now he hopes that his efforts will finally bear fruit by coming to this place. This island has always held a reputation for being a home for Sages and scholars of the likes as well as a peaceful grounds where Nohrians and Hoshidans can live in neutrality when wanting no part in the inevitable skirmishes between the two nations and going elsewhere is for whatever reason not possible. The main appeal of this island is who founded the settlement, the alleged holy and immortal man who lives in the Sevenfold Sanctuary on the top of the mountain. It's never made clear if the man is actually immortal, some claim that the title of the Rainbow Sage is actually a mantle passed down from apprentice to apprentice through a secret occult following not known to even the people who live on the island are sworn to guard the Sacred Treasures left behind by their creator in return for being bestowed with tremendous powers.

Too many rumors, too many speculations over the centuries, the only thing people can agree on is that those who enter the Sanctuary have to go through Death itself for the sake of achieving the great power of the holy weapons. And in the short span of a decade, the cycle of repeated failures over the millennia came to an end by Corrin's older brother, the current Crown Prince came here and pass the now nigh-impossible trials of the Sage, followed by the High Prince of Hoshido who many believe came here out of jealousy over Xander's achievement to claim his own Holy Sword and succeeded as well. Not long after Corrin's younger brother too desired a Sacred Treasure and also passed the trial. Both Siegfried and Brynhildr are powerful weapons more akin to tools of Darkness than Holiness but Robin can feel the greatness and authority they radiate that has brought great pride to the Royal Family of the Dusk Dragon. Corrin is convinced that it's only natural for her half-brothers to have succeeded since they are the pinnacle of Nohrian strength and wisdom, however Robin strongly disagrees, though he'd never voice his opinion when he suspects that the trials were rigged. Nearly two thousand years of warriors from all around the globe failing to reach the Sage's favor and only recently has the trial proven to be no longer impossible. Something is up but that matters not to Robin.

"Time to get a move on." Robin said as he walks into the town proper, ahead of him are rows of narrow thatch roofed houses with small inlets of water weaving through. He is instantly reminded of Nohr's own coastal town of Dia, though there aren't that many people on about, from what he's heard, there's hardly a dull day on this island, the people here are lively and yet for a mere moment he might've mistaken this place for a newly ghost town if he hadn't caught a glimpse of a person in the second floor of the house on his right in a window who quickly shut it close, removing her from view. It was quick but he noticed know panic, nor the slightest hint of fear, maybe a bit of anxiousness. He's seen behavior like this before, many villages would resort to remain indoors when a passing group of soldiers passes by and would remain out of sight until the army leaves to avoid getting in their way and starting trouble all together. Has another contender arrived to challenge the Sanctuary? He did notice a hoshidan style ship as he flew by the port but it doesn't look like any he would presume belong to a Hoshidan of the upper echelon. Sturdy enough to handle the violent waves of the ocean but nothing prep for war, curious since it wasn't that long ago that the Nohrians began sending their Sea-Grimm to scour the seas, to the horrors and protests of practically everyone not from Nohr.

Now that he thinks about it, Robin**'**s not sure if Corrin knows about the monsters her parents have let loose in Horus, her siblings talk about them often but never in her presence. How curious but that's a matter for another time.

The wondering Tactician turns to focus on a lone figure who was casually walking down a side street, an old woman, withered and aged, carrying a small basket of bread in arms. Finally, someone to get information from.

"Greetings! Pardon me for the intrusion, ma'am but may I speak with you." Robin greeted as he walks to the old lady, getting her attention.

"Oh, are you speaking to me?" The Old Lady asked.

"I am. Forgive me if I am bothering your schedule or whatnot but you are the first person I laid eyes on the island. I'm new here." Robin spoke with her politely.

"Truly, I would've noticed the arrival of another boat arriving." She said curious, as far as she knows, only a band of Hoshidans arrived today and despite the seclusion, everyone in town or at least a large portion would've noticed another arriving. Now that she has a better look at the White Mage, he seems Nohrian enough by his uniform alone, though she seldom has ever met a Nohrian wearing white. A common reaction to the White Veil of Trust as it is a rare topic of discussion.

"Don't worry about that, is the Hoshidan ship the reason why the town is so quiet. All the rumors claim that you people were of the lively sort?" Robin asked wanting outside conformation.

"Yes, normally we're a very welcoming party to outsiders coming to explore or settle down but ever since the Crown Prince of Nohr passed the trial of the Sanctuary, too many unsavory fellows have been coming in for a chance at glory." The Old Lady frowned. "Sure, people preferably come and go to meet with the Rainbow Sage and claim a Sacred Treasure but those were actually a rarity as either they believed the legends enough or thought wisely not to test their luck but then that sweet young lad, Xander became the center of attention and inspired foolishness in others. The High Prince Ryoma was lovely enough, can't say the same for his Retainer but everyone else couldn't have left sooner and like with the Nohrian Royals, Prince Ryoma also returned and he brought his siblings for more power. Kids these days, I swear, they have no real value for their own lives, testing the patience of someone who's practically a god on this island." She shook her head in disapproval. "I take it you're another foolhardy lad?"

"In many aspects, yes, but what I want from the Sage is not power." Robin said, turning his gaze over to the fortress.

"Oh, so it's knowledge then? If so then you're in luck. Young minds looking for enlightenment get a free pass." The Old Lady said more softly. "Though, I suggest you wait it out until tomorrow because when it comes to pure-bred Hoshidans and Nohrians, the best solution is to stay out of their way, hence why everyone is staying indoors. They marched into Mount Sagesse an hour ago and they should be at the top pretty soon at their paste."

"I see. Thank you for your time, ma'am. I'll trouble you no longer." Robin gave a bow of respect as he takes his leave, choosing to go forth into the Sevenfold Sanctuary regardless. Once he is sure he's far enough away from prying eyes he goes to the Sevenfold Sanctuary via flight just as he arrived on the island without the need of a ship. Flying always brings too much unwanted attention so he prefers to take flight when not within view of others. He makes it to the top of the mountain in no time and lands right at the door step.

No sign of the Hoshidans yet, maybe they're already inside or they still haven't reach the top. Hopefully the latter. He really should've asked the lady how many Hoshidans set out on this journey, that's what he gets for being in a rush but he's already here so he might as well get this over with. He pushes the large doors to the Sanctuary open and proceeds inside and already he is impress by what he finds. The architecture of this fortress is a perfect hybrid of Nohr and Hoshido, instantly he can tell that Corrin would love this place. Her opinion of the White Night Kingdom is not of high regard due to all the negative things her siblings have said about the East of Horus but she's shown interest in wanting to know more about the more peaceful nation and she would much prefer peace between the Kingdoms instead of them going to war. She may enjoy a good fight but only when its meant for sports and nothing as intense.

While he is caught in the moment of such an impressive hall, his gaze turn to a portrait on his left that is most peculiar, the drawing depict several floating islands with towns built not so different from the buildings in Nohr but with unique changes here and there and the sky is rend in pieces, giving it an otherworldly look that makes it all the more fascinating.

'This has nothing to do with either nation and definitely feels out of place.' Robin noted, most curious by this portrait. 'Not really my place to judge once choice in architecture since I never held high standards for such things. Still, something about it seems familiar. No, that can't be right. Can it?' He pondered really hard about this as the portrait really has him lost in thought.

"You there!" Robin is forced out of his stupor as he turns to the Sanctury's entrance and sees five Hoshidans standing there, three of them being Ryoma, Hinoka and Takumi.

"Is that a Nohrian?" Hinoka asked apprehensively, the hold on her Naginata too tight for Robin's comfort. "I've never seen a uniform like that before."

"I have. That's a White Veil of Trust. A uniform given to a select few nobles or common soldiers in Nohr who have been given the ''honor'' of having the attention and favor of the Royal Family." Saizo, who's next to Ryoma explained while narrowing his one good eye, more ready than anyone about attacking the stranger. Judging by the look in Ryoma, he already knows about the White Veil himself. "It's been some time since I've seen one, they usually stay to live in the Dark Capital because of their privileges."

"He's on Garon's buddy list!" Takumi snapped with rage, more than happy to shoot his silver yumi right at Robin, who easily catches the arrow with just two of his fingers, to then snap it in two, to the young prince's shock. "Damn, I thought only ninjas could do that."

Robin knew having this armor would eventually be more trouble than it was worth outside of Nohrian soil but Corrin insisted he have one before he set out to ''find his way home''. Too bad he lost it after he made the mistake of taking Corrin to Windmire to celebrate Halloween. He still doesn't know how he ended up with those hobos but he's lucky that he was able to get it back quickly enough when he returned to the Capital. That's a story that will never be revealed. He would rather have an awkward drink with Vaike after almost killing the moron for stealing his ring than let anyone know about that.

"How did he even get here before we did, there were no nohrian ships when we landed?" Hinoka protested.

"Doesn't matter, he's here, where weapons of ultimate power lie dormant. Let's just kill him already!" Oboro suggested demonically, holding her weapon way more tightly than Hinoka while she is trembling from suppress rage.

"Okay, so maybe Leo was on to something." Robin muttered, very disturbed by Oboro.

"What if he's not alone, there could be more Nohrians all over the place infesting these hallow grounds." Takumi said.

"I'm alone and no, I don't care if you believe me or not, that's more your problem." Robin said dismissively, hoping to avoid conflict. "I am not here for the Sage's toys. Just stay out of my way, there's no need for senseless bloodshed."

"A very likely story." Ryoma scoffed with clear disbelief as he draws his sacred sword, ready for a fight, to Robin's mild irritation but he doesn't show it. Still, he has to admit that is one impressive sword the red armored samurai has, Robin can feel the power surging through it, at first glance it looks like a unique, hoshidan-style Levin Sword but it's so much more than anything a magical blade of lightning could ever hope to be.

"Milord, do not waste your efforts on this swine. We'll handle this." Saizo offered.

"If he really holds ties with the Royal Family, then he's worth more to us alive." Hinoka suggested. "We must gain all we can to get Corrin back."

"Corrin…" Robin repeated in a whisper, gravely confuse by what she could mean but brushes it off as he just knows that things will turn ugly one way or another with this group who are really hostile.

"Ryoma, what's going on. Has the trial started already?" Asked a newcomer, reaching the five Hoshidans, now catching her breath as she is within Robin's view.

Robin is once again caught off as the girl he sees is the spitting image of Corrin's stepmother, only clearly younger and with way longer hair and a truly remarkable white dress that gives off a vibe that she is a dancer of some kind. Could she be…

"Stay back Azura and return to Sakura! There's a slight delay on our task." Ryoma instructed her, his eye growing more narrow once Robin turn his gaze to Azura.

"I really should've listen to that old lady." Robin muttered, regretting coming here now far too late and he really doesn't like the intensified glare Ryoma is giving him, like he's accusing him of being enamored at first sight enough to take Azura.

"What a mess." He muttered, deciding that he best go and reach the Rainbow Sage first. The bitter conflict between Nohr and Hoshido makes it difficult for anyone perceived to be of one side to avoid a fight with the other, this is especially apparent in lands not dominated by either of them where people ''rationalize'' that one of them will spread their ''corruption'' wherever they go.

"This bickering will get us nowhere." Robin hissed in irritation. "This place has a very long history of fallen warriors from all nations. Fights are unavoidable but those searching for the Old One shouldn't be pointing their blades at each other."

"Shut up! Like we would ever heed the words of the likes of you." Takumi snapped in defiance. "Nohr has already gotten their hands on two of the Sacred Treasures, I'll be damn if they get anymore to fuel their thirst for destruction."

"As I said, I'm alone and if getting some fancy, ancient magical weapon for the sake of more power was my objective, I would've brought a battalion of elites like the Nohrian Princes did and as I assume you have yourselves, otherwise I'm just marching to my death." Robin try to summarize to the Hoshidans. "Whatever beef you have with Nohr, leave me out of it." Robin warned as he attempts to leave without starting a fight.

"How dare you speak to the Royal Family like that, scum!" Saizo seethed with rage as he and Oboro charge in to execute the White Mage for his disrespect.

"No, wait!" Ryoma warned. But it is too late as bolts of lightning are fired from the ceiling of the main hall but they were not casted by Robin and these lightning spell stop the two retainers from advancing further against Robin and from the very same spot where the lightnings stroke, four people stood in their place. Three men and one woman, two of which are dressed as Soldiers of Nohr, A Ranger and Adventurer and the other two are Hoshidan, a Swordmaster and female Onmyoji,

"It has begun." Ryoma narrowed his eyes as he steps forward, walking pass Oboro and Saizo to face the four individuals and as he does so, the Ranger speaks.

"High Prince of Hoshido, you have some nerve coming back here. You've already received your blessing and the honor of wielding the Sword of the Thunder God, and now you come lusting for more power." The Ranger lectured with a very commanding and crude voice that if it was an actual Nohrian, Ryoma's devoted allies would strike him down before anyone could blink but they know these aren't Nohrians, much less Hoshidans and wisely restraint themselves before they do anything that would embarrass or endanger the Royals.

"I beg you to forgive my impudence, it was not my intention to defy the wise old sage of this holy place like the Nohrian Royals have." Ryoma spoke with the upmost respect, and even makes a vow of respect to them. "However, I fear I must commit what the residents of Notre Sagesse would view as a Cardinal Sin. The Third Twilight War is inevitable, the signs are all over the air, Nohr will find a way to break through my mother's barrier one way or another. It's not a matter of if but when, as such I must have more power, not for my sake, for my family."

"If you will not relent, then you must once again stand before the Trial of Strength, and the Master hopes that you've learned your lesson and brought in more powerful soldiers than last time." The Swordmaster spoke next, raising his sword for combat, and just then, Takumi, Hinoka, Azura and the rest of their party as well as Sakura show up and join the fray.

"However, also like Crown Prince Xander before you, if you wish to assist your siblings in achieving success, you will momentarily relinquish your sword." The Onmyoji decreed. "Those who desire power beyond human comprehension must earn it with their own strength and not with strength given to them."

"I accept these terms." Ryoma replied and as a jester of good will, tosses Raijinto to the Swordmaster who grabs it and just then a bolt of lightning strikes once again at the blade, teleporting it away and replacing it with a different Katana.

"You can have your blessing back once you succeed or fail." He said as he tosses the sword to give to the Prince. "If you survive this time."

"Finally, a chance to rise to the occasion." Takumi said with high enthusiasm, craving for this opportunity.

"Just try and not slow me down." Hinoka said humorously.

"And as for you, Lost Hero, if you have not come lusting for more power than you already wield then step aside and do not interfere in this battle." The Adventurer spoke to Robin. "If what you truly desire is wisdom and the answers to questions that elude you, you must wait your turn. The Master will see you when this is over."

"Fine." Robin sighed, relief that the Hoshidans won't harass him and walks back outside. Ignoring the glares and suspicious glances they give him as none of them bother to make another scene, likely due to him obeying the rules of the Sanctuary, he spares a quick glance at Azura, now certain that she is Queen Arete's stolen daughter but also gave a glance at the Rainbow Sage's soldiers and notices the fainted glimpse of them being transparent for a brief second.

'Phantoms.' He thought, concluding that these four aren't really people but specters of a sort. He doubts they're spirits raised from the dead. He would've noticed the slightest hint of Necromancy due to his immense experience with the power of Death. They must be powerful illusions with physical forms that possess the skills of real warriors created by the Rainbow Sage's immense magic power. Incredible. And there are probably more of them all over the Sanctuary.

Hoshido focuses on infantry with spears and swords, with a heavy reliance on archers, while Nohr focuses more on their cavalry with entire platoons of magic users as back up. Hoshido's flying units specialize in long distance combat, Nohr's are more built for direct assaults. Hoshido prefers lighter armor for mobility and speedy first strikes, Nohr prefers bulkier armor to tank hits before counterattacking. If these two forces could work together in perfect synchronization, one would have the greatest human army of all time that Robin has ever seen, and based on what he's seen, Chrom and Walhart's armies on their own wouldn't be able to compete with just Nohr's might and with the phantoms all linked to the Rainbow Sage there's perfect harmony amongst them. Which explains why passing this Trial of Strength is so difficult, especially with the Nohrians and Hoshidans who have tried it, the Sage keeps exploiting their weaknesses while compensating his own with the strength of the other country's soldiers he's mimicking.

Xander's an amazing warrior and Leo is quite brilliant but he doubts that they could've overcome such odds, especially when considering the latter's infuriating ego. This honestly strengthens the theory that their trials were rigged. The question is, can the same apply to the Hoshidans? Guess he's about to find out, Ryoma has already been through this before so he must have an idea on how to handle this. Even if he's not a Tactician he surely has a keen mind to adapt to situations enough to give his allies a better idea on how to handle this, of course the real question is can they actually pull this off? If these really are the Hoshidan Royal Family and their Retainers, then the hotheaded archer must be Prince Takumi. There's a lot to say about him, mainly that he's more likable than Leo but still as infuriating.

This will not end well for them.

And Robin was right, as impressive as the Hoshidans are, especially Ryoma who has experience in this sort of fight, they're overreliance on their usual skillset to overcome the false Hoshidans ''tainted'' with Nohrian power, as some of them put it proved insufficient as Robin predicted were just superior, especially as more of them arrived to even their numbers. The fight is infinitely worse for Takumi, who's impulsiveness put him under the clutches of a female Adventurer who's own skills with a bow and hand to hand combat left him with two arrows on both his shoulders and getting pin to a wall with a single kick, effectively already down for the count with his two retainers stepping in to defend him but it only serve to ensure the demise of the three with the others on able to help and at best just watch. However, judging by the ferocity the Phantoms are displaying to the Retainers more so than the Royals, Robin gets the feeling that they are trying to avoid killing the more important members of Hoshido society on purpose, this seems to be especially the case with Azura but their Royal Guard not so much and must be seen as fair game. Xander did lose his first set of Retainers when he underwent the Trial the first time.

Judging by how Leo described the event to Robin, it seems that Xander hasn't fully recovered from the loss of those who sacrificed themselves for him, and if what he's also heard about Ryoma is true, he might feel the same way if any of his comrades died in his pursuit of more power.

'Just like Chrom…' Robin mused internally, his thoughts returning to repressed memories he's tried to seal away permanently. That's settles it!

Against all common sense, Robin marches into battle, saving Takumi, Oboro and Hinata by ramming himself into the Adventurer, knocking her away and she crashes into a Ninja that managed to sneak behind Kaze unsuspectedly to kill him while he is occupied helping Hana fight off a Blacksmith.

"What the!" Takumi uttered in shock to see Robin come to their aid. The White Mage then turns to the other Phantoms, raising his left hand upward to release a stream of lightning that hits nearly all of them, reducing them to dusts, to the shock of the Hoshidans.

"Incredible…" Azura muttered in shock of the display of power.

"What the hell are you doing?" Takumi demanded, flabbergasted.

"Helping you, apparently." Robin shrugged.

"Help! From a Nohrian!" Takumi shouted as if that's the most offensive thing ever committed upon him.

"I would rather die!" Oboro snapped and in a fit of rage raises her naginata to attack Robin but a wind blast from the only Phantom to survive the lightning strike, a female Dark Knight hits her in the face and knocks her out cold.

"Oboro!" Takumi cried.

The Dark Knight rushes towards Robin with her Silver Sword, that the Tactician blocks by cladding his left hand with Magic to harden his forearm, followed by him catching her sword arm before she could make a second swing. Robin prepares to shoot a fireball at pointblank but a second sword manifest into the Dark Knight's left hand to make a third, faster swing but Robin leaps out of the way in time with the Dark Knight following after him with a higher leap. When Robin lands back down, the Knight swings both her blades down on him that Robin repels by forming a magical shield that releases a shockwave as soon as she hits it that blasts her away. It does little harm to her as she easily backflips and lands on her feet, seemingly unharmed. This one is stronger than the others, no doubt empowered by the Sage the moment Robin displayed his might.

Silence engulfs the main hall with the Hoshidans watching intently at the Nohrian that aids them against the Phantom

"Robin of Titan." The Dark Knight spoke up with the authority of someone ancient and wise. There's also a sensation to her presence that is pleasantly familiar to the Tactician as well. "How predictable."

"Predictable? You know of me?" Robin questioned the specter.

"It is the business of my Master to know all in Horus, you are no omission." She declared, getting Robin's eyes to twitch.

"Then you know why I'm here." He deduced.

"We might." She replied now with a smug. "By all means, go see him if you're so impatient. Only those who seek the Sacred Treasures must reach him the hard way, those who desire wisdom and truth get a free passage."

"Most tempting, however raising arms so ferociously and possibly killing Hoshidans these prestigious will not bold well if word gets out. At least with the Nohrians this violence makes sense, so how about I do your master a favor and spare him the antipathy." Robin declined, choosing to aid them.

"He's what?" Hinoka muttered.

"As I said, predictable. The inability to ignore the helpless has always been your greatest weakness, for you have no hubris to exploit." The Dark Knight taunted as both her swords fade away and in their place the Raijinto is summoned for her to wield.

"My sword!" Ryoma gasped.

"What the hell, are we supposed to fight spirits wielding Sacred Treasures?" Hana protested at the unfairness.

Robin gets the feeling that he is a special case. Suddenly, out from the ground on his left, a golden sword bursts out, the deadliest of all in this world.

"It can't be!" Ryoma mumbled, recognizing the design of the blade from old scrolls he read.

"Is that the Yato?" Kaze uttered at the sight of the blade.

"Yato?" Robin repeated, not yet familiar with the legend of this sword.

"The Masterpiece of destruction built by the Lord of this Mountain. It's been a while since she has tasted the thrill of combat." The Dark Knight offered him.

"And your boss wants me to give it a test drive to see if it hasn't rotted?" Robin mused not as impress as the Hoshidans by the sword.

"No… why him?" Takumi growled furiously, attempting to get in the fight with the aim to have the sword but the Phantom fires a warning shot from Raijinto that narrowly hits his neck, keeping him petrified. Afterwards, the Dark Knight attacks Robin with blinding speed, forcing the Tactician to pick up Yato and use it to defend himself, the moment the two blades clashed, Robin found himself outside of the sanctuary with her.

"Consider it a test of the soul, since you're so reluctant to wield the sword of your lost legacy." The Dark Knight offered.

"Reficul is not my legacy!" Robin snapped with bitterness over the mention of the dark sword he keeps buried within his own soul and pushes the knight off him and luckily, they are far enough that the Hoshidans can barely hear them.

"But it is. It is proof of your benevolence that can overcome all Corruption in the Universe but the shame that should not exist stains your chance at rebirth." She countered.

"You don't know ME! And being aware of all that I overcame is not the same as experiencing it!" Robin's anger rises as he points the Yato at her. "So don't speak as if you understand what my Fate is."

"Then the time for words is put on hold. Such is the nature of humans for the sword to be mightier than the pen." The Dark Knight lectured. With no more words to say, the two begin their fight, the knight clad in the holy lightning of Raijinto moves with incredible speed but none that Robin isn't prepared for as he successfully perries the lightning strike about to hit him from above but the moment he did, she vanish from sight. Fortunately, Robin is accustom to such a speedy attack and correctly deduced that she would strike next from behind and again perries her.

'Is she even trying? No way she's this incompetent. She must be toying with me.' Robin thought, knowing it couldn't possibly be this easy. 'This must be a part of the Trial. Guess, in the Sage's eyes, I've officially joined the Hoshidans and wants to see if I'm really good enough for one of his toys.'

He heard the green ninja call the sword he is wielding Yato. He's sure he's heard that name somewhere in Corrin's library regarding the legend of the War the Dragon Gods of this world started. The Hoshidans seem pretty awestruck to see him be granted this blade, but also gravely upset and dare he even consider it, frightened. He can already tell that this thing will bring more trouble that he can bear anymore.

The Dark Knight makes another move, running circles around him, literally at lightning speed, planning to strike him in many ways that Robin could only guess and didn't have time to plan for as the Dark Knight stops running and stands right in front of him but the lightning she left behind while running continues to circle around him and keeping him trap with no way to escape and as the lightning glows brighter, Robin knows he's stuck right at the heart of a magical blast. As it explodes, a blinding light engulfs the main hall, forcing all, even the Phantom to shield their eyes from the blast, and as the light fades, Robin lies there standing on a crater but now completely in case in ice, or more accurately, a perfect icy sculpture of himself lies there in his place.

"What the hell happened to him?" Hinata protested in confusion over this development.

"Is this the Yato's power?" Ryoma wondered.

"The sword has already accepted him as his new master this early and the Alpha eagerly awakened by itself. Incredible." The Dark Knight whispered as the outcome of this fight exceeded expectations.

Right behind her, a twister of icy wind forms and from it comes out Robin who swiftly attacks her as she narrowly parries in time but unfortunately for her, Robin has had enough of this fight and delivers brutal but swift swings with Yato that she can hardly keep up, even with Raijinto, and with one last swing, Robin slashes the Dark Knight, opening up a large gash on her chest but no blood comes out, unsurprising since she's not real and immediately she is in case in ice, the shape of a raven's right wing.

With the battle won Robin takes a moment to catch his breath, dropping to his knees, staring intently at his new sword which has changed, and he didn't even notice until now. The blade radiates a silver colored aura, the crossguard slightly widen, having a more ornate look and it also has a knuckleguard. The magic power it possesses is incredible, the fact that it enables him the ability to warp on its own speaks values of what makes it so legendary but it also feels suppressed, like the scope of its power is incapable of awakening on its own.

Just like Falchion.

The changes don't last as the blade reverts back to its original and more dormant form. "Fickle little thing." He mused as he gets back on his feet and back inside the Main Hall with the Hoshidans who already regroup and start to recover from the difficult battle, the one who remains down for the count but still alive is Oboro so far and soon all eyes turn to Robin, all of them weary of what comes next after witnessing this stranger harness the power of the Sword of Salvation, or rather the Sword of Demolition.

"So, it looks like we're stuck together, the question is are you that desperate to see this through or should I go at it alone. I've already been given a free passage." Robin asked the Hoshidans, though it could've been seen as another form of disrespect for all he cared at this point. Silence once again consumes the hall before a respond could be made and it came from the High Prince.

"And pray tell, what is it you have in mind if you're so willing to throw yourself into Holy Fire for us?" He asked though it's as easy as feeling the breeze to tell how reluctant he is to even consider this, however he will at least hear him out. Though, the only one who has yet to still grasps the real meaning behind his words is his stubborn brother.

"Ryoma! You can't seriously be considering this! Accepting help from him! This NOHRIAN!" Takumi protested in defiance.

"I am considering nothing, Takumi. Guard your tongue before you say anything you may possibly regret." Ryoma warned him. "I share your fears on this new predicament, the threat of the Sword of Demolition is likely to be a gruesome fate to fall upon us, so it be wise not to earn an ire that can be avoided."

His words seem to have done the trick in calming the great archer down but only enough to agree to let his wiser brother do the talking.

'Sword of Demolition?' Robin repeated in his thoughts and already proven right that this new sword is going to bring him nothing but trouble and he has a lot of reading after this is over. That is if the Rainbow Sage really can offer him what he most desires.

After many protests, a small discussion about trust that turned into a moral debate between nations too quickly, to Robin's chagrin, angry glares and frighten squeals from Sakura, Robin ended up leading these morally challenged who almost pass off as hooligans when Takumi speaks as they fight more of the Phantoms together and they seem to come back stronger than the last but against all odds, they succeed and reach the doors to the Rainbow Sage.

"Please tell me that's the last of them?" Hinoka pleaded while breathing heavily, almost on her last knees with Sakura frantically healing her as she has been doing constantly as these fights are too brutal that even the ever competent Subaki and headstrong Saizo are almost at their wits end. The only one who isn't out of breath is Robin who was forced to use more of his power which did wonders in getting through some of the more tougher foes, though besides himself, Ryoma and Azura are the other ones with the least injuries.

"Yes… we made it. Once the doors to the inner chamber have been reached, we pass the trial." Ryoma sighed in relief. "This second trial was much harder than the previous one."

"You don't say." Azura mumbled by how intense this was. And to think the reason they made this journey was due to her birthday coming up, granted she agreed to do this knowing the dangers because she wanted to help those who have made her feel less of a prisoner and more a friend. At least the ride at seas getting here was wonderful, but she just knew that the destination would be less than generous.

She turns her attention to the stranger who aided them coming this far, Robin, she believes is what he named himself, she honestly couldn't hear him straight with how obnoxious Takumi was being. He really can go overboard when it comes to outsiders of the West. She could never forget how he was like with her at first even though things are better between them but it still stung to be at the receiving end of it, yet the newcomer proved completely indifferent to the hostility, quite annoyed to be sure but to be so tolerant and still want to help those who oppress him, even taking blows for them, including herself when he held on to her to protect from a surprise attack by a Phantom Berserker is what truly comes off as foreign to her. How she wishes everyone from Nohr was like that, perhaps then she'd still be with her true family. What's more, his strength is almost godlike, to confront such odds and still appear invincible. If the blade he wields truly is the Yato, then she really does understand why her hoshidan allies are so wary. If he truly is their enemy then Hoshido might as well surrender before they do end up fighting.

"Just who are you…"

"So, now what, do we wait for the Sage to come in or do we open the doors ourselves?" Takumi asked.

"Not to come up as rude but the former is preferable." Ryoma said, and at the nick of time, the doors do open up by themselves, revealing the master of this Sanctuary, the Rainbow Sage, holding on to Raijinto like a cane as he stands before his new contenders.

"Great Sage!" Ryoma spoke highly as he attempts to stand tall before him in spite of his injuries.

"Ryoma. You surprise me, not for displaying the same boldness as Xander by coming here again after enduring my Trial once already. That petty likeminded attitude is predictable for royalty but that in spite of your… ''better'' judgement, if that is how you really see it, you chose to accept the aid of someone you foresee as a threat. It takes a true leader to swallow their pride to make unlikely alliances to achieve a common purpose." Hydra praised. "Most impressive."

"You honor me with your praises, Rainbow Sage but I confess that what I did was more of a means to an end than making an ally we wish to hold on to for the foreseeable future." Ryoma professed, not exactly surprising anyone as they didn't bat much as an eye when allowing Robin to take most of the blows for them, making the Tactician roll his eyes but not that much offended.

"Perhaps. Even still, you have more potential than you yourself realize outside of combat. In time you will understand and hopefully, you may become a fine King when the Throne of Light is yours to sit." Hydra said, having high hopes for Ryoma despite his issues with his father. "Regardless of the circumstances, you once again pass my trial."

That sent a ray of hope to the Hoshidans who are more than relief that this journey was fulfilled with no loss of life to themselves, like the first time when Ryoma came here, he was fortunate to have lost no one in his self-imposed mission as well.

"Before we talk about my treasures, however, I would have words with you." Hydra said directing his unseen gaze at Robin. "You say you come here seeking knowledge, not power?" As he asked, Robin nods in confirmation. "Then you may enter my sanctum first. The rest of you remain here and recover, my magic will mend your wounds."

As he said so, the floor below them starts glowing green as if a healing spring from a Dragon Vein was activated, already they feel the magic healing them faster than Sakura or Azama ever could, allowing the Diligent Princes to rest.

"A Dragon Vein… but we didn't sense anything." Azura muttered as she and the Royal Siblings should've been able to sense the ancient power to harness due to their Dragon Blood.

"Wait a min-" Takumi was about to voice his objection to Robin going first before Ryoma gave him a look that wordlessly send the message; ''Say NOTHING that would come off as disrespectful'', to the stubborn Prince's chagrin but obeys nonetheless.

Without batting another eye at his ''allies'', Robin follows the Sage into his sanctum, as the doors close, people outside suddenly feel a world away from them, as if he did more than enter a large room, though Robin chose to ignore the issue and focus on his main objective. Hydra walks away from him a bit to spare a glance at the large portrait of the Precursors before speaking.

"I expected you to come here sooner, finally leaving the sanctity of Corrin's protection in search of answers to your latest plight. Robin of Titan."

"So you do know who I am?" Robin said for verification.

"Like my Phantom told you, it's my business to know all in Horus, I couldn't live with myself more than I already do if by some chance someone like you were to slip from my sight." Hydra said with some amusement. "I could've never seen it coming, to think that I would have a chance to meet the Savior of Midgard and Slayer of Grima."

"Midgard?"

"Earth is a common name given to a world that houses humans, some prefer to give these infinite Earths numbers, others like the Dragon Clans find it more fitting to give them more refine names. The Divine Dragon Naga herself deemed that the world that birthed you be called Midgard, like how the Divine Dragons of this world dubbed it Asgard." Hydra explained. "And on the topic of the Fell Dragon. I owe you a great debt, as does all of Asgard."

"In what regard?" Robin questioned.

"Prior to the Old War, I prophesied the coming of the Wings of Despair, my visions assured me that Grima would grow to be the most powerful Dark God in the entire history of Divinity itself and that he would bring about a true Apocalypse upon not just Midgard but many more human worlds, Asgard included." Hydra revealed but that did not surprised Robin in the slightest. "But you knew that already."

"None know his obsessive hatred for humanity more than I." Robin affirmed.

"Indeed, however, in my visions it would appear I miscalculated because I thought for sure that Grima would've prevailed no matter what you and the noble Shepherds did and one way or another humanity would meet its end with no other god able to stop him."

"Then you saw the wrong timeline." Robin concluded.

"Yes, what a fickle period that was for me." Hydra bemused. "Princess Lucina and other children from the Future Past performed an incomplete version of the Awakening Ritual to finally challenge Grima but instead opened a rift in Time through the Outrealm Gate to travel to the Past in the hopes to prevent Grima's revival. The resulting Paradox created approximately 14,980,766 new timelines where the Shepherds of the Past and Future fought together to defeat the monster, unfortunately, only 666 timelines resulted in Grima's defeat while the rest ended once again with Grima victorious. I never dared hope that my Asgard was among the lucky few."

"You're welcome." Robin replied nonchalantly. "Though I must say, for someone who wants to give his toys away, you sure prefer to make it hard for those who seek you out."

"Oh? So you've noticed?" Hydra said amused.

"Those Phantoms of yours fight with the ferocious might of the weakest Risen Chiefs of Grima's Army of the dead and the wisdom of warriors as cunning as Chrom. After two thousand years of fools struggling to reach you and make the weapons of this place theirs, now all the sudden three Princes come and succeed against such powerful soldiers. It is a fairytale one would make up for aspiring children to become knights in shining armor than a fact." Robin accused and he speaks up what he has already deduced. "Sure, Xander lost two of his finest warriors when he came here but only two, according to Leo and when that annoying brat came in, they came back also victorious and the worst case scenario was that all their men were critically injured but nothing else and Ryoma was even luckier if the rumors hold truth and now the Hoshidans came back here just as I arrive and not one of the Phantoms we encountered fought with their full might. Not even close. You let us win! Just like you did for Xander and Leo."

"Impressive observation." Hydra actually smirked at the truth being discovered. "What a tragedy that only you figured it out when the Royals could not, however it is no surprise given who I am speaking with."

"I won't ask why as it's none of my concern. This sort of deception is one I would expect of a dragon." Robin said knowing the moment he laid eyes on Hydra of what he really is.

'So he realized my true nature as well but not Lilith's. Well she is an Astral Dragon and those of her species are always so hard to uncover so that is no surprise.' Hydra thought.

"Most impressive indeed. I would expect nothing less of one such as yourself. As usual, Naga choses her champions wisely." Hydra praised.

"Naga has nothing to do with this." Robin replied with half a scoff.

"Your apprehension towards your past is understandable, I can only imagine what it felt to overcome such evil." Hydra noted.

"Knowing isn't the same as experiencing it." Robin replied with a sharp tongue, clearly not wanting to talk about it but knows deep down that the subject must be addressed.

"I cannot help you without disclosing what came before, young one." Hydra insisted. "Your despair. Your self-hatred. You cannot keep them buried for long, otherwise they will ultimately consume you."

"I'VE ALREADY BEEN CONSUMED!" Robin snapped in outraged, finally letting out the bitterness and wrath he kept bottled up inside and as he did so, all the veins in his face start to glow in a dark purple color, his eyes become black and his body starts to tremble so uncontrollably that he almost falls to his knees but he is able to regain his focus and reversing his body to normal. "I… I never asked for this. We both know that I'm not suppose to be here."

"You wish for death, again?" Hydra surmised while noting that he is still in so much pain and aids him by placing his hand on his shoulder, helping to mend his pain. While he was at it he took the time to examine his body.

'I see now, an amount of Grima's magic power was absorbed into his soul which enabled this resurrection but his new body is not as strong as the previous one and can barely contain this much Dark Aether due to his still damaged soul. Humans are extremely dependent on the soul to properly wield their magic, without it, the body will succumb to Corruption and eventually death but that's not the case with him.' Hydra surmised. 'But this still doesn't make any sense, a disembodied human soul shouldn't be capable of bringing itself back from the dead, especially when the consciousness has resigned itself to enter the Beyond. Out of all the things in the universe that can be brushed off as an accident, bringing oneself back to life could never be one of them. The Afterlife would never allow such a thing to ever happen. Someone brought him back and it was without his consent. And he clearly has no idea who.'

"Out of all the things that make up your being, your Soul is the most determine to live again, even acting independently against your will, forcing your new body to evolve rapidly until it is strong enough for you to once again house the power of Grima." Hydra said. "But because of the internal disagreement the process is also tearing you apart just as quickly as it rebuilds itself."

"Again I am damned to a fate worse than Death." Robin growled bitterly, though the pain has passed, he knows it will return.

"You continue to impress. To be able to hide this kind of excruciating pain daily from those around you through sheer willpower alone. Pain that comes from the soul is ten times worse than anything that can be done to the flesh." Hydra commented.

"It's not a daily condition. Not anymore. Over the months I've been able to endure this unorthodox trauma and go about my days with some sort of peace of mind but even though they don't happen frequently, doesn't mean I'm content." Robin explained.

"Clearly, and if you would just accept the fact that you live again, this pain would've ended all the sooner and your rebirth completed." Hydra lectured.

"To live again would mean accepting him back into my life." Robin came close to yelling but restraint himself this time. "I didn't ask to be given another chance to live again, ending Grima's reign to save my world was my most important desire at the time but it wasn't my only one."

"If death is what you truly desired you would've killed yourself the moment you realized you survived, or at the very least not put as much effort as you did to avoid Camilla's assassins." Hydra pointed out, making Robin cringe at the mention of the eldest dark princess and her obsessive attitude with Corrin. "I am an observer, not a judge. I may not have the same experience as you but I know enough to give you my empathy. I know why you don't want to go back to Midgard, to your friends, your family. To your little girl. You're afraid. the greatest Fear of all has taken you. The Fear of Living."

Hydra's words really struck Robin to his very core but instead of feeling more hostile, he instead feels a sense of calmness in his heart spurring.

"I am not… I'm not Morgan's father, the Robin of that timeline is gone. There is only me, the Fellblood Vessel." Robin wallowed in sorrow. "I can still see them, my world, reduced into a gigantic cemetery, lands burned and raised asunder without sense nor purpose, thousands upon thousands of people hunted down like animals and torn to pieces, men, women and child alike denied even a shred of mercy and killed unjustly. All of it committed under my watchful eyes, forced to see it all as my body was no longer my own. For over a decade, day by day, I can never forget. I'm afraid of the night! That's why I always force myself to stay awake."

"Chrom and Naga already told you, Grima's sins are not yours to bear. And you more than made up for it, giving those children a chance to live the life that all humans who serve the Light deserve." Hydra assured him with compassion. "What you desire is new purpose, a new reason for living, something worth fighting for, someone worth dying for but most of all, someone worth living for, and a brand new place to call home."

"I cannot think of such things while his accursed power lingers inside me." Robin argued. "I have nothing against the Dark Arts, it's been my hidden passion for years but the Aether Grima commanded is the one Darkness I cannot accept, nor will I accept it as my one chance to live. I must be rid of this Dark Aether, I don't care if my life expires because of it."

"Any human can force the darkness out of their bodies through sheer willpower and enough Anima Magic but fewer humans can swear off the temptation. The desire to truly reject the power and more so the chance to wield it for true justice are the true challenges. Concerning the former, it is a challenge you will certainly fail but never with the latter. You know better than I that Grima could've been a force for good, he was meant to walk the path of the angels but fell to corruption, a malicious hatred not truly his own. His inner light and his redemption live on in you." Hydra said, wanting to reassure him that what is growing inside him is not really evil. Not anymore. "But if you are not convinced, then at the very least I will ensure you keep yourself away from the path of self-destruction, again. And you will find a new hope with this."

Hydra came to a decision as he conjures what at first glance looks like a portal of sorts but is really a projection, showing Robin a very impressive staff. "This is the Bifröst, the most powerful Healing Staff in Asgard. A counterpart to Midgard's Goddess Staff but far stronger, additionally bearing the ability to strip one of their magic powers. It is the only thing I can think of that can perfect your new body but in doing so, it will purge you of all darkness that is not originally human."

"Really?" Robin asked, his eyes lighting with hope of this revelation.

"Indeed. And you will find it in Mount Garou, below the village of the Wolfskins. Once you set foot there, you should be able to sense it's power and I need not tell you that you will have to fight once you enter that place." Hydra warned.

"Taguel lifeforms will not pose a problem to me, though I would prefer to avoid fighting all together." Robin said.

"That, I'm afraid will be unavoidable. This world forever lies ever close to the precipice of annihilation and luckily, you are no stranger to War." Hydra said.

"Doesn't mean I enjoy it." Robin countered.

"And it's because you feel no pride in your achievements, your golden status as someone who just might be the greatest battle commander in human history that I believe that you will continue to fight on, light the fire that burns the brightest in keeping hope alive, that one way or another, you will choose to find it in you to carry on and built for yourself a shining future." Hydra declared.

"I'm not one to stand idly by and have people sing praises to me." Robin rudely commented.

"Yes, you never could stand to be in a large crowd, hence why you prefer to hide under a hood. Odd how you stop wearing your cloak, though." Hydra mused.

"That's not important. Thank you for sparing me your time and more so your aid, great Sage." Robin said with a respectful bow. "It's been so long since I've felt a sense of relief for myself."

"Think nothing of it, however, before you leave I have requests of my own." Hydra said.

"What would you have me do?" Robin replied with intrigue.

"As you know, Nohr and Hoshido are locked in a bitter stalemate and it's only a matter of time before they both go to war once again, rather you choose to participate in the senseless violence for whatever reason or make the wise choice and leave them be to their shared damnation is entirely up to you but before you make your choice, I ask that when you come face to face with Royals of both nations on the Day of Reckoning, you will present this to the one who needs it." Hydra requested as he presents to Robin a very valuable stone.

"A Dragonstone!" Robin gasped, recognizing the relic in question and the power it wields all too well. "You're saying that one of the Royals has the potential to turn into a dragon?"

"Yes, and who that is should be obvious and once that is done you are free to do as you choose." Hydra said, leaving Robin in deep contemplation.

"Anything else?" The White Mage asked.

"Yes, I would also like you to take that sword with you." Hydra said turning to Yato that is still in Robin's hand. "It is my masterpiece of destruction, Caelum but many in Horus have taken to call it Yato."

"This is it? But why me, I do not desire ultimate power, It's a cancer." Robin muttered.

"Indeed. However, it is often that those who desire power are the ones who don't deserve it and those who don't want power are the ones who deserve it the most, such is the case with you." Hydra countered. "And even if I wanted to, I cannot separate the blade from you. During the Precursor War, Caelum's power had increased beyond the limits I placed on it and developed a will of its own, in some sense, enough that it will only allow its power to be used by those it deems worthy and not those who seek it. I had nothing to do with Caelum coming to you when you chose to protect the Hoshidans, it did so on its own. It awoke by itself for the first time in centuries, felt your presence the moment you set foot on this island and quickly grew enamored with you and deemed you it's chosen master." Hydra revealed. "Kind of like that Sorceress who stalked you."

"Don't say it like that." Robin muttered with huge embarrassment bursting into his face but also a hint of sadness at the mention of Tharja.

"She's yours now, do with her what you will and if you don't want it, you can give it to your daughter if you do decide to return to her as an apology gift for leaving her. I imagine that these two will get along greatly as well." Hydra said. "Just remember to deliver the Dragonstone."

"I will. I am in your debt after all." Robin complied as he places both Yato and the Dragonstone inside Morgenstern. "If I find a way home, I may come visit to give a proper farewell."

"I wouldn't recommend it, I'm not one for goodbyes, much less being formal about it." Hydra replied with a half chuckle.

"Same…" Robin sighed with half amusement as he takes his leave. "Same…"

"One final thing." Hydra said.

"What is it?" Robin asked, stopping to listen.

"Do not tell anyone from Nohr that you found Azura, nor bother to bring her back to her mother. The changes to her life are too significant and rather she returns to Nohr or stays with Hoshido is entirely her choice to make." Hydra instructed. "Her Destiny is all her own now."

"But is that really a good thing?" Robin questioned, harboring doubts on this request but ultimately complies and with no more words to speak up, the doors to Hydra's sanctum open, Robin gazes at the fully recovered Hoshidans, patiently waiting for their turn to meet the Sage, and while they aren't too happy to see him, the fact that Robin came back empty handed and without Yato is a breath of fresh air to the more stuck-up among them.

"Well, as standoffish and unpleasant as your company was, I must say that fighting alongside you all was an eventful experience, and hopefully, if we do cross paths again it will be more as actual allies." Robin said politely and leaves the Sanctuary.

"Until we meet again, then." Azura replied, almost sounding like she's looking forward to it.

"What a weirdo." Hinata noted.

"What kind of Nohrian comes here seeking knowledge and not power?" Subaki wondered.

"That you would ask that despite the answer being so obvious proves your fallibility." Hydra said as he steps forward to face the Hoshidans again and give them what they want, well to one of them actually.

"Wait, what?" The Pegasus Knight uttered, caught off by the Sage's sudden insult.

* * *

After the misadventure in Notre Sagesse, Robin returns to Nohr flying at top speed and is now back in the Northern Fortress. It's sure been a couple of months since he was last here, and despite the gloomy nature of this place and Nohr as a whole, he is happy to be back, having been a fine settlement for him to find comfort and level of peace and the new friends he made are a nice addition, those number of friends are a handful, while that one other resident, Jakob is like a repulsive version of the Cold Lieutenant of the Exalt. Sure, Frederick was difficult to work with but his acts of mistrust were the result of his unshakable loyalty to Chrom's family, and loyalty breeds forgivable paranoia and the two eventually became friends, Jakob, however, comes off as too petty and obsessive that it's so difficult to be around him and the reason why he didn't come back sooner was because a whole month away from the butler proved insufficient and Robin wanted more time away, and now that he's back? He still wants more time away from the disrespectful and paranoid man who constantly butts heads with the former Tactician for the attention of the young Princess who lives here.

On the subject of Corrin, Robin does feel at ease with the young woman and in many ways is glad that he met her. He doesn't see going from a War Hero to a ''somewhat competent butler'', as Jakob put it, as much of a downgrade as this may seem, he never once cared about the popularity he got as one of Chrom's Shepherds and Supreme Commander of Ylisse's Army, in fact it's a breath of fresh air that no one knows who he is. He hates lying to Corrin about his amnesia but what choice did he really have, in spite of the fact that Nohr and practically everywhere else in Horus are magic ruled societies, people still believed in logical answers and facts to accept something as truth and as open minded as Corrin seemed, he could hardly fathom that she would believe his tale right off the bat, and he doesn't know where to even begin with her overbearing family. For the most parts, he hit it off well with Corrin's brothers, Leo respects his swordplay and ''entertaining'' keen eye for tactics, same with Xander who trusts him as a guard-watch for the fort alongside Gunter, and he even forgave him for setting his hair ablaze. It was easy enough to get on Elise's good side, and while Camilla seems apprehensive, she stopped being more open about it after his first month here. Though despite visiting the Capital of Nohr many times, he seldom laid eyes on Queen Arete and he only knows about King Garon through rumors and tales of his children.

So many complications going on but he be lying if he said he wasn't happy to see her again and hopes to one day tell her the truth of who he is as he owes her so much before he leaves.

Speaking of her, Robin contemplates on what to do with the Dragonstone Hydra gave him as his thoughts focus on Corrin. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew she was extremely special, while definitely human, pointy ears notwithstanding, Robin knows there is more to her than she herself and probably her family realize. He can't put his finger on it but perhaps, could she be the one with the power to become a Dragon, the Nohrian Royal Family are the descendants of a Divine Dragon, via magical blood transfer to the first King of Nohr so maybe Corrin's dragon blood is uniquely high enough to access the true power of her godly ancestor but Corrin certainly doesn't strike him as someone with talent for dark magic despite her passionate devotion to the Dusk Dragon that is almost identical to Libra's devotion to Naga. He needs to think on it some more before doing anything about it.

Robin summons Morgenstern to pull out the legendary sword revered by all of Horus, something that really has him puzzled on what to do about it as he really doesn't want this sword in his life. He's seen enough of holier than that weapons to last him one lifetime and he definitely wants none of it. Still, he can't deny that if War does break out with Hoshido that things will go really south for everyone, if Hoshido does manage to hold off against Nohr's Army of Grimm, the royals will be forced to be more active in the frontline and despite training all her life for the Twilight War, Robin is not sure that Corrin should participate. She is a pure soul yet unspoiled by the ugliness of the world, he can't bear to see her fall to corruption and hatred like he did so long ago but maybe if she had a powerful weapon, she could hold her own in the onslaught but as Hydra said, Caelum has bound itself to him and the tremendous power within that rivals and perhaps surpasses the Exalted Falchion, Ragnell and Alondite and will only respond to his will as with a thought, the sword transforms into the icy form it briefly took when he defeated the Dark Knight Phantom.

'It's a longshot but maybe I can forge a connection with Corrin that will allow me to share the sword with her and eventually transfer all custody to her.' Robin deduced as he does possess a spell that he's never had the chance to use before and perhaps now is a good time as any to use it as he REALLY wants to get rid of this sword. But should he give her the sword? After all, if the legends surrounding this blade are true than Corrin's life may change for the absolute worse. Even still, he can't help but go through with this as he can't fall prey to the Chains of Fate. Not again.

Before he could step inside the fortress, Robin sees Corrin coming out from the large front doors and heading towards him, of which he initially thought to greet him personally but this is soon dashed away when he notices how fast she is running towards him with a freaked out look in her face, worrying him greatly.

"ROBIN RUN! RUN!" The White Princess cried out to him, signaling that he is in some kind of danger.

"What-" Robin barely muttered before he does senses the danger she's referring to and without looking up he leaps out of the way to dodge an attack from above as the large wyvern of Camilla, with the Princess in question came falling down hard where he previously stood.

"… the hell!" Robin muttered in complete shock by what just happened.

"So… you actually had the nerve to return. You disgusting piece of garbage." Camilla said with ''uncharacteristic'' venom in her voice and while she has a smile on her face, it is one of pure malice but surprisingly not one he is familiar with, and he has seen a lot of hate filled glares in his life, the ones that haunt him to this day are among the first he ever received…

"But it's good that you did come back." The harshness of Camilla forced him out of his short trance. "Because now I can personally KILL-ARGH!" Camilla is then attacked by none other than Corrin who kicks her right in the face, forcing her off Escanor.

"Huh…" Robin uttered, unable to process everything going on.

"Don't just stand there! RUN!" Corrin cried again in desperation, grabbing Robin to lift him up on her shoulders and she begins to run in his stead, growing more clueless by the second.

"Dammit! CORRIN GET BACK HERE! HE HAS TO PAY!" Camilla howled, her façade completely gone as she goes chasing after them and is able to keep up with her usually faster younger sister.

"How are you able to run so well while wearing heels of all things?!" Corrin cried.

"Give me that pig, Corrin! This is for your own good!" Camilla demanded.

"**NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**!" Corrin cried louder in defiance that her screaming hurt Robin's, Camilla's and Escanor's ears.

"Just what is going on…?" Robin mumbled in absolute confusion.

Hours later until nightfall, Robin is back in his old room in the fortress, under house arrest of all things, lying down on the door to said room with a baffled expression.

"They think I raped you?!" Robin uttered, trying to clarify the situation he's been going through all day, that only now did Corrin, who is outside of the room, also sitting behind the door, the white pair back to back with her in the hall, only now properly clarified as no one was making sense under all the promises of a fitting punishment. "Is that what Elise meant about naming a kid Kana?"

"Yes, and again, I am so sorry, you were right, going to celebrate Halloween in Windmire was a stupid idea, everyone completely overreacted." Corrin practically sobbed as she apologizes. She still has nightmares from the horror she went through after waking up naked and only a bed sheet to cover herself.

"Overreacted is not a strong enough tone to sugarcoat my situation." Robin protested, understandably upset by how bad this whole thing is. "I mean, I get why they're like this. You're like a delicate flower to them, I mean, Elise is something special but at least she's not stuck in a fortress doing whatnot so I can't really fault them for being so volatile but for Ike's sake, you'd think that after months of me being gone they've concluded that perhaps you're just as much to blame, or better yet themselves for not realizing why you wanting to leave and do something stupid makes total sense."

"I know, right? They're crazy, and I think mother is the only one who's thinking logically about this, hence why she decreed you be under house arrest instead of being executed, and when you really think about it, this is more of a way to protect you from everyone else." Corrin suggested.

"I figured that out a lot sooner, after all not even for you would Jakob want to set foot in my room and risk falling ill upon catching my scent." Robin mused.

"See! Now you're getting it." Corrin cheered half-heartedly in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood but it falls short. "So… how was the trip?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now." He shrugged, not in the mood to tell any stories.

"Okay…" Corrin uttered in disappointment. An awkward silence fills the room and hall, a monsoon of emotions being locked away inside the very core of their hearts, more so Corrin since she's the only one of the two who actually remembers what really went down on Halloween but can't bring herself to say to him, the guilt inside keeping her mute over what he's going through but that's only half the reason for her guilt, the worst part is that she wouldn't have undone what'd happened. No matter how short lived it was, she can't bring herself to completely regret it, except that the man she's hopelessly fallen for is taking all the blows.

Desperately, she tries to escape the silence as she turns to her right towards the sword Robin gave her. "This is a very pretty blade. Never seen one made of gold before."

"It's made of a more valuable mineral than gold. Can't explain with certainty but whatever it is, it's practically indestructible and never needs to be sharpened." Robin said, not sure how much to explain on what he knows about Yato's power, it was a spur of the moment because of everything else going on that he brought off the name Yato when he initially wanted to call it by it's true name, Caelum. Hydra didn't seem too enthusiastic about calling it Yato when he explained it to him.

"And you're sure you want to entrust it to me?" She asked.

"Why not? Any blade will do for me, but you. As someone of royalty, you need a sword that'll never let you down. It's no Siegfried but I guarantee that it'll serve you well, if not indefinitely then eventually. Which is more than I can really offer." Robin said.

"Then I'll treasure it always." Corrin smiled, holding on to Yato firmly. She can already feel glee from its touch. "You must've had all kinds of adventures exploring Horus and likely beyond."

"I have, in fact. People speak ill of Almyra but I like it, when you're finally given the chance, you should try and go there. They have much in common with Nohr and attempts for a treaty are under way. It would boaster alliances to have a chance to learn their culture." Robin advised.

"I'd liked that very much. After tensions ease up and you're allowed to stand by me in my inevitable travels that is." Corrin smiled with hopeful glee.

"We'll see." He replied while he pulls the Dragonstone from Morgenstern. "Someday, I'll tell you everything, until there are no more secrets left to tell."

**(Fast Forward: The Day after the Battle in Kurosaki)**

"Still nothing?" Asked a concern Ryoma as he sees his stepmother exit Corrin's room as he came to check up on her, along with his siblings and Azura.

"Not yet." Mikoto shook her head in bitter sadness as Corrin is still unconscious as a result of the beginning of the Twilight War. "I pour as much magic as I could to heal her but nothing seems to wake her up. I suspect that her coma is the result of her transforming into a dragon for the first time which proved too great for her body and mind and needs time to recover on her own pace."

"But she will recover, right?" Hinoka asked with desperation.

"On that, there is no doubt but how long is completely unpredictable, for me at least." Mikoto said clinging too much on to hope.

"I'd give her two more days." Robin suggested as he arrives before the Royals, standing a fair distance from them.

"Robin, you're finally up." Mikoto said a bit surprised to see him as when she went to check up on Corrin yesterday, she found Robin lying on the floor just as out cold as Corrin and just as unresponsive and had him escorted into a different room to rest. If he had only just woken up now than he's been out for at least twenty hours.

"Overuse of my magic in the battles yesterday have really worn me out but my wounds are unimportant." Robin shrugged any concerns they might possibly have for him. "Regarding her there should be no worries so long as she remains undisturbed. I don't know a whole lot about her situation and tremendous power but I can venture a good guess when it comes to matters of magic."

"You know more than that." Ryoma said in a way that sounded accusatory but definitely wants answers.

"You must clarify if I am to answer." Robin replied to what he's referring to.

"Right before the fight truly began and Corrin transformed, you were just as shocked as the rest of us but what you said made it clear that you knew a Dragon would pass judgement on the War, didn't you?" Ryoma said as he heard Robin clearly when he called Corrin a ''Manakete'' and mentioned the Sage, who he can only assume is the Rainbow Sage. "And then there's this."

The High Prince then presents Yato that he's been holding on to ever since the battle, the sight of it still catches him and his family off guard, especially his siblings after seeing the blade in action not that long ago when they first met Robin and seeing it in Corrin's possession was baffling to say the least, as though it wasn't enough that Robin and Corrin knew each other all along.

"With Corrin finally back and so much to say and do, the chance to ask regarding this sword, you and the Rainbow Sage couldn't come any sooner. And we all know that Corrin's never been to Notre Sagesse." Ryoma said. "With the way things are now, this would be a good chance to finally get some answers, don't you agree."

"It is as you see it." Robin shrugged again. "The sword many in Horus revere as a blade of legends is right there in your possession and under my watch."

"But how? Why do you have the Sword of Salvation?" Takumi questioned, largely troubled by this for reasons Robin partially understands, though said reasons could be obsolete since Robin now has no choice but to stand with them given that Nohr will be coming after him, however he can also understand why that won't be seen by many as a good enough reason to trust him, and having ties with Yato may not improve things for him especially since he doesn't want it, just as much as he wants no part of this war but he can't bring himself to leave Corrin behind, just as he can't use the Bifröst now, loathe as he is to admit it, Grima's strength may prove essential against King Garon, he may be every bit the behemoth Walhart was, and he is not looking forward to go through that again, the best way to deal with a great dragon is with another, otherwise whole continents will pay the prize. Scratch that, that's a horrible strategy but he will need to use Grima one last time to protect Corrin.

"That Sage can be a very vague individual as you should know yourselves, even though I did not desire any of the Sacred Treasures I still partook and pass the Trial and he gave me the blade as my reward." Robin lied, not wanting to take his chances with the fact that the blade itself chose him. "However the sword is not meant for me."

"So Corrin then? Is that why she wields it? But she didn't even pass the trial." Ryoma asked.

"As i said, he was very vague in his instructions but I suspect it's because as a true child of the Dragon Gods, Corrin is more than capable of harnessing the sword's power as well but it won't come to her as easy as the two of you should know how complicated these weapons can be. Either way, I consider myself fortunate since I want nothing to do with them." Robin flat out confessed.

"You… don't want the legendary… what bullshit are you playing at here, Robin!" Takumi demanded over this lunacy. "The Sword's power resonated with you, didn't it?"

"I don't play games, Takumi! I have enough dirt on my hands as it is, especially since Xander and the rest of Nohr's hierarch want me dead and Corrin in chains, the last thing I need is a relic of your past haunting me." Robin spoke up louder, finally fed off with Takumi's outburst and it actually startled him to hear him talk back to him. "Besides, that ice trick was my own magic, not the blade." He lied again.

"And leaving such a dangerous relic in the hands of my sister is better?" Ryoma questioned.

"She has all of you and your whole army to back her, I'm on my own." Robin shrugged, with his frustrations turning into bitterness. "I don't expect any of you to understand."

"Yet in spite of that you're still here, wanting to help Corrin." Azura pointed out.

"I owe a debt to her is all. She saved my life when the other royals would've preferred to leave me to die on those plains where she found me within an inch of my life most likely about to die. As if nursing me back to health wasn't enough, she let me stay in her personal fortress regardless of the potential risks of me being a danger. That's just how she is but as safe as she is now, the dangers might be greater than any of us could ever prepare for when she wakes up." Robin explained.

"Well, you're not wrong there." Hinoka said largely worried for when a swarm of Grimm might come forcing their way inside the Capital.

"I know you people don't fully trust me yet. I get it, and you may never will, that honestly doesn't bother me but you know what awaits me when I leave your borders, that's not your problem. But I can protect her in your stead when you can't be by her side. Like it or not, she'll want to be a part of this war, be it for revenge or closure, she has the heart of a warrior, she will want to fight." Robin is practically pleading with them. "Besides, isn't it better for Yato being in her possession instead of the actual outsider?"

He leaves the Royals in a brief contemplation on how to respond but thankfully it's a short one.

"Corrin's faith in you is clearly unshakable and for her sake, having someone who can give her a sense of familiarity will help ease her nerves when she awakens." Mikoto suggested.

"I got no objections. Not yet." Hinoka added.

"M-Me nei… ther. He's actually p-pretty n-nice." Sakura nervously complied, all the while Takumi remained silent, practically abstaining his vote.

"Very well, as I said before, we owe you a great deal for all the aid you gave us, no matter your reason, the least we can do is guarantee your safety." Ryoma concluded. "Plus, your power may serve us well."

"I'm glad we have an understanding of sorts." Robin said while folding his arms, at the very least Corrin comes first. "Whatever you want, I'll try to fulfill it to the best of my abilities."

"I'm counting on it." Ryoma nodded in affirmation before turning to Mikoto. "Forgive me mother, I know you want nothing more than to remain by Corrin's side, we all do but Yukimura needs your help at the moment, the Capital remains in disaster."

"I know, I'm well prepared for my duties." Mikoto nodded. "Azura, you mind staying watching over Corrin until I return."

"Of course." Azura nodded as the Royals leave as there so much that needs to be done to linger with Corrin, to their dismay, except Takumi at the moment, leaving the Songstress with Robin as they both enter Corrin's room and see that she remains comatose.

"You sure she won't stay like this for long?" Azura asked him.

"I'm sure. Corrin's more powerful than any of us realize, this is just the result of her not yet getting the hang of her potential." Robin assured her.

"You know a lot more than you're letting on." Azura said suspiciously but cleverly doesn't show it, not really wanting to say anything that'll start an argument, in spite of the answers she seeks.

"There's a lot I know and a lot more that eludes me. And no, the Sage didn't reveal to me my past, only that I'll find what I desire in Mount Garou." Robin largely lied this time.

"Even though he seemed to know you well enough. His Phantom called you Robin of Titan. That's not a word familiar to Hoshido." Azura said.

"Nor anywhere in Horus but that's irrelevant right now. I've waited three years for my revelation, I can wait a little longer." Robin said.

**(Present Time: Back at the Sevenfold Sanctuary)**

After the disastrous events that took place in Mount Garou, Corrin, Robin, Selena, Odin and Laslow return to the Sanctuary with the Bifröst for Arete, Hydra already waiting for them, quickly placing his hand on her shoulder upon noticing the bitter look on her face.

"Their deaths are not on you, dear child." Hydra said solemnly to her.

"I wish that were true." Corrin uttered with bitter regret.

"That you would be willing to bear the burden of so much sorrow proves your innocence. One of the architects is gone. Let that be enough, for now." Hydra insisted.

"That means nothing if she can't be saved." Corrin shrugged as he presents to him the legendary staff.

"The Bifröst. At last." Hydra gazed at the staff's radiance before claiming it. "Your mother from Nohr's life is assured now, child." He turns to Arete who remains in her stasis, as he extends the powerful staff to her, it glows with a light that starts off white before it shines with all the colors of a rainbow that spread like tendrils from the Bifröst to Arete, penetrating the Chrono Stasis, covering the Shadow Queen in an aura of the same light as the magic begins to fuel her body and truly restore her to life. After almost a minute of anxious anticipation from those watching, Hydra ceases using the staff's power.

"It's done." He said with confidence, and the second he said those words, Corrin immediately rush towards Arete to embrace her as soon as she is released from the Chrono Stasis. The Princess sheds tears of joy but doesn't cry out as loud as Robin thought, especially as she hears Arete's steady heartbeat and she opens her eyes.

"I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry." Corrin sobbed.

"Corrin…" Arete uttered not knowing what to say after experiencing her own death and being locked in a state between being alive and dead. She felt nothing but at the same time there was an aching sensation that she couldn't react and she could still hear everything going on around her and she knew that Corrin went to find the instrument of her salvation. Even without that knowledge, she would return the embrace.

"Oh, prays the Gods for at least this part turning out alright." Laslow sighed in relief, as the other three as they see Corrin happily reunite with her stepmother.

"Is it selfish to feel that this might be worth it." Selena questioned

"I don't know. That's never been an easy question to answer. What is really worth doing in war when innocence are involved?" Robin said somberly.

"That is a question that should always go unanswered." Hydra replied. "There will always be risks to every life one seeks to save, they just aren't always noticeable."

"Truer words, great one." Odin said just as somber as Robin and then turns to see that Elise and his other comrades are still trapped in time. "Hey, you mind letting everyone free now. Our beloved queen is alright."

"Of course." Hydra complied as he releases the other Nohrians.

"MOTHER!" Elise cried out in anguish as she rushes to her stepmother and former sister, getting in the embrace where she is more than welcomed.

"GODS! FINALLY! That was a terrible experience I don't ever want to go through." Charlotte screamed, full of rage and fear over being put in such as stasis, something all her comrades share.

"LASLOW! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Peri screamed even louder and enraged as she goes to attacked her startled partner in retribution for leaving her frozen in time, however Hydra saves Laslow by casting a spell that forces the berserk dame to fall to the floor, fast asleep, already snoring.

"Her medication will wear off soon, you best give her more when she awakens." He said to the Retainer.

"Yes, thank you." Laslow muttered while dropping a sweat at the close call he just had.

"I have done all I could for you, young ones, now it's time to go." Hydra said as two portals open up behind him, one that shows the image of Castle Krakenburg and the other a snowy region that must be Niflheim for Robin and Corrin to take. Once that is done, the Rainbow Sage departs from the room. "This is the last time I want to partake in the affairs of Nohr and Hoshido."

"Hydra. Hold on a minute." Corrin pleaded as she releases herself from Arete and Elise and walks to Hydra as they face each other on what may probably be the last time. "Thank you. I… this means more to me than you know."

"But I do know, sweet child. And I did say that I would help you when you are in dire need of it." Hydra smiled compassionately. "Though, I must confess that I'm a little disappointed that you didn't call for me sooner, given all your short comings."

"Would you be a little more disappointed if I said I forgot about your offer?" Corrin asked innocently, as if she was concern about being scolded by her dad.

"A little." Hydra mused uncharacteristically with humor. He then gives her back the Bifröst. "You may need it again but use it wisely and whatever happens, do not allow yourself to fall to its Lust. Human Hearts are easily swayed."

"I know." Corrin replied as she accepts the staff. "I swear in the names of the Precursors that I'll bring it back to you when this all finally ends. And this time it'll be held where no one will ever use it again."

"I know you will. Farewell for now, Corrin." He said as he again leaves and this time with no more words left to say and Corrin turns to face the Nohrians as Robin returns to her side.

"Quite the late birthday present you've given me." Arete was the first to speak with light humor before there was ice to break.

"Not like you would allow there to be time to celebrate with all this going on. But one should always make time for presents, like you once said." Corrin replied as Arete's birthday was last week and no one really celebrated it because all focus was on the Twilight War. "Everyone, I…"

"Corrin, enough. You don't have to waste your breath on trying to explain yourself when you need not explain what's already clear." Arete raised her hand to her but it was said without a hint of a lecture, much less any level of antipathy, only her typical compassion. "I already know why and I don't blame you."

"Not even a tiny bit?" Corrin muttered.

"Not even a tiny bit." She affirmed while holding on to Elise tightly who can't bring herself to look at Corrin in the eye. "This outcome was predictable from the start, as I'm sure Xander at one point expressed in his own way."

"You know how he is better than anyone." Corrin said with a sense of bliss to be given the chance to speak to her like this again, no matter how short lived this is.

"I don't blame you for walking this path, after all, how could you even consider to stand with us still after learning the truth? It would've been something if you had but honestly it would've been preferable for both sides if you'd stayed out of the fighting altogether." Arete said, again opening up to Corrin that the possibility that Robin's previous choice for her might've been for the best. "Not that it matters now. It's far too late to undo all that's been done. It was all inevitable, I suppose."

"Maybe." Corrin sighed, briefly looking away from her. "So what happens now?"

"Now?" Arete sighed herself as she stares at Elise, then the portal Hydra left clearly for them and the Retainers. "It's time to go back home and help to evacuate the Capital for the off chance that Garon and the others couldn't stop the Hoshidans in Niflheim."

'GARON'S IN-' It took what remained of her willpower for Corrin not to scream from the shock upon hearing this new information, as well as notice the fact that Arete's finally giving up on bringing her back.

"Already calling it quits?" She asked.

"Nonsense, I'm just being overly cautious is all." Arete brushed off. "Fair warning though, you reunite with your other family, you may not like what you find."

"You may be right, your Majesty, but that'll hardly be an obstacle for us." Robin finally spoke up.

"Your funerals." Arete mused. "Let's go everyone, Elise is safe now." She commanded to the Retainers who obey and wordlessly enter the portal back to Nohr, Selena, Odin, Laslow and Peri being the last to enter Though before he went in, Benny spared an ominous glance at Corrin, it was hard to tell if it was a glare or anything condescending, she really couldn't tell before he went in, leaving her hopelessly confused.

"Well, there will be a lot of explaining to do once we get back." Laslow sighed as he picks up his sleeping partner, carrying her on his shoulder. "Even still, our Queen and Princess are alright so if nothing else, we can go back with some sense of accomplishment."

"Naturally, after all, we are supreme warriors of darkness, as such living with regrets and more burdens to carry on our mighty shoulders is inevitable." Odin said doing his best to remain strong after such a horrendous ordeal.

"I hate it when your stupidity makes sense." Selena hissed before turning to Robin. "So what, this is where we part ways, again?"

"Yes and hopefully it will be shorter than the last time." Robin replied. "Our paths remain as such. You do what you must for those you're sworn to protect, while I tend to my wards."

"I wish I could wish you both luck but you will be facing off against our masters and I dare not WISH for them to fall." Odin muttered, as if the conflict he's enduring wasn't apparent enough.

"Then don't wish such a thing, except trust that you'll see Xander, Camilla and Leo again." Robin assured them.

"We're counting on it." Selena snapped sharply before growing soft. "It's good to see you, and actually talk to you again, Uncle."

"Likewise Severa." Robin smiled passionately to the trio as they take their leave until Arete and Elise are the only ones left.

"Mother! One last thing. I need to know." Corrin spoke up quickly before she entered the portal. "Even if it's true that Garon didn't kill Sumeragi, and I have been considering that to be the truth, that still doesn't explain how I was brought into Nohr if none of you are responsible."

"I'm afraid you have it all wrong, Little Princess. No one brought you to Nohr, you came to us all on your own." Arete revealed, which greatly caught the White duo and Elise off guard.

"I don't understand."

"The first time I ever laid eyes on you was in your true Dragon Form, rampaging across Windmire until you forced your way into Krakenburg, craving bloodshed." She explained.

"What…" Corrin uttered, unable to comprehend what she's saying.

"Wait, you're saying that the White Behemoth was Corrin?" Robin asked, thinking he understands.

"The White Behemoth? The monster that rampaged across Nohr thirteen years ago and appeared sometime after… Sumeragi's death…" With that, the pieces of the puzzles were finally gathering together after all this time and the truth finally sinking in. "I… I was… was never your hostage, a prisoner of war, was I?"

"No, you were a convicted criminal for the murder of hundreds of Nohrian citizens in your blind rampage and attempted murder of the Royal Family." Arete revealed, now sadder that instead of parting on a happier note it had to be like this. "Farewell Corrin. Thank you for saving my life. Both of you." With that, the former mother and sister enter the portal and vanish, along with said portal, leaving only the one meant for Corrin and Robin, the two left alone in bitter silence.

"I did transformed for the first time after witnessing my stepfather's murder. Watching him die triggered my dragonic instincts to take over and the sight of the killers dressed as Nohrians…" She began.

"Corrin, don't." Robin pleaded for her not to overthink this revelation.

"I couldn't control myself. I was just a child! Even still, I… Xander said that the White Behemoth was just some freak of nature that Gunter and Elise's Retainer Arthur slew. He never said that he, Elise, Leo, Camilla, father and mother were almost killed by it… by…"

"Corrin, enough!" Robin said louder as he grabs on to her to again set her at ease, like he usually could but it may not cut it this time and to his surprise, Corrin doesn't shed a single tear and just remains quiet.

"I'm tired. So, so very tired." Corrin spoke softly with no emotion, she again feels empty inside.

"I know. Come, it's time to reunite with the others, we've left everyone with our fakes long enough." Robin said as he helps her move to the portal.

"Didn't you hear Arete, Garon's in Niflheim. That's the last place for me to have a vacation." Corrin mused.

"I'll handle him while Lilith takes you to the Astral Plane. I told you before already, I'm getting you through this no matter what." He assured her.

"I know. You and the others might as well remind me every day with how constant you're watching out for me."

"You may not believe it now, nor ever but you're worth it, Cor. You can't convince me to the contrary." Robin smiled with assurance. On that Corrin makes no reply and just changes the subject.

"Can you at least tell me one thing." She asked.

"What is it?"

"What is it you need the Bifröst for, exactly?"

"To cure my body, of course. The pain we talked about way back may be under control but it's still happening, sleeping is difficult because of it. I never complained because I'm used to being in pain. This life, war. It's a part of me. Believe me I hate how much I'm good at this but I always was a necessity for others, nothing more." Robin revealed.

"Then why not come and get it sooner then?"

"Because if I were to use the staff, I'd risk losing all of my dark magic powers. Which personally isn't too much of a hassle for me. I'll miss using the dark arts but this Dark Aether inside me, I loathe it to no end and I want it- I NEED it out of me. But it's because of it that I'm a Demigod, if what Lilith said is to be taken lightly and I made my choice, I'm sticking by you and so I choose to keep it with me a while longer and when I'm no longer needed, I can be normal again. Most importantly, I can rest." Robin sighed with longing in his voice and heart.

"You're an idiot." She mocked him. "There's nothing normal about either of us, and I reckon there never was so spare me your bullshit."

"It's easy to say that when you don't know my whole story." Robin said more amused than insulted by her cold reply.

"Then when the time comes, tell me everything and then I might consent to this mundane nonsense."

"Whatever you say, you're Highness." Robin half-chuckled as they enter the portal to reunite with their friends and pray to the Gods that nothing too deep or too serious happened with her Replica that would make her look really awful if anyone knew it wasn't really her.

Unfortunately for them, their return to Niflheim and the United Army against Nohr is far more than an unpleasant and gruesome showdown with King Garon, as they are greeted with the entire village of the Ice Tribe in flames, and to Robin's eyes, it is the grounds of a one sided massacre.

"Dammit! This is worse than I feared." Robin cursed at the disaster before them.

"Garon did this all on his own? How could he have this much power to best everyone?" Corrin uttered.

"Unfortunately, Elise gave us a prelude to such destruction." Robin has a pretty good idea.

"Ryoma… Azura, everyone. Please be alive." Corrin prayed.

"**How intriguing. You're both still alive.**" The familiar, yet distorted voice of the King of Nohr can be heard coming from the fires that are burning the Ice Tribe and as they look up in front of them, they gaze upon the tyrant responsible for this as he comes out, but he is no longer as Corrin remembers him.

"Oh gods…" Corrin muttered in horror as right before them is the last thing she expected to face. A dragon many times bigger than her dragonic self, matching the Blight Dragon in size. Unlike Corrin, its appearance is a more faithful traditional Western Dragon with a body completely crimson and it seems to draw in surrounding light. The wings have frayed membranes and dotted with multiple holes in them, and the horns on its heard are ornately spiraled horns. The overall body is skeletal, with a face like a skull with empty eye sockets, and a row of bone-like spines that run the length of his body, giving it the impression that it's some kind of Necrodragon.

"King Garon." Robin said defiantly as they both quickly stand their ground against their long awaited adversary.

'Still alive? Did he manage to defeat our Replicas and killed them? If so the others are in for a relief when they see Corrin again.' Robin thought.

"**All this struggle, all this suffering and wasted lives. All for nothing. This war is over!**" Garon declared as he roars with the mighty scream of a true dragon that may possibly be heard from across all of Niflheim. Afterwards, he reveals to them that he is carrying a hostage that he is holding in his left hand.

"Azura!" Robin shouted, seeing the Songstress alright but in extreme turmoil by her predicament that seemed to have calmed down once she sees the whiteheads again.

"Corrin! Robin!" She cried out to them.

"**Now then**…" As Garon began to speak, at the nick of time, three of his children, Xander, Leo and Camilla arrive at the scene. The two sons, riding on Sabyrs almost larger than horses that lack visible spines on their backs, making them comfortable to ride on and not as big and Camilla ridding on a Teryx, a rare sight to see her riding a mount that isn't Escanor. The three Royals surround the White Duo, leaving them more corner than Corrin has ever felt thus far. "**How are you going to find a way out this time?**"

"That's… a good question. Robin, any new ideas right about now." Corrin pleaded.

"We're gonna need to find Yato." Was his only response.

* * *

**Finally, I honestly never thought I would get this one done. I mean I actually had fun writing this but with a few lazy moments here and there this month, coupled with helping the family with whatever we need to get more comfortable with the current state of the world, plus the huricane yesterday, things got hectic but hopefully the majority of us are still alright. With that out of the way, I have an announcement.**

**After much consideration, I've decided that I will be making another story to begin working on right now. A prequel to this story, my own take on Awakening to be precise and no, this will not hold me back from finishing Deliverer of Birthright, believe me, this story will be done before this awful year ends, my imagination has been running wild and I couldn't hold myself back from writing it anymore. After all when I decided that I wanted to write Fanfictions, Awakening was first on my list and hopefully all this time making this story will improve myself for this one but bear in mind that I'll spend less time on that one. I already have a name for it: A Reluctant Hero's Awakening. And of course, as I mentioned before, there will be MASSIVE changes to the story, especially Robin's origin, starting with the first chapter. Till next time and as always, leave reviews.**


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